Tight steering on my Yammie 150

[cormorant]

Not sure if they still do it but if you spend more than $1000 net they will further discount 5-10%. That means if you need other stuff ( or mates do ) you get a greater discount. We do it for ropes every 3 years as we have a fair bit to replace on yachts and anchor ropes between 4 mates and it makes Witworths prices nearly OK. Like all things boating it doesn't take much to add up teh extra hundreds.

Either way the motor pivot needs to be 100% as hyd steering will just hide the problem till it gets really bad. Crap grease will tear the hell out of the nylon bushes so get a good flush of fresh grease through.

Newer cables are much better than 10 year old versions and pretty cheap and will last 5-7 years no worries if routed reasonably. No installation hassle.

Resale- well a new cable will still sell a boat but hyd will add a few hundred in value if done well.

Either way I still say you must every couple of hears undo whatever steering you use and check the tilt tube to stop corrosion

[Moonlighter]

Cheech

A few years ago I upgraded the cable steering on my last boat to the Hydrive Sportkit 1 that you are looking at, and it was one of the best things I ever did. The hydraulic steering is much nicer to live with, smoother and no feedback when you trim the motor hard down and no pulling to one side. You can let the wheel go and it stays where it is.

You will not regret changing to it, trust me!

I also did the install myself and its not very difficult to do by yourself, just read the instructions and follow them to the letter (underline that bit - follow them to the letter!!) and you'll be fine.

The last job once it is all installed is to fill up with hyd fluid and bleed, and it was easiest with 3 of us: 1 turning the wheel, one holding the oil above the steering helm, and one down at the transom catching the oil and opening/closing the bleed nipples.

One thing I found out some years later is that where the hyd tube attaches to the outboard tilt tube they use a spacer/lock nut to lock it into place. I fitted it correctly, but a few years later I upgraded my outboard and the dealer negleted to re-fit this spacer/lock nut and simply tightened the hyd tube up on the tilt tube. The result was the seal inside the tube fouled on the end of the tilt tube and it sprung a leak one day when I was 10k outside. Luckily I had spare oil onboard and got back OK. So watch that. If they'd followed the instructions the problem wouldnt have happened.

Cheers

ML

[Dignity]

Cheech


One thing I found out some years later is that where the hyd tube attaches to the outboard tilt tube they use a spacer/lock nut to lock it into place. I fitted it correctly, but a few years later I upgraded my outboard and the dealer negleted to re-fit this spacer/lock nut and simply tightened the hyd tube up on the tilt tube. The result was the seal inside the tube fouled on the end of the tilt tube and it sprung a leak one day when I was 10k outside. Luckily I had spare oil onboard and got back OK. So watch that. If they'd followed the instructions the problem wouldnt have happened.

Cheers

ML

Thanks for that last bit of info as mine is in for a new motor and I will watch out for the spacer nuts. I also did my own hydraulics, we only needed 2 people as I made a funnel that was locked in place so didn't need extra hands.

[Dignity]

Thanks for all your help. I have checked out the hydrives, and as I have plenty of room in the anchor well (over a metre wide), it looks like the Sportkit 1 will be prefect. This model screws straight in to where the old cable is. I rang whitworths and they do have them in stock, and list price is only $649.00, making it $551.00 after the 15%. I never thought I would be able to get away with it this cheaply. Thanks for your posts as that is what got me thinking to make the change.

Cheech

Get in first thing friday morning as the previous year when I went to get one they had sold out at Mooloolaba and I couldn't get to Brekky Creek where they still had one in stock and they said they wouldn't hold it for me.

[Moonlighter]

Thanks for that last bit of info as mine is in for a new motor and I will watch out for the spacer nuts. I also did my own hydraulics, we only needed 2 people as I made a funnel that was locked in place so didn't need extra hands.

No problems - I recall that it was a narrow chrome nut, I didnt notice it mising when I got it back. So make sure the buggers put it back on properly, and dont just tighten the ram all the way onto the tilt tube!

The other good thing is that the Hydrive distributer is located at Cleveland and they are very helpful with advice and spare parts, extra oil etc if you ever have any problems.

Cheers

ML

[Cheech]

So this is the latest,,,,

I did manage to get a kit from Whitworths for $551.00 and installed it on the weekend. Tested it out with a trip to Mud yesterday. I think I have a faulty unit.

When heading out from Shorncliffe, had the wind coming from Starboard side. Needed a bit more right hand down than left to compensate for the wind. I found that I needed to continually readjust me hands as the wheel was in a constant right hand turn situation. About every 4 minutes I would do a complete 360 degree rotation of the wheel just to keep on course. Then on the trip home with the wind on the port side, and needing more left down to compensate, I still had a slow clockwise rotation. Just not as bad. Probably one rotation every 8 minutes.

Seems to me that there is a faulty valve in the head unit that is letting oil seep through. I was not expecting there to be any slip, and do not recall this happening on any previous boat I had steered that has hydraulic steering.

And yes, it is fitted correctly, there are no leaks, there is no air in the lines, and the oil level in the head unit is correct.

Comments?

[Noelm]

it does sort of sound like a leaky valve or something, mind you, when I first installed my side mount, a long time ago, it had a really bizarre fault, as in, if you turned the wheel very slowly, the motor did not move untill you had done at least half a full turn, I bled the system 50 times (well almost) and the dealer ended up coming to my place and put a power bleed pump on, and after about 5 mins, 1 tiny bubble came out, after that it was 100%, so whether it was that bubble or just dumb luck I don't know.

[Salad Fingers]

I would say from that description you have air in the system. I know you say there isn't but it certainly sounds like there is.

Possibly a faulty pump - but that would be pretty exceptional I would imagine, they are pretty simple beasts - usually they either work or don't work, not much in between.

[cormorant]

With the motor on full lock keep turning the steerng wheel turn the wheel. The wheel should go pretty solid then the overpressure valve will bleed through. Same on opposite lock. This will confirm the overpressure valve is set and seated.

Is it "lumpy"when it gets to this point?

Bleed it again -- Iknow , I know but every time anyone has ever said it it is bled I have rebled them and solved most issues.

Yeah we'll all look stupid if you are the one in a millon with a bad pump but it woudl be rare manufactring fault as they are so simple.

Having done a lot of twins with dual stations without a pressure bleeder just about everytime bleeding fixed it.

That's my 2 bobs worth.

[Cheech]

Thanks. I will give bleeding it another go.

I did do the final check of turning full right and put a bit of weight into it, and then repeat turning left.

No, not lumpy.

It sometimes seems that everything I get ends up being the one that has a fault or issue out of the box, so I am not ruling out being that 1 in 1M.

Fingers crossed. Because apart from this right turn issue, I am pretty happy that you guys convinced me to convert.

[Dignity]

"It sometimes seems that everything I get ends up being the one that has a fault or issue out of the box, so I am not ruling out being that 1 in 1M."


Hey, I think I've just found my twin brother although this is one thing that seemed not to go wrong for me

[Dignity]

Cheech, ring the rep at Cleveland, he will spend quite a bit of time on the phone with you to help you through your problems.