Lost steering last summer. Was towed in. Bleeding fixed my issue. But seals were leaking. So this video is excellent timing to swap the seals out this spring. Love this vid! Thx!
Excellent video. Just did this a month ago on a Seastar system. A quick note you might want to add, if your only changing the end caps, only take one of the support brackets off and carefully slide the ram out (not past the threads) to access the other side of the cap. Like you said the support brackets are the hardest part of this repair. Thanks for sharing. #seastar
I just replaced my steering lines on Sunday. Instead of using 1 line and switching bleeding ports, we used 2 lines to a tee and opened both ports and turned the wheel back and forth until there was no fluid left, or in your case until there was no air left
Excellent comprehensive and easy to understand Tutorial Video!! Thank you for posting it. Now then, where’s the Power Purge Pump and Part Number in description?…Am I tripping or blind or looking too hard for it?🤔
Replaced my two 3 foot lines from transom to cylinder and a cylinder seal kit last year. Not too bad of a job. The marine tech tools puller is a lifesaver! Those brackets get welded on with corrosion. You can slip a piece of hose or PEX split longways over the ram to prevent dents and scrapes while you work. The one thing that most people ask is about the seal in the center of the ram once you pull it out. It’s not field replaceable and seastar claims you have to send it to them to have it replaced. I say go to a hydraulic shop. They can replace that seal, give you new gland end seals and even make you new hoses in any length. If you want cheaper fluid, go to any general aviation airport mechanic shop and ask to purchase a quantity of MIL 5606 aircraft hydraulic fluid. It is approved for use by seastar, and costs way less then the 25.00 a quart they charge!
For the "cheap" way to bleed, do you where to get a fitting that goes from the clear tube to the steering fluid fill port at the steering wheel? thanks! awesome content!
My son and I replaced the lines from the outboard to the console. My 1978 Mako’s conduit is pretty full and pulling the new lines was a nightmare. We finally got them installed and bled and all is well. Thanks for another very informative video.
Great video....... Maybe you can help me with my current issue........bought exact ram you had in the video.....and new hoses..,... Hooked to a helm I bought a year ago at a marine flea market..... Now here's my issue....lol....... After bleeding the system (under pressure) helm won't move left or right..... So first thing I did was disconnect the hoses from ram.....and put into a small bucket....and I turned the wheel left and right and I'm getting fluid....with ram disconnected the motors move freely...........re installed hoses....bled system again.....close off bleeders and boom.....harder than concrete........do I have a bad helm? Or did my ram come defective?........ Please help doctor...lol
Great video. I am having an issue and must have air in my lines. Thank you for the help. I will be getting on this tomorrow when the rain stops. Thanks again
Dude, your content is top notch. Broward native here. Maybe I'll check you guys out when I hit the keys next time. Did you guys make the long chisel yourselves?
I've actually lost steering twice on my 30 foot Boston Whaler with twin 250 Verados. One time the steering driver was bad and another time the entire power steering pump was shot. Thanks for making this video, Born Again Boating! #seastar #SEASTAR
Really informative. I was never sure if the dealer bled my hydraulic steering properly and now once the snow is gone I can check to see how much wheel movement i have before the motor moves. Great info. Stay healthy!
Awesome tips once again. Never have the need to change this. So now I know how to do it if needed. Question. Do you need to change the steering fluids or you do it once and forget about it?
@@BornAgainBoating what normal causes a leak in them? I had a slow leak on ours and then last week on the Ocean the leak got 10x worse and lost steering. Not sure what to check first
#seastar. This was as easy as you have shown. I have a 135 verado that had power assist steering, the oil was so thick it was all jelly inside that it burned the pump out. So after talking to you a couple of times I decided to go with a new sea star without the assist. Being 135 the power assist was not necessary for this size motor. Ordered the parts and had it installed and purged in a few hours. Thanks so much for your input and help. Two thumbs up Aaron.
Thanks for the video I'm rebuilding a 23 stratos new wiring hoses t top trailer bracket power coating t top trailer I just rebuilt my steering cylinder with new seals and hoses just waiting to install the console to hookup my lines and bleed it
Great information! I just bleed my system a month ago with the Bubble Purge Pro... It's like your Power Purge, without the 'power'... Thank you for all the great information... #seastar.
I have always bled these systems with the bottle on the helm normally never takes me more than 10 minutes to get it perfect however I always bleed both sides of the cylinder with the outboard in at full lock both ways otherwise there will always be air left in the system. Very easy to get confused - to bleed stbd side of the cylinder at full lock right hand down you have to turn the wheel left hand down. Have yet to use a power purge but I rekon I could bleed them quicker without one 🤙🏻
Once again great content. I went out last week on my friends boat and while I was driving I noticed that it took a lot of effort to keep the boat going straight. When I let go of the wheel it took a rapid turn to the right and later in the day it wanted to go left. Why is that?
Could be a number of things, if it's mechanical steering and it isn't a no feedback helm then that will let the torque of the engine turn the wheel, and the trim fin anode on the engine will also make the engine want to turn in one direction or the other.
I've never had an issue with m baystar system, but on my fortier, i break the teleflex steering cable probably every 5 or 6 years. Last summer it broke 12 miles out with 20mph winds i had to drive home from the tiller (fortiers have a normal helm and then a tiller in the back) Needless to say i got wet even in my foul weather gear.
I have a question for you. Is it normal to have just a tiny bit of play. You mentioned quarter turn. I don't even think it's that much, but offshore I notice that in rough waters the motors will move slightly back and forth on their own. Is any amount of that normal? If not I'll re-bleed and check everything out again.
So as an auto tec who occasionally drops a wrench or socket into an engine bay then patiently waits for it to hit the ground in relief. I was wondering how often you loose those nice snap on or specialty tools in the drink? If so do you have a super magnet to retrieve it?
Lol, yes that is a dreadful moment :) and yes, we have a big magnet on a string that we go fishing with. So far I've only lost a 1/2" drive 1 1/16" snap on socket, a 6" 3/8" bluepoint extension with a 10mm socket on the end, and 1 large snap on flat head lol that's the total damage! So far :/
That’s actually not as bad as one would assume. I was always talented with mechanics but have a passion for the outdoors. If I were a marine tec I would likely be pissed I wasn’t fishing So close yet so far. Lol. But wouldn’t flip out when there’s an issue with the boat or fear the bill when the dealer calls and says she’s ready. I enjoy the great content. I’m sure you help keep people on the water and off the trailer.
I think so, I honestly use a power purge pretty much every time I ever bleed a steering system now though. I'm not a 100% on that though, because when you steer one way it pulls from the other way, so depending on how you have it hooked up, you might end up just pulling air in the other side and it not really working the way you think it would :/ Power Purges hook the two together and then run them to the tank, but it's constantly putting fluid into the system at the same time so you don't have to worry about it sucking air from the other side. If you had both sides in fluid though, where when it tried to suck from the other side when you switches directions, it would pull fluid up, that should work because it would push air out, but idk, I might have just confused myself thinking about it lol :/
Hello Aaron, I love your videos, never miss one. Have a question for you, I have a 200HP Yamaha that is moving back and forth while idling on the hydraulic cylinder. I can basically move the motor from side to side without moving the wheel. The end caps of he cylinder are not leaking, the piston looks great, no nicks. Can this be the center/internal seal? I know there is now air in the system because I just bleed all the air out. any help is appreciated.
Aaron, I have an older seastar system that doesnt have the bleader stems in the steering cylinder. I purchased a set but they are too big. I just have 2 socket head screws. Do i just bleed the system like bleeding brakes on a car, Minus the hose. Turn a few times in one direction- bleed turn in the other direction -bleed and so on?
dewey66904 I have the same setup. Just two hex head bolts. Whatever way you turn the wheel open up the same bleed fitting. Ex: steer all the way left, hold the wheel (with helper) open left fitting.And remove the bolt completely. You’ll be amazed how much air blows out! Put the bolt back and work in the other direction. Make sure you don’t run out of fluid at the helm. You’ll start to see that a small movement of the wheel will make the motor move. And you shouldn’t have any “rubbery” feeling when you turn the wheel from lock to lock. And the motor should smoothly move from lock to lock and hit its limit on both sides. That’s how you’ll know you’ve bled all the air out.
Also Aaron and anyone else, Ive heard I can use Automatic Transmission fluid in it. With Quicksilver at $25 a quart I have about 2 gallons of Synthetic trans fluid left over from where I did a flush on my truck. Im trying to use it up. This should work right....Or no????
I did my end caps a few years ago and used a puller to get the arms off. It was a pain, I was afraid I was going to break something. Then, more recently, I had to change the big swivel piece that tilts and turns the motor which meant taking those things off again. I used the air hammer the second time because I saw you do it in a video. There is no comparison! #seastar
I bled my seastar. Removed alot of air. The steering goes full lock to one side. The other direction is slow to responsed. It will go almost to full lock and then the wheel will continue to turn endlessly. I noticed a very tiny leak on the end cap. Its the oring just before the threads on the cap. Would this keep me from fully attaining full lock or is there an issue at the helm?
Well a leak will introduce air to the system, and any air depending on where it is, will prevent you from going lock to lock. Sounds like you still have air in the system
@BornAgainBoating thx. You are correct. Besides that, the internal seal in the cylinder failed allowing fluid to bypass seal. This created pour steering and no full lock on the wheel. I think a combination of a bad gland and an internal seal caused the issue. I replaced the cylinder and the steering is back to normal. I enjoy your instructional vids. Keep up the good work
Thank you for your question! Please post it in our Born Again Boating Community! Go here and scroll down to access - it’s free: www.bornagainboating.com/
I lost the steering on a 31’ Jupiter Center Console,. Had to steer it using the twin Mercury Verados 24 miles. All because of a broken line! Check your lines guys #seastar
Same but different. Verado's have their own hydraulic steering. Are you saying that you used the engines for "steering" for 24 miles? If so, way to go to get safe!
How do you flush/bleed the steering system with a Garmin Smartpump autopilot pump? I have read that the autopilot pump needs to be running. Is it possible to use the autopilot pump to push out any air in the system?
Hey! Yes, the autopilot pump does need to run whenever you bleed the system, or else air can get stuck in it. I don't think you can use it to push the air out though :/
I’m hearing a lot of squeaking from the steering cylinder (sea star). Can I just lubricate the rod itself to alleviate the sound? The steering works, it’s just a little tight.
I’ve installed a new uflex hydraulic pump in my boston whaler and after bleeding the system the steering is still hard. Need to check the cylinder 🤦🏼♂️ I guess
I have a 2006 21ft center consul boat with original engine and #seastar system. I am trying to figure out what I need to do to improve it. If I steer the wheel slowly nothing happens. If I speed up the spin, it will catch and turn. I checked the ram and didn't find any nicks. Also no leaks, and the fluid level at the wheel is above the gears. My neighbor has a one year old boat and had a similar problem and the dealer took the boat back and rebleed everything. Any ideas?
You can try and rebleed it, but if it's older a lot of times it's in the helm and the check valves aren't closing the way they should. There are places that can rebuild them though if you wanted to go that route
Help a friend do this last year to his. Ever-rude, dang I wish I could have seen this video before we did the fix.. would have been a bit easier now knowing some tips
#seastar thanks for the video, we have a hydraulic place I deal with and they rebuild them for $100 . I guess they have the parts but from what I see I was doing all the work anyway. So I may as well do it all.. I love CRC corrosion blocker on the bolts with grease over the top. You can spray it on corroded white bolts and with very little brushing effort make them like new..
I swear to God after seeing your last videos Suddenly I have trim motor problems, electric problems and today I saw hydraulic fluid in the transom 😓. My steering system is different is a Whaler Dauntless 200 with a 4 cylinder Verado 200HP. Hydraulic fluid is leaking between a union.
I cannot turn the steering wheel on my twin I/O sterndrive. I even removed the alpha Sterndrive on the port side. I lubricated the power steering unit where the Mercruiser manual says to do it. Unfortunately, I cannot test the power steering pumps. I take it that this is a common issue with exposure to saltwater? Should I remove the steering cables and dip them in a lubricant to see if it is the cables? Also, do the power steering pumps have to be on, to even move the sterndrives? Appreciate the help! #seastar
There are a lot of variables in that question! I don't have an extensive experience with I/O's, but you should be able to disconnect the cables and turn the wheel with it disconnected from the engine. If it turns freely and without issues, then start checking the stuff on the engines. But if they are still stiff, the cables are your issue
Well my story...On my 2011 SeaHunt i kept noticing an odd smell in the center console are and I found an oil stain on the canvas covering all the electrical and steering hoses from the helm but I never saw and drips our oil flowing. Upon further inspection I found a leak/misting squirt when the helm was turned. We found the 90* fitting on the helm loose. Pulled the hose off put the correct sealant on the threads and tighten it all up and flushed the system with about 3 quarts and now no leaks and great steering! #SeaStar
I currently have a problem where I can turn my wheel to the left and it won’t respond for a full turn if I have been steering to the right! Guess it would be a good time to install my new autopilot system since I have to bleed it anyways! I currently have their baystar system for my F150 Yamaha on a 21’ aluminum cc #seastar
My outboard instructor told us a story about the nuts coming loose on his cable steering system. Moral of the story is: Maintenance matters. The loose nut worked off letting the outboard steer free. The 2nd man aboard was thrown overboard. Instinct took over, allowing the captain to throttle back and recover man overboard. In the moments between failure and recovery my instructor could only imagine how he would tell his friends wife what could have been terrible news. Thankfully no one was hurt. To this day he has only used hydraulic steering #Seastar
Not sure what you have going on, could be in the pivot tube on the engine that is stopping it. There are a lot of variable here, I'd say to disconnect the engine from the steering bracket and see if the steering works properly that way and if you can move the engine
@@BornAgainBoating hola aqui no tenemos la suerte como en otros paises que cuesta la gasolina barata pero tema de piezas no hay problema con dos motores de 250cv que te parece
#seastar had a tiny leak on my steering ram last year. Turns out there was just air in the system that expanded when we had a heat wave and pushed some fluid past the seals. I bled the system and haven't had an issue since! I did buy a new gland kit just to have though.
As part of my Grady project I’m looking for a pre-owned #seastar to fit my 225ox66. Never had hydraulic steering but my telefax cable freezes up every winter. Damn thing!
Congratulations @Lovin House you're this week's winner! Shoot us an email to aaron@bornagainboating.com and we'll get your #seastar hoses to you! Congrats!
Usually it's the quad ring that leaks on the helms, right under the steering wheel, just pop that off and take out the three screws and change out the o-ring/quad-ring and you're good! Here's the steering wheel video: ruclips.net/video/iDWDp06ap9k/видео.html&t
Should have had hydraulic steering installed! WHY? Because IT will eliminate SURPRISES. functionality; I got (one of many) surprises of my life because I opted for "duel Ride Guide" steering instead of Hydraulic. I was just about airborne, flat out throttle, trimmed to the limit and it was almost impossible to Hold the steering wheel because of the torque on a swinging prop and a hull that almost wasn't in the water. The tug on the wheel was so intense that I had to drape my entire forearm over top of it. (but you couldn't get the smile off my face) I just had to turn my head and see who was watching, on shore... The wind speed ripped the sunglasses right off my face (about 86 mph) and I attempted to retrieve them...with Both Hands !! The helm Spun like a rocket to the right and to the limit, my seated position ended up being perpendicular to the lake! Don't ask me how I recovered the boat, but I did and shortly thereafter I put it on the trailer and had to lay down. I was just about to do so when a very young boy walked up to me and said; "Hey Mister...that was so cool...can you do it again? Hydraulic Steering insures "a Light One Hand control" without the tugging. A gas pedal allowed me to steer with both hands...
Lost steering last summer. Was towed in. Bleeding fixed my issue. But seals were leaking. So this video is excellent timing to swap the seals out this spring. Love this vid! Thx!
Excellent video. Just did this a month ago on a Seastar system. A quick note you might want to add, if your only changing the end caps, only take one of the support brackets off and carefully slide the ram out (not past the threads) to access the other side of the cap. Like you said the support brackets are the hardest part of this repair. Thanks for sharing. #seastar
Ke l prop up
I just replaced my steering lines on Sunday. Instead of using 1 line and switching bleeding ports, we used 2 lines to a tee and opened both ports and turned the wheel back and forth until there was no fluid left, or in your case until there was no air left
Excellent comprehensive and easy to understand Tutorial Video!! Thank you for posting it. Now then, where’s the Power Purge Pump and Part Number in description?…Am I tripping or blind or looking too hard for it?🤔
My bad: amzn.to/3ACLOb4
@@BornAgainBoating Thanks!
Replaced my two 3 foot lines from transom to cylinder and a cylinder seal kit last year. Not too bad of a job. The marine tech tools puller is a lifesaver! Those brackets get welded on with corrosion. You can slip a piece of hose or PEX split longways over the ram to prevent dents and scrapes while you work. The one thing that most people ask is about the seal in the center of the ram once you pull it out. It’s not field replaceable and seastar claims you have to send it to them to have it replaced. I say go to a hydraulic shop. They can replace that seal, give you new gland end seals and even make you new hoses in any length. If you want cheaper fluid, go to any general aviation airport mechanic shop and ask to purchase a quantity of MIL 5606 aircraft hydraulic fluid. It is approved for use by seastar, and costs way less then the 25.00 a quart they charge!
Awesome video. I have hydraulic steering and never knew there was a tool to get all of the air out of the system
For the "cheap" way to bleed, do you where to get a fitting that goes from the clear tube to the steering fluid fill port at the steering wheel? thanks! awesome content!
My son and I replaced the lines from the outboard to the console. My 1978 Mako’s conduit is pretty full and pulling the new lines was a nightmare. We finally got them installed and bled and all is well. Thanks for another very informative video.
One more note - why does the fluid cost so much? I could not believe the price. Thanks again.
I wish I knew lol
Great video....... Maybe you can help me with my current issue........bought exact ram you had in the video.....and new hoses..,... Hooked to a helm I bought a year ago at a marine flea market..... Now here's my issue....lol....... After bleeding the system (under pressure) helm won't move left or right..... So first thing I did was disconnect the hoses from ram.....and put into a small bucket....and I turned the wheel left and right and I'm getting fluid....with ram disconnected the motors move freely...........re installed hoses....bled system again.....close off bleeders and boom.....harder than concrete........do I have a bad helm? Or did my ram come defective?........ Please help doctor...lol
Just stumbled onto this gem! Much props thanks for all the valuable information.
On the side note I very much thank you for your postings. Watching you run, fix wire makes me tingle. Absolute spot on, your a true craftsman sir.
Thank you!
Great video. I'm replacing endcaps on my boat for the first time and this will be my reference. Thank you for posting.
Great video. I am having an issue and must have air in my lines. Thank you for the help. I will be getting on this tomorrow when the rain stops. Thanks again
Thanks for sharing your knowledge👊
Can you do a video regarding alignment of hydraulic steering,twin outboard engine.
Dude, your content is top notch. Broward native here. Maybe I'll check you guys out when I hit the keys next time. Did you guys make the long chisel yourselves?
I've actually lost steering twice on my 30 foot Boston Whaler with twin 250 Verados. One time the steering driver was bad and another time the entire power steering pump was shot. Thanks for making this video, Born Again Boating! #seastar #SEASTAR
Really informative. I was never sure if the dealer bled my hydraulic steering properly and now once the snow is gone I can check to see how much wheel movement i have before the motor moves. Great info. Stay healthy!
Awesome tips once again. Never have the need to change this. So now I know how to do it if needed. Question. Do you need to change the steering fluids or you do it once and forget about it?
Do it once and forget about it until it starts to leak :)
@@BornAgainBoating what normal causes a leak in them? I had a slow leak on ours and then last week on the Ocean the leak got 10x worse and lost steering. Not sure what to check first
#seastar. This was as easy as you have shown. I have a 135 verado that had power assist steering, the oil was so thick it was all jelly inside that it burned the pump out. So after talking to you a couple of times I decided to go with a new sea star without the assist. Being 135 the power assist was not necessary for this size motor. Ordered the parts and had it installed and purged in a few hours. Thanks so much for your input and help. Two thumbs up Aaron.
Thanks for the video I'm rebuilding a 23 stratos new wiring hoses t top trailer bracket power coating t top trailer I just rebuilt my steering cylinder with new seals and hoses just waiting to install the console to hookup my lines and bleed it
Great information! I just bleed my system a month ago with the Bubble Purge Pro... It's like your Power Purge, without the 'power'... Thank you for all the great information... #seastar.
I have always bled these systems with the bottle on the helm normally never takes me more than 10 minutes to get it perfect however I always bleed both sides of the cylinder with the outboard in at full lock both ways otherwise there will always be air left in the system. Very easy to get confused - to bleed stbd side of the cylinder at full lock right hand down you have to turn the wheel left hand down. Have yet to use a power purge but I rekon I could bleed them quicker without one 🤙🏻
Once again great content. I went out last week on my friends boat and while I was driving I noticed that it took a lot of effort to keep the boat going straight. When I let go of the wheel it took a rapid turn to the right and later in the day it wanted to go left. Why is that?
Could be a number of things, if it's mechanical steering and it isn't a no feedback helm then that will let the torque of the engine turn the wheel, and the trim fin anode on the engine will also make the engine want to turn in one direction or the other.
I've never had an issue with m baystar system, but on my fortier, i break the teleflex steering cable probably every 5 or 6 years. Last summer it broke 12 miles out with 20mph winds i had to drive home from the tiller (fortiers have a normal helm and then a tiller in the back) Needless to say i got wet even in my foul weather gear.
I have a question for you. Is it normal to have just a tiny bit of play. You mentioned quarter turn. I don't even think it's that much, but offshore I notice that in rough waters the motors will move slightly back and forth on their own. Is any amount of that normal? If not I'll re-bleed and check everything out again.
thanks i followed your instructions , it was pretty simple probably because the one bracket came off by itself
those seals were 15 years old
Nice!
So as an auto tec who occasionally drops a wrench or socket into an engine bay then patiently waits for it to hit the ground in relief. I was wondering how often you loose those nice snap on or specialty tools in the drink? If so do you have a super magnet to retrieve it?
Lol, yes that is a dreadful moment :) and yes, we have a big magnet on a string that we go fishing with. So far I've only lost a 1/2" drive 1 1/16" snap on socket, a 6" 3/8" bluepoint extension with a 10mm socket on the end, and 1 large snap on flat head lol that's the total damage! So far :/
That’s actually not as bad as one would assume. I was always talented with mechanics but have a passion for the outdoors. If I were a marine tec I would likely be pissed I wasn’t fishing So close yet so far. Lol. But wouldn’t flip out when there’s an issue with the boat or fear the bill when the dealer calls and says she’s ready. I enjoy the great content. I’m sure you help keep people on the water and off the trailer.
Can you connect both valves together and bleed the air form both sides at the same time?
I think so, I honestly use a power purge pretty much every time I ever bleed a steering system now though. I'm not a 100% on that though, because when you steer one way it pulls from the other way, so depending on how you have it hooked up, you might end up just pulling air in the other side and it not really working the way you think it would :/
Power Purges hook the two together and then run them to the tank, but it's constantly putting fluid into the system at the same time so you don't have to worry about it sucking air from the other side.
If you had both sides in fluid though, where when it tried to suck from the other side when you switches directions, it would pull fluid up, that should work because it would push air out, but idk, I might have just confused myself thinking about it lol :/
Hello Aaron, I love your videos, never miss one. Have a question for you, I have a 200HP Yamaha that is moving back and forth while idling on the hydraulic cylinder. I can basically move the motor from side to side without moving the wheel. The end caps of he cylinder are not leaking, the piston looks great, no nicks. Can this be the center/internal seal? I know there is now air in the system because I just bleed all the air out. any help is appreciated.
Aaron, I have an older seastar system that doesnt have the bleader stems in the steering cylinder. I purchased a set but they are too big. I just have 2 socket head screws. Do i just bleed the system like bleeding brakes on a car, Minus the hose. Turn a few times in one direction- bleed turn in the other direction -bleed and so on?
Yeah, basically, it's just a pain when it's like that :(
dewey66904 I have the same setup. Just two hex head bolts. Whatever way you turn the wheel open up the same bleed fitting. Ex: steer all the way left, hold the wheel (with helper) open left fitting.And remove the bolt completely. You’ll be amazed how much air blows out! Put the bolt back and work in the other direction. Make sure you don’t run out of fluid at the helm. You’ll start to see that a small movement of the wheel will make the motor move. And you shouldn’t have any “rubbery” feeling when you turn the wheel from lock to lock. And the motor should smoothly move from lock to lock and hit its limit on both sides. That’s how you’ll know you’ve bled all the air out.
@@BornAgainBoating Thanks Aaron
@@Fireship1 Thanks, Im hooking it back up in the next couple of days.
Also Aaron and anyone else, Ive heard I can use Automatic Transmission fluid in it. With Quicksilver at $25 a quart I have about 2 gallons of Synthetic trans fluid left over from where I did a flush on my truck. Im trying to use it up. This should work right....Or no????
I did my end caps a few years ago and used a puller to get the arms off. It was a pain, I was afraid I was going to break something. Then, more recently, I had to change the big swivel piece that tilts and turns the motor which meant taking those things off again. I used the air hammer the second time because I saw you do it in a video. There is no comparison! #seastar
Do you have any suggestions on sea star power assist ..motor runs but not working..
Great show and very well explained thank you very much from Sydney Australia 😊
I bled my seastar. Removed alot of air. The steering goes full lock to one side. The other direction is slow to responsed. It will go almost to full lock and then the wheel will continue to turn endlessly. I noticed a very tiny leak on the end cap. Its the oring just before the threads on the cap. Would this keep me from fully attaining full lock or is there an issue at the helm?
Well a leak will introduce air to the system, and any air depending on where it is, will prevent you from going lock to lock. Sounds like you still have air in the system
@BornAgainBoating thx. You are correct. Besides that, the internal seal in the cylinder failed allowing fluid to bypass seal. This created pour steering and no full lock on the wheel. I think a combination of a bad gland and an internal seal caused the issue. I replaced the cylinder and the steering is back to normal. I enjoy your instructional vids. Keep up the good work
How must i hook up one cylender to twin engines, just asking, thanks, HC 5345 -3 sea star, please send me a link video, thank you tech tuesday.
Which steering system is compatible with the ox66 motors? I’m going to run twin ox66
Do you know about steering brackets on a Suzuki 300? My family is on vacation and is trying to repair our steering but can’t get the brackets loose.
Thank you for your question! Please post it in our Born Again Boating Community! Go here and scroll down to access - it’s free: www.bornagainboating.com/
That was an excellent and thorough video , thank you very much !
What kind of grease would you use on the threads of the end caps?
How often is the service interval for the hydrolic steering and shaft? Or is it replace parts when parts break?
Pretty much just spray them off with freshwater if running in saltwater, then replace when they break :)
I lost the steering on a 31’ Jupiter Center Console,. Had to steer it using the twin Mercury Verados 24 miles. All because of a broken line! Check your lines guys #seastar
Same but different. Verado's have their own hydraulic steering.
Are you saying that you used the engines for "steering" for 24 miles? If so, way to go to get safe!
How do you flush/bleed the steering system with a Garmin Smartpump autopilot pump? I have read that the autopilot pump needs to be running. Is it possible to use the autopilot pump to push out any air in the system?
Hey! Yes, the autopilot pump does need to run whenever you bleed the system, or else air can get stuck in it. I don't think you can use it to push the air out though :/
Please can you give me the link for buy the kit
You are awesome..I always learn every tuesday from you.thanks😁👍
I’m hearing a lot of squeaking from the steering cylinder (sea star). Can I just lubricate the rod itself to alleviate the sound? The steering works, it’s just a little tight.
Depends, you can try lubricating it, but your steering tube on the engine might be the stiffness and the squeak
Great teaching tips thank you
Love your videos! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Can we get an updated video on optimus systems? Bleeding and re sealing
Which hydraulic steering system do you recommend for Yamaha 2004 150 hp 4 stroke
Just a regular seastar hydraulic system :)
I’ve installed a new uflex hydraulic pump in my boston whaler and after bleeding the system the steering is still hard. Need to check the cylinder 🤦🏼♂️ I guess
Mine has green liquid leaking can you help me with that?
As usual, great video. Always look forward to the new video each.
how about some help on the helm adjustment mine is stiff and gets worse the faster i go thanks
There isnt really an adjustment, you might need to grease up your engine steering bracket though
I have a 2006 21ft center consul boat with original engine and #seastar system. I am trying to figure out what I need to do to improve it. If I steer the wheel slowly nothing happens. If I speed up the spin, it will catch and turn. I checked the ram and didn't find any nicks. Also no leaks, and the fluid level at the wheel is above the gears. My neighbor has a one year old boat and had a similar problem and the dealer took the boat back and rebleed everything. Any ideas?
You can try and rebleed it, but if it's older a lot of times it's in the helm and the check valves aren't closing the way they should. There are places that can rebuild them though if you wanted to go that route
Always happy to watch your video, thanks for sharing
I really love your channel and videos. Thank you very much
just did mine with your help thank you
When installing steering cable, does outdrive have to be in certain position?
For a steering cable and an outboard, no :)
Help a friend do this last year to his. Ever-rude, dang I wish I could have seen this video before we did the fix.. would have been a bit easier now knowing some tips
Or do I need seals?
Looking for a dual control for my 2012 225hp optimax with cable, I'm in hawaii, lmk if u have any laying around I'll buy it. Thanks again aloha
Sorry Eddie, I don't have one right now :(
When I turn the point to the left, it works fine.
#seastar thanks for the video, we have a hydraulic place I deal with and they rebuild them for $100 . I guess they have the parts but from what I see I was doing all the work anyway. So I may as well do it all.. I love CRC corrosion blocker on the bolts with grease over the top. You can spray it on corroded white bolts and with very little brushing effort make them like new..
I swear to God after seeing your last videos Suddenly I have trim motor problems, electric problems and today I saw hydraulic fluid in the transom 😓. My steering system is different is a Whaler Dauntless 200 with a 4 cylinder Verado 200HP. Hydraulic fluid is leaking between a union.
Sorry to hear that
Excelllent- Keep em flowing!
I cannot turn the steering wheel on my twin I/O sterndrive. I even removed the alpha Sterndrive on the port side. I lubricated the power steering unit where the Mercruiser manual says to do it. Unfortunately, I cannot test the power steering pumps. I take it that this is a common issue with exposure to saltwater? Should I remove the steering cables and dip them in a lubricant to see if it is the cables? Also, do the power steering pumps have to be on, to even move the sterndrives? Appreciate the help! #seastar
There are a lot of variables in that question! I don't have an extensive experience with I/O's, but you should be able to disconnect the cables and turn the wheel with it disconnected from the engine. If it turns freely and without issues, then start checking the stuff on the engines. But if they are still stiff, the cables are your issue
Born Again Boating - thank you- I‘ll try those steps.
Well my story...On my 2011 SeaHunt i kept noticing an odd smell in the center console are and I found an oil stain on the canvas covering all the electrical and steering hoses from the helm but I never saw and drips our oil flowing. Upon further inspection I found a leak/misting squirt when the helm was turned. We found the 90* fitting on the helm loose. Pulled the hose off put the correct sealant on the threads and tighten it all up and flushed the system with about 3 quarts and now no leaks and great steering! #SeaStar
I currently have a problem where I can turn my wheel to the left and it won’t respond for a full turn if I have been steering to the right! Guess it would be a good time to install my new autopilot system since I have to bleed it anyways! I currently have their baystar system for my F150 Yamaha on a 21’ aluminum cc #seastar
A lot of times that's the helm that does that :(
Great knowledge videos!!
Awesome my friend well done!🙏🏻
Thanks for the visit
My outboard instructor told us a story about the nuts coming loose on his cable steering system. Moral of the story is: Maintenance matters. The loose nut worked off letting the outboard steer free. The 2nd man aboard was thrown overboard. Instinct took over, allowing the captain to throttle back and recover man overboard. In the moments between failure and recovery my instructor could only imagine how he would tell his friends wife what could have been terrible news. Thankfully no one was hurt. To this day he has only used hydraulic steering #Seastar
My end caps need replaced and after watching this video I feel comfortable doing this.
Thank you for another great video!! #seastar
I have a Seastar manual system on my boat, no issues so far, thinking of adding the power assist, if so I will need to bleed the system #seastar
Just bought my first boat with hydraulic steering. Huge difference from my old mechanical one. Heck of a lot easier to run. #seastar
Can you help me solve the problem and thank you
Not sure what you have going on, could be in the pivot tube on the engine that is stopping it. There are a lot of variable here, I'd say to disconnect the engine from the steering bracket and see if the steering works properly that way and if you can move the engine
Very helpful 👌
Hola buenas tardes te puedo hacer una consulta para un catamaran de 7 metros que motores son aconsejables gracias
Depende de lo que tenga disponible en el lugar donde vive, también de la disponibilidad para obtener piezas para el motor que elija :)
@@BornAgainBoating hola aqui no tenemos la suerte como en otros paises que cuesta la gasolina barata pero tema de piezas no hay problema con dos motores de 250cv que te parece
But when you wrap the intended to the destination The right doesn't work.
I’ve been trying to get my steering loosened up using different methods. This video worked. Thanks! #seastar
#seastar had a tiny leak on my steering ram last year. Turns out there was just air in the system that expanded when we had a heat wave and pushed some fluid past the seals. I bled the system and haven't had an issue since! I did buy a new gland kit just to have though.
As part of my Grady project I’m looking for a pre-owned #seastar to fit my 225ox66. Never had hydraulic steering but my telefax cable freezes up every winter. Damn thing!
I have a power-siting problem.
Don’t wanna lose the nut connecting the steering system to your outboard. Won’t be a fun day on the water. #seastar
#Seastar another really good video thank you guys for all this tips
Anyone have thoughts of the bubble purge system?
Dont know anything about it!
A friends boat is quite difficult to steer under power. Seastar unit is very old 🤷🏻♂️
#seastar
Congratulations @Lovin House you're this week's winner! Shoot us an email to aaron@bornagainboating.com and we'll get your #seastar hoses to you! Congrats!
Born Again Boating Thank you!!!👍🏻
Another very well presented subject..
#seastar
#Seastar.... How about a video showing replacing the front seal at the helm. Any tips
Usually it's the quad ring that leaks on the helms, right under the steering wheel, just pop that off and take out the three screws and change out the o-ring/quad-ring and you're good! Here's the steering wheel video: ruclips.net/video/iDWDp06ap9k/видео.html&t
Lost steering on 2016 Grady white freedom 255 on twin Yamaha 150 . #seastar
Should have had hydraulic steering installed!
WHY?
Because IT will eliminate SURPRISES.
functionality; I got (one of many) surprises of my life because I opted for "duel Ride Guide" steering instead of Hydraulic.
I was just about airborne, flat out throttle, trimmed to the limit and it was almost impossible to Hold the steering wheel because of the torque on a swinging prop and a hull that almost wasn't in the water.
The tug on the wheel was so intense that I had to drape my entire forearm over top of it.
(but you couldn't get the smile off my face)
I just had to turn my head and see who was watching, on shore...
The wind speed ripped the sunglasses right off my face (about 86 mph) and I attempted to retrieve them...with Both Hands !!
The helm Spun like a rocket to the right and to the limit, my seated position ended up being perpendicular to the lake!
Don't ask me how I recovered the boat, but I did and shortly thereafter I put it on the trailer and had to lay down.
I was just about to do so when a very young boy walked up to me and said; "Hey Mister...that was so cool...can you do it again?
Hydraulic Steering insures "a Light One Hand control" without the tugging.
A gas pedal allowed me to steer with both hands...
John Pike 😂
I love your videos keep up the great work Wish I seen this 2 years ago when I had my seals replaced #seastar
My friends j16 Carolina skiff has about 6” of play in the steering 😂 #seastar
Will you, sir?
#seastar it’s all about havin the right tools for the job.
My steering turns smoothly to the right but has a lot more slop when turning to the left #seastar
You broke my heart using your Snap On screwdriver as a drift. You know better.
Lol :)
#seastar Thankyou again I will be using this video!
good job :-)
Great info but the background music is unbearable
Cables set up backwards #seastar