Trojan Boat Forum

sorry for asking so many questions on here but here is another one. boat has 2 helms with an old syten hydro steering in it. system never really handled correctly. we found a leak and got it repaired and then added new oil and tried to bleed the system, the steering now has a lock on the SB side but the port side the wheel just spins effortlessly. ending up flushing the whole system but same issue. is the syten Uniflow valve not letting the bypass open? we took it apart and everything looked and acted properly( I think). the cylinder still wont retract at all while turning wheel to port. switched hoses from 1 end of the cylinder to the other and the rod retracted that way. since i dont think its fixable i was looking at new systems but how do i know which size cylinder i need?

also if i just replace the lower helm now can i add the upper helm later when money allows?

Had someone replace steering on my '79 F32 during the winter of 2016/2017.

Pumps used for upper and lower helm were Teleflex Seastar available from Beacon Marine. Ram was Teleflex Seastar available from Beacon Marine.

We left all the old tubing in place as it still worked with new pumps and ram (I think there was some adapter fitting needed at the ram end but still way less cost and hassle than pulling all new hydraulic lines).

You could replace just the lower station now and do upper later, but I will just throw this out... hydraulic lines from the upper station are likely just T'd in to the lines between the lower station and the ram.

If you just replace pump for the lower and reuse existing lines, all should be fine unless the upper pump is compromised and has any kind of internal leak or check valve issue. In that case, steering from the lower helm may creep or get mushy because the upper helm is still part of the overall system. Doing the upper station later would involve pulling the lines at the bridge, replacing that pump, and topping up / bleeding the system.

If you put in lower station pump and new hydraulic lines directly to the ram, you will have a perfectly clean system. You will have to disconnect the lines from the upper station and drain all fluid (and hopefully not make a mess) as part of that. To add the upper station back in later you would be cutting the lines from the lower station to the ram, hopefully not making a mess with the hydraulic fluid that leaks out....., adding a T fitting to reconnect the lower station lines and tap in the bridge lines, then refilling and re-bleeding the system.

Either way, I think doable. Just depends on what pain you prefer for later.

Oh yea -- You will also need new steering wheel (also available from Beacon Marine Supply)! Taper on the hub fitting on the new pumps was different than my old original Syten system. The old Sytem hub tapered down from 1" to 3/4" over about a 1" length. The taper on the new hub is 3/4" down to 11/16" over a 1 1/8" length. NOTE: I am pulling those specs off the adapter I had made for my old wheel, that I didn't need anymore.. but should be close enough for you to gauge impacts to your application. But in any event, my bridge wheel wouldn't work anymore so I had to by a new one, and the wheel at the lower station now fit the helm so I could throw away the $300 adapter I had custom milled!

Are both helms doing the same thing ? When you switch lines did the rudders ( not the helm ) move the same way ? Seals inside the cylinder can cause one way issues .

i did switch lines on the cylinder and turning it sb it did go back but still nothing turning the wheel the other way

i have the cylinder off. how much pressure should it take me to push the ram in and out by hand. i can hardly budge it

You should be able move it but it would have some resistance , so it would take a little effort . That is with lines off . With Lines on You may not be able to move it .

Yeah with the lines off it's all I can do to push it with all my weight on it and I weigh about 210. Did get a lot of dirt or black specks out of it in the oil

went and bit the bullet with a whole new sea star system. not worth the worry. now i have a syten uniflow valve i can sell.

hammerhead wrote: ↑Fri Jul 27, 2018 8:04 am Yeah with the lines off it's all I can do to push it with all my weight on it and I weigh about 210. Did get a lot of dirt or black specks out of it in the oil

Black specks ? Good chance that's your seals , I mean were your seals .

hammerhead wrote: ↑Fri Jul 27, 2018 8:04 am Did get a lot of dirt or black specks out of it in the oil

I would flush my lines then, if it was me. Dont want anything but oil in the new system

new helm,lines and cylinder. all fresh oil