External Steering......Need Feed Back
 

Hey give me thoghts on External steering. I have just refresh motor in donzi 22zx. should be 550-600 hp. I know i need external steering but my thoughts/money are go with dual ram add-on or full hyd single ram.

We mainly run lakes in Texas nothing crazy majority of time but look for thoughts on safety. Gimbal etc in great shape, but I have been reading add-on stiffens steering and wife drives boat also so will it make to stiff.
I am torn between dual addon then doing full next winter or just doing single ram full.. Give thoughts boat should run top end about 80-85

I also wouls like to know the same thing. Im in the same boat about this stuff. If the dual ram add on would be plenty or not. Im running about the same speeds and the add on dual ram would be alot cheaper but just dont really know how much the dual ram add on would help. Thanks for any info. :coolcowboy:

Send hallj on here a message. he is my brother and very knowledgeable on this subject. He has done it on a few boats including his Donzi Minx and a Chris Chraft XK-19. We are doing it on my Formula 242 this spring.

If your budget allows, dual ram full hydraulic with externally mounted cylinders is best. A single cylinder setup will be just fine as well.

Do you plan on using the assist of your PS pump?

I wouldn't bother with systems that mount the cylinder inside the transom as they don't reduce load on the gimble and you are still steering through all of the slop in the Mercruiser steering arm and gimble assembly.

let me know if you have more questions.

Jeff

Get the Full system. You wont be sorry.

+1

Had Lathem dual ram add-on on previous boat. Drive was rock solid with no play. It was a little stiffer at idle speed, but nothing more than a standard PS setup. Off idle rpms it was fine. Current boat is full hid dual. 1 touch finger control at all rpms.

If cost is a concern, get the dual ram add-on, then convert to full when possible.

My thoughts on single ram.....
In theory, the single ram should have an uneven ratio between left & right turns do to the difference of sq. in. on the ram piston. (difference being the rod) In real lifel use, I don't know. Leave that to a user of one.

Thanks for the reply that exactly what I was thinking. I will do the dual ram add on and then later add all the stuff to inside for full hyd.. I just wasnt sure if the add on would be very good without doing it all but I have to start somewhere. the boat is a little out of control once its around the 80mph mark. I had all the gimble ring and boots replaced to make sure all thats good butt still I think the drive is moving back and forth at high speeds. thanks again all input is greatly appr. from all you guys helping us little guys be safe on the water. :coolcowboy:

IMO a full one ram full system would be better than a dual add on system. Zero play and no cable to break.

if you are going to run over 80, you need a dual full system, the dual one takes a ton of load off the housing..real bad things happen when they break...just did mine...CP performance has decent prices and parts..

If the dual ram add on is installed now can the other inside for full hydr. be added later date? And if the the dual ram add on is installled without the inside does it still work well until the full hydr. can be done or is this a total waste of time? Thanks for all the input.

Yes, you can go with the add on now, and then upgrade to full hyd/ at a later date. The add on works in conjunction with the standard PS setup.

yes, I have a P/S valve assy for that if you go that route, just took off of mine...

Thanks to all
 

GHoing with full single