What are the best power steering pumps?
 

What are the best power steering pumps out there? I want to put one on my 2nd motor. Who has them?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

The small KRC pumps are the best

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I like the smaal pumps like KE sells. Joe Murray

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Hi Jeff, who sells them?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Hardin sells the crossover to mount that pump

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I have the KRC pumps on my boat that I just took the Merc. off of. I would not recommend the krc. They work ok if you have both motors and pumps running. they also look very cool. However, they don't work very well with only one pump going. They merc work great with just one. In fact most boat only run one Merc. I was told this by Gary Stray before I switched them and he was correct.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Hey, you guys are supposed to learn from my mistakes!!! Thank you! I buy more junk, try it and take it off. So do you think I should get a merc pump?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Are you putting the Merc back on? If not do you want to sell it?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

did you drill the opening out?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Gino,
Call Dean Gellner Engineering Hes a great guy..& can hook you up with the best price. 216 398 8500

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

The boat came with Merc. 900sc, which I ran the first 2 yrs. Then last yr I put some quadrotor motors in, which I outfitted with all new KE products, Including the KRC pumps. Like I said they worked OK, and looked really cool, but they definately don't work as well as the Merc. Gary had told me they work fine for a rudder boat but not as well on a #6 boat and he was right. You get a these little pulses when trying to turn and you are just idling. Kinda like when you are low on powersterring fluid. I goes away once you are up and going.
I actually have a new boat on order, If it ever gets built, so I have just finished putting the Merc back in to trade in. I considered trying to swap the pumps so I could keep the merc, but couldn't do it, do to the trickle down rigging. hope this helps.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

How about Latham

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

How about this? http://www.offshoreonly.com/esvon/page-9108.html

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

never had a problem with my krc that came on my eickerts....2 #6's on one pump i can steer it at idle with one finger....they do have a interchangeable orifice to increase volume...i do not know what one is in mine

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I ordered everything from KE, including the interchangable piece. It came with which ever one was the largest, don't remember the sizes. Like I said it worked ok, but not as well as the Merc. If you do the math on what the #6 sterring requires and the max that pump is capable of, they are very close. The merc pump has a much higher capacity.
Not knocking the system, as I have two brand new sets, which I will probably put on the new boat. But if I were buying them again, I would buy the mercs.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

KRC works great on my 6's

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

No one mentioned Marine Machine????

Nice pump. ;)

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Or this which is in testing and will be released shortly......

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Does that reservoir bold directly to the KRC pump?I believe thats the deal I'm waiting on right now to finish off my motor.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I also need that reservoir if it bolts up to the KRC pump,
Any progress?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

gino.. the krc pumps are the better pumps IF you get the correct ones. quick note .. when we picked up the PRO_MARINE MTI from the factory brand new it was very difficult to steer.. I derigged the steering system ran a larger return line from helm back insatlled 2 hi- volume krc pumps with in line check valves.. and the boat steers awesome ask mazoni who owns the boat know..the merc pump is fine with a 2 ram system not with a 4 ram system like a # 6 boat.. it may feel fine normaly but put the boat into a hard turn a have to yank it back ..the wheel will lock .. common problem .. its truly amazing how many boats are out there that cannot steer in a emergency situation.. when todd raced the pro-marine boat he could slide the boat through the turns and correct it if needed without a struggle.. just my 2 cents worth .. HOW did the 5 blade props you got from me last year work out???

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

i have marine machine on mine and love it.. one finger all day long....

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Instead of in-line check valves, I used this priority valve. To the left are the #8 lines to and from the helm, facing you are the pressure line fittings on top with built in check valves and return fittings that run to the cooler then the reservoir(s). I am hoping to increase the overall capacity by adding reservoirs to the pumps in addition to the stand alone reservoir.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

you're a very complicated man... how you treating my gladiator... keep her nice for me... :evilb: :evilb: :evilb:

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

found this to be handy

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Thanks for the information everyone. Would you individuals running KRC pumps please post additional information about your setup. I feel the following information would be helpful in this discussion:
1) ps pump pulley diameter
2) sea pump to ps pump pulley diameter (eickert crossover)
3) crank pulley diameter
4) hose diameter from ps pump to helm
5) hose diameter from helm to filter/cooler/reservoir
6) hose diameter to steering rams
7) helm model number and brand

The pulley ratio, flow valve in pump, cooling capacity, steering helm, and hose diameter will all have an affect on how a pump performs.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I just dealt with this.

KRC pump.
6 inch diamiter on pump
5 inch on crank
tranny fluid used.
#10 suction
#6 pressure
SSm 6 drives

Pusalted bad and was hard to steer.
Called KRC.

12 suction line
changed pulley on pump to 3.5 inch
Flushed entire system running anti foam
power steering fluid.
Much better!
awaiting water test.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

I have the KRC (one pump on one out of two motors) with a full Latham setup on 5's. KEPP set the pump, reservoir and pully ratio's up and I have had no issues.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Who was your contact at KRC? My diagram show the #10 fitting as the pressure side and the #6 as the return.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Here is the diagram

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

You wouldn't want her, Ford powered:D:D

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Knot-Right,Have you used your boat since making the power steering changes?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

2112,
I don't know about your diagram, but I had to change my return from the reservoir to the pump from -8 to -10. KRC said -10 and this fixed my slow to respond operation. I made this reservoir tank that you might like better that the one KRC/Eickert sells. All the pulleys on my twin Bravo setup are as Keith was selling. Works good...looks better than stock.

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Here is a better picture of the tank

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

It appears the Diagram I have is backwards.

Benperfected, Nice rigging:D

Who is your contact at KRC?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Answered my own question;

www.krcpower.com

Has a good "common mistakes" page. For example, can your return hose resist 28mm Hg of vacuum?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

42 MTI,Would you please share the specs for the Merc pump,KRC pump and the #6 drives,you spoke of earlier?

Ultimate Cat,The "WHEEL LOCK" is a serious issue......Did you consider an accumulator tank ILO or instead of dual power steering pumps?

2112,Thanks for pointing out the KRC trouble shooting page!

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Any new thoughts?

Re: What are the best power steering pumps?
 

Two Merc pumps plumbed properly through -8 lines and fittings into 1 filter per pump (not absolutely necessary, but safer) and a check valve tee block to the helm for the supply (P) side of the helm. Don't use a true "priority valve" which limits the flow to the helm to the output of one pump and returns the other back to tank! That's ok on Bravo's but not Sixes! On the return (T) side of the helm go with -8 line to a tee to both engine ps coolers. On the reservoir I would use accessory cap on each reservoir with a large fitting out to a common reservoir. It's also easier to bleed the air from the system if the fittings to the common reservoir from the standard pump reservoirs are not teed, the air being burped out will get sucked right back in before it returns to the tank.
This should be more than adequate unless your helm is trying to turn faster than 3-3.5 turns lock-to-lock, most aim at 4-5 turns lock-to-lock. With the Merc style pumps I would keep a pulley ratio that turns the pump to a max of 5000-5500 rpm at rev limit. The pumps don't need to turn anywhere near this fast for max flow, but this will keep the rpm up at idle to help around the docks, especially if only one engine is running.

Keep us up on what you do and how it works out!