Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I am thinking about going to hydraulic steering this fall in my 310 Sea Ray Sunsport. The boat does 60mph now, and after the new 540's that are going to be installed this winter I hope to see 70mph. I can't decide on the add on or just go full. I think the add on system will be fine for my application but I am still undecided.
I have read that the steering gets stiff at idle with the add on system. And I don't want to spend the extra money for the full if I don't need it.
Also can anyone explain why your steering wheel position is never the same with the full.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

day and night add-on vs full hyd. most of the time. for your application if your not going to go over 70.....I would just deal with the add-on. There are ways around the stiff wheel at idle most of the time(depends on the shuttle valve wanting to be cooperative)
As for the wheel not returning to center...there is a bypass built into the helms and the pumps for that matter....ie after a hard over at the wheel....you can't return to the same spot.

Now if it were my ride...I'd opt for full power anyways...set it and forget it.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I am leaning toward the add on system, I can always upgrade later (even though it costs more later).
How bad is the stiff wheel at idle? They tell me it depends on the boat, some bad some not so bad. I mean is it so stiff you need two hands to turn the wheel? If it's that stiff seems like you could bend or break parts?

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

When i first upgrade my single engine boat,i increased the speed from 62 stock to upper 70's. The boat was fine acclerating but once you reached 72-78 and were no longer accelerating it was spooky/out of control feeling so i added on twin ram imco external hydraulic,the boat felt much better and my steering effort thru no wake zones really wasn't noticebly different. I upgrade the motor further last year and got boat into lower to mid 80's and to reach those speeds i need to run it at max trim which created chine-walking and felt dangerous,this spring i upgraded the steering full to the helm and it is 100% better, the steering effort is slightly stiffer now but keep in mind your outdrive isn't going to be wiggling around due to play in cable anymore so you won't have to make as many corrections while idleing. For your application i would just use the external. I can still steer my boat with two fingers when idleing,not two hands,Smitty

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I would install full hyd steering and forget about it . trust me it is worth every dollar.every time I install a system the custmore tells me how much he loves it and should have done it a long time ago.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I put a single add on sytem on my 27 fountain. I works great with no stiffness at idle in the wheel.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Here's the deal...

The factory steering has a cylinder with a volume = Y and the add-on system from the major mfg.'s have combined volume of Y x 2 or more. The system was originally designed to handle the velocity and volume requirements of Y not Yx2. So in effect you actually can starve the after market cylinders if you try to turn the wheel too fast at low speeds(low RPM). Now what happens most of the time is that once a boat starts to reach planing speed or RPM, the pump puts out more volume and the demand is met more easily. Some time this can be overcome by going to a smaller diameter pulley to speed up the pump RPM at idle....thus having more volume when you need it. There is also the opening up of the orifice at the pump housing to help with volume to the shuttle valve. Then come in the worst case scenario where neither of the fixes work cause the shuttle vale is not cooperating and you have to go the full hydraulic anyways.

Thats why everyone suggests to get it done with once and for all.

Later...

~1_BD~

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

What happens with a full hydraulic system when you lose pump pressure (IE: engine quits, thrown belt, etc). Do you just lose the just power assist or all the steering?

Bryan

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Yes

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I was told that full is much safer, because if a add on throws a belt it can go hard either direction. At 60+ not good. Where a full system will not. I'm not sure this is true. Maybe somebody can verify this. Doug

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

If you can afford to go with the full hydraulic steering then do it. But I believe most of us can not afford to do it in one shot, so rather than run your credit card up go with the half system and add on later. You will be fine with the cable. I know of allot of boats with half systems and they do just fine, I know of one that does 100+ with the cable and it steers great.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Can remember the name of the company or the starter of the thread. But I thought someone was selling a full system for about the same price as most "big name" add-on system. Might want to try a search.

I got my full system through CP Performance.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Brian Alfrey XS Performance 513-407-0215
They are great tell them Klaw sent you

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

brian at xs is a cool guy. 2550 for a full hyd single drive with helm not sure how much to add the tie bar.

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Take your time and shop around.
Look at Mayfair, Latham, call CP Performance and see what their prices are, there is nothing more lethal than an educated comsumer and we are not talking about chump change when you want to go to a full system. Why go half way, go all the way and do it right install the full system.
Get an issue of Powerboat Magazine, and call some of the advertisements in there.
There are several people out there offering full systems.
Latham is considered top of the line but real costly.
Post what you end up doing!
Good Luck
Brian

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

I understand that the full system is probably the best way, but it's another $1200.00(over the add on system). If I was only doing the steering it would not be that big of a deal. I am already going to be over $30,000.00 this fall (without the steering). I don't know about you guys but I don't have a money tree in my back yard. And if the add on system is fine except a little play in the wheel, and a little stiff around the docks I think I can live with that. More money for gas and beer.
Thanks For The Info
Curt

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Had theLathem dual add-on on my last 27' Fountian. Was a bit stiffer at idle, only because now my new boat has full hyd. that I can compare it too. Otherwise I wouldn't have known about the idle issues some mention.

Outriggers, don't know about the throwing belt question. But it seems like it would be just like turning the motor off= stiff steering.?????????

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

In regards to the question about throwing a belt and the drive turning one way or the other. It does not happen. The drive will stay right in place. The wheel will turn extremely hard though but you can still steer. Just try and move an out drive with external steering with the motor off. And any way, how many times have you ever thrown a belt?

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Call Brian Alfrey at XS Performance direct.
XS Performance Marine
Brian Alfrey
6688B Georgetown Lane
Middletown, Ohio 45042
1-513-737-0588
[email protected]
He goes by Alfster on OSO but he is rarely online.
However he always answers the phone.

http://www.xsperformancemarine.biz/

His hyd. system is priced much lower than the others.
Good stuff, clean looking set up & very heavy duty!
Best bang for the buck out there!
Brian will treat you right and is usually pretty fast.

Allan also distributes these systems.
ALLAN4 (on OSO) can be reached at:
Allan Hilsinger
Hilsinger Motorsports
513.598.9410 (O)
www.hilsingermotorsports.com

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

just remember...when you get your prices...compare apples to apples. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Example;
M&M will sell you a complete system..all the bells and whistles. If you get a competitor's quote and add up all the differences you end up pretty close to each other. Then you can throw in things like "are they insured(products liability)...have they been a reputable source for more than a few months....just the kind of stuff to look for before you blow your wad..

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Yes I agree with you, buy from a trusted source with good support.
Do an OSO search on XS performance and
you will see alot of satisfied customers.
That's why the XS Performance system is such a great deal.
Everything comes with their kits and they are priced fairly.
SS Braided hoses also come with these kits not rubber hoses.
The SS rams are larger than most of their competitors too.
:D

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

That system from XS looks like a nice complete kit to me. There can be huge differences in prices for pretty equal systems. So shop around. I'd definitely give XS a call!

Re: Add On Hydraulic Steering?
 

Just maybe XS has "Lower Overhead" which we all know "Means lower Prices"
:) :D