Is there a preference between hydraulic steering controlled from within the boat or externally. Maybe I just have not payed enough attention, but I don't recall seeing too many externals, except on my boat.

Internal wears out gimbles, external saves gimbles.

Yup

one slight mod

Internal wears out gimbles, external/ITS saves gimbles.

UD

ITS is the shizzle

what is ITS?

integrated transom assembly

http://www.mercuryracing.com/sterndr...ransom-system/

yup

ITS is the cleanest way to go external with a bravo type drive.

Got one on my 28 footer w 700HP and my 21ft 2K lb. river rocket with 700HP/ 800FT lb

Not cheap and requires full hydraulic to helm but solves "the steering problem" once and for all and greatly extends gimble life.

Imco integrated assembly is pretty good too and has a bit more lock, but has a wider mount and more exposed rams cutting into swim step space


UD

So what makes the internal style eat gimbles? I don't see how the ram position being inside vs outside changes anything. It still steers from the same portion of the out drive.

Because ALL the load is on the little tiller arm and the upper gimble pin. Thats an incredible load on one small joint. External you have 2 large rams spreading that load across the transom.

Unless the boat/transom assembly is brand spankin new, with internal steering you can grab the drive and there will be some side to side wiggle. That wiggle continues to beat the tiller gimble joint creating ever increasing slop which negatively effects handling. With external ram steering, everything is rock solid with no wiggle, steering is precise and handling is improved.

Internal and external do not steer from same point on the drive. Internal is thru the little tiller arm, while external is thru 2 rams with on end attached to the transom and the other ends attached to either a large heavy duty bracket attached to the drive or a special back cap.

So why don't you see more external units, is it asthetics, cost, overkill in most cases?