Steering Questions
 

Me again,
Which hydraulic steering systems are you guys running? What should I be looking at? Add on systems, full hydraulic. I would like my boat to be very controlled and well mannered at all speeds. Let me know what you have tried, and what you would buy if you could do it over again...Please list manufactures, systems, where to find the best deals, etc...
Thanks,

Re: Steering Questions
 

Currently do not have it - am looking at IMCO and Mayfair when I repower, of course Latham is nice but prob the most expensive. I look forward to some other responses too.....

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Zeiger Steering systems Are Used On All Superboats Leaving The Factory Real Nice Units

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Current brand Superboat uses is "Zeiger Performance Marine"

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ya beat me...........ha ha lol.......... :D

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Not By Much Boats All Done Its In For Striping Be Rigging Soon

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OK, now I have questions on which Zeiger system to run. What is the difference between the add on and a full system? What is the internal steering system? What do I gain from a single or double ram?
Here are the systems I found:
Zeiger Marine
- Tilt Helm System
- Internal Hydraulic Steering System
- Add On Single Drive Single Ram
- Add On Single Drive Double Ram
- Full Power Single Drive Single Ram
- Full Power Single Drive Double Ram

Thanks, looking forward to find out these differences.

Re: Steering Questions
 

Tilt Helm Its Nice To adjust The angle Of The Wheel Your Choice??? Add On Is your stock system Inside The Boat Cable To the rear Not A Good Choice Still Have A Little Play In the wheel////Full System Is The Best Choice You Can Have Hydraulic All The way To the Back //// Single Or Dual /// your Better Off With The dual cyl On The Outside Equal Load On the drive When Steering We Usually Put the Full Hydraulic Dual Cyl On The Y2Ks Real good system Easy To install Kit Comes With Everything You need////////

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Will the Hydraulic tilt helm eliminate the cable system? Then at that point, would the add on system become a full hydraulic system?

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That Is The Full System You Can Order Tilt Or Non Tilt Units Once You Put The Hydraulic Helm In Its Full Power Hydraulic......Its the only Way To Go ..... With this System Or anybody elses //////

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Is there any downside to putting in a tilt helm and all internal hydraulics before putting on a single or dual ram? I would go dual, but because of cost I will probably piece the system together and would like to start with the internals....
Please let me know.

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Until you install the external stuff, you can't install the internal helm. Well, maybe, the new helm I got to connect to my hydraulic helm wasn't compatible with my stock cable helm. I would just bite the bullet and get a FULL system. The tilt helm units add quite a bit to the price of the system. I don't think they are necessary. On my 24, the wheel is at a good angle.

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Along the same lines:

Which systems are the easiest to bleed?

I'm going to bleed my Mayfair single ram in a week or so and I've heard they aren't very easy to bleed.

Can I add on to a maiyfair to twin ram?
I'm thinking of swapping in twins?
Thanks
Evan

I didn't think this was pirating the thread since it is somewhat pertinant to the subject.

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I'm just finding it hard to find threads on the info I am looking for. I would like to hear what all of you are running, how you like it, and what you would have done differently.

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I thought the add on systems used the stock pump. Stock pump - to helm - to ram (? or stock unit). Can it be done reconnecting the helm to the stock unit.

If not I will add a single ram setup first.

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Zeiger, IMCO, Mayfair: is one better than the other for our application when it comes to a single ram add on kit?

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You Use The Stock Pump,,, The power Hydraulic Helm,,, the stock cooler,,, to a filter///// to the back////// if you have a cyl you can get another as long as you have the proper plate on the drive to hook it up///// if not you can buy the right one to hook up two cyls on drive

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Dave M,
In your picture, what is your throttle mounted to? Mine is flat against the helm, I would like to angle them some.

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Full Hydraulic is of course the best.
If you don't have the $$ to redo from helm back, I would suggest a twin piston "Add On" system. Then add the hydraulic helm down the road.
My boat has Imco...

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There is a wedge between the contols and the dash. It is made out of starboard. It was like that when I got the boat. I was actually thinking of getting the throttle pod for my controls and then putting a switch panel where the controls are now.

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Thanks Pat, I will look at the IMCO stuff.
Dave M, who makes the pod's you are referring to. Write now I have no room on the dash to add trim indicators.
Thanks,

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Superboat can make the pod for you or look here....

http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/contr...m#THROTTLE_POD

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Keith,
You may want to consider upgrading to at least a twin piston "Add On" system before re-powering, like now...
Adding the external rams will strengthen the whole gimbal. That internal Merc tiller rig sucks and will loosen up.
If you run hard, and we know you do, the external rams are a big safety feature... :drink:

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this is the system lightspeed was talking about.

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Ya, Zeigler systems offer short inside dimensions. It's good for narrow beam boats that have k-planes too. My ram is mounted outside of the k-plane and I would prefer it to be INSIDE the k-plane.

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Oh, are you guys talking about sterndrives?
My bad

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Imco and the others also offer short rams now too. I agree that it is cleaner with the rams inside the K-planes. Dave, I wonder if JC mounted the K-plane more toward the keel on your boat because of the ram length.

Lightspeed, from a strength standpoint, does it matter where on the transom the piston is mounted? I would think that the farther away the piston is mounted, the more leverage...

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After a lot of research, I think I will go with the Zeiger Steering from EverettPerformance.com. I will be looking to do a Single Ram Full Hydraulic system. $2,620 complete including Helm.

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Nice... :drink:

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Your Better Off With Two Rams Dosnt Put The Load On One side /////// wiil wear The gimbel Bushings From Pushing On One side Go With the Two Cyl ///// Pat I Like It Closer To The Gimbel Less Stress On The whole system ////

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Lightspeed,
If the extra $1000-$1300 is not available to go with a twin ram, full hydraulic helm. What would you recommend, twin ram "add on" or single ram hydraulic helm??

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Razor this is the job lightspeed did on the Superbabi Y2K. This twin ram system is awesome, very tight steering, very comfortable and safe at high speeds.

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Gary,
Have those mufflers allways been on there?

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Rob, no, when Merc racing did the first test run with us they wanted to try a new brand out.................they were off the boat right after the 1st run, if you look close they were 2 different types.

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Me??? Run Hard??? :) Well, I do run her, for sure, and I hear ya Pat - with adding a bigger prop and drive spacer this week, it would be a good next addition. I'm also rebuilding the lower drive to XZ gear set, so ext steering can't be far away.....

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keith did you purchase the Merc. EXT. warranty ???

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The extra ram would cost me an extra $1,500. I thought I would be better off with Full Hydraulic Single Ram than Dual Ram Add on. It is also a little cheaper to do it this way. I can add the second ram on at a later time as well. Talking to Everett, with the length and weight of my boat, he did not think that would be an issue at all... The only downside was the slight difference in turning, port vs. starbord.

It sounded like a good deal to me. Should I be looking at a different setup? I can not afford a dual ram full hydraulic...

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Going to full hydraulic to the helm gets all the slop out. So you are making a good choice.
I would probably go with two rams and leave the helm for now. Two external rams will really strengthen the whole gimble. If you run in real rough water, the stronger the better.
Dave M. had a single ram add on system then changed his helm to hydraulic. He did not add a second ram. Hopefully Dave will comment because I believe that he did have gimble problems at one point.
Lightspeed rigs boat professionally so that is why I asked him which would be better.
Either way, your spending $$ wisely upgrading your steering... :cool:

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I thought that one of the reasons to upgrade to an external ram (single or dual) was to strengthen the gimble?

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Nope, plan to go bigger power - did you?