Seastar hydraulic steering ram

[Blue_Runner]

I've noticed a very slow leak from it. Anybody dealt with this?

[Fitz]

Yes - I encountered the same problem about five years after installing a Seastar system. I was amazed to find that the stainless steel shaft had corroded slightly and was allowing fluid to leak past the seals. I found there was no option but to replace it. In the six or so years since I've been very careful to wash the shaft with fresh water after every use and to coat it with oil before laying the boat up for the winter.

[Blue_Runner]

I'm begginning to wonder if it is actually coming from the bleed screw? The fluid I'm seeing isn't on the stainless shaft but on the housing underneath the bleed screw...........

[spareparts]

look at the rod very closly, if its pitted, you'll need to replace the cylinder. I replace the cylinder seals all the time, The pitting on the shaft is due to electrolysis. The newer rams come with a bonding kit to help prevent pitting, You can ordder the bondong kit if you replace the end caps. BTW, the end caps are pretty easy.

[Blue_Runner]

By easy, do you mean the end caps come off easy?

I looked at it again and see no pitting and appears as new. I checked the other side this morning and it is leaking too. Looking at the seal kits. Do you use the kit that comes with the new end caps? Or just get the kit with the seals? One comes with the pin wrench too, but it is over $100. Seems crazy for a replacing a couple pieces of rubber.....then again after all it is a boat we are talking about here.

Here's what my my winter time is looking like:

Seastar cylinder replace seals, refill, bleed. ~$150

2 new tires for trailer - blew one out last trip, will get two new and put the existing good tire on my 2nd spare ~$160

New VHF radio fixed mount inside the cabin (DRY) as backup w/ whip antenna on port side. Have had issues with my dash mounted vhf getting moisture causing it to not work until it dries out. Also do not trust the little hand held. Need peace of mind. ~$300

My old faithful Garmin 172c gpsmap sh!t the bed last time out. Did not go all the way out but the screen was fading out to the point I was preparing use the compass to get back in from 50 miles out. Instead of dumping $500 - $1000 into a new unit I found another 172c on craigslist in FL, called the guy and he is going to ship it to me. So for a total of $165 it should get me by for a couple more years (hopefully!).

Total: ~$775 (and I just spent $800 on replacing the trim assembly and a new prop a few months ago!)

Gotta love it.

[bradford]

Under a thousand each time? Good job BR!

[steplift20]

B break
O out
A another
T thousand

[phatdaddy]

I also had a garmin go dead on me, I got one off of a guy on the hull truth, worked great for bout 6 months, then it died. What I learned was while you still have some life in them ,make sure sure you transfer your numbers to something for safe keeping. I went to gps Babel and got them into a PDF file and can load them to other machines. I have about 400 spots and probably 35 really exist, I just don't know which 35. Garmin does not support any older machines. I think I have an old transfer cable if you need it.

[spareparts]

end cap kits, I don't get the one with the tool, I probably have 10 of those tools laying around from past repairs

[bgreene]

Quote of $ 600 for disks and re pack bearings on the 4 wheels, and I decided to do it myself.

So far going ok.

Thanks for the heads up on hydro steering. I'll check too.

[Blue_Runner]

Phat don't think I can use a data transfer cable with my unit? There is no port that I see. Looks like I can save to a card. Does that mean I can save to a bluechart card??? I have a couple hundred numbers I manually entered in mine, while I don't use them all I'd like to have them without having to go through all that.

[Blue_Runner]

Did some poking around....Phat is this the cable you have? If so I'm definitely interested.

http://www.gpscity.ca/g/gps/s/g/gwp18acpccomb.jpg

[Blue_Runner]

I was going to order the seal repair kit but upon further inspection I found that the rod has several tiny scratches and one big enough to catch on my fingernail - all in one small spot I hadn't noticed before. So I went online, found and ordered the newer version of the front mounted seastar ram for $380 + $12 shipping. Should be able to bolt it up, fill, bleed and go. The newer model is HC5345-3. I called Teleflex to make sure I could swap it for my HC5345. The Telelflex tech said the newer ram has improved seals to help prevent what apparently happened to mine.

[phatdaddy]

Blue, sorry just saw the question about the cable, yes that's it, I think. How many pins does your connector have? Mine also has a usb to transfer data to a computer. Do you use the mapsource program from garmin?

[Blue_Runner]

no phat I'm not using the garmin software on the computer. I'm using my work laptop which is completely useless for installing software, uploading pix (anything for that matter). I need to get a laptop.

So to use the cable with usb, wouldn't I need to have the garmin software installed? Which would allow me to download on the my replacement unit?

BTW - I got the unit from the guy in FL. Good looking unit and I've tested it out - works great! We'll see how long....

Good thing is, my other unit the screen isn't all the way out, just starting. I can carry it as a backup unit. :sly:

[THEFERMANATOR]

I just now seen this. I have a like new SEASTAR ram for a YAMAHA out in the shop. The bracket that connects the ram to the engine was broken because he trimmed the engine up with the jack plate down, but other than that it was almost new. I need to snap a pic of it and see if anybody could use it, getting rid of most all of my stuff because I can't work anymore.

[Blue_Runner]

It will be interesting to see how long this "improved" unit lasts. I feel like I'm getting a pretty good deal as if you look for HC5345-3 you can pay up to $600 or more.

I took my leaking unit for a cruise on the lake yesterday. I topped off the fluid at the helm as best I could. Definitely lots of slop in the steering but we were just putting around mostly. Had to blow the cobwebs out of the engine. lol

[phatdaddy]

Blue, I think u have to have mapsource to download the info to the computer, then connect the new machine and upload to it.

Might want to call garmin support and ask them with the machine model #'s

Let me know if you need this cable, your welcome to use it, I got it on amazon for about $15. We'd have that much in shipping back & forth.

[Blue_Runner]

Yea Phat, saw it online for about that price and was thinking exact same thing about shipping back and forth. Appreciate the offer though. Think I'm just going to plug in the handful of numbers I actually use and not worry too much about the other ~150.

[Blue_Runner]

My brother in law helped me install the replacement seastar ram this evening. Not too bad. Got it bled, so far no leaks. The newer units also have zerk fittings on the mounts, which is where they tend to get seized in to the tilt rod from corrosion. Also they added a ground wire from the rod to the engine mount that is supposed to limit corrosion. In addition to the supposed improved seals....I'm glad to see teleflex delivering improvements to common issues with their product!

Went to rewire the trailer - wiring harness too short. Why in the world doesn't it say on the package how long the harness is?!?!?!?!?

[the daydreamer]

blue I had the end seals replaced on mine. problem solved. as I remember it did not cost that much.

[Blue_Runner]

I most likely could have gotten away with replacing the seals. Having the old unit off the engine I am able to inspect those "scratches" a bit better. More like marks. I still can barely feel one with my fingernail...I think? Where I fish I don't want to have to second guess whether something is going to work or not!

I'll put the old unit up FS as-is with pix and get a little money back.

[smokeonthewater]

Polish the marks out, replace the seals n get more money back..
Just my $.02

[Blue_Runner]

Yeah, somebody else might look at it and say "what marks?" I may just be too OCD. Only 1 end has "marks" the other doesn't...yet it was leaking on both ends. Probably just seals. System is 5 years old and never had any issues so it may be just that time.

[spareparts]

teleflex says those marks are from electrolysis. I think they are from a bad plating job. They used to come with a mirror finsih, but a few years back, they started showing up with a satin finish, shorty after, I started replacing a lot of seals on them, the new rams have a more polished finish.

On that trailer rewire, go to wally world, buy a 16 ga. 50 ft extension cord, run it down each side os the trailer, now you have three insulated wires inside its own cover, you use one wire for turn and brake, and one for running lights, take the last wire and use it as a dedicated ground(hook it to the white wire on your harness). Poor grounds are 90% of trailer light problems(other than a mechanioc taking them ot with their shin)

[smokeonthewater]

teleflex says those marks are from electrolysis. I think they are from a bad plating job. They used to come with a mirror finsih, but a few years back, they started showing up with a satin finish, shorty after, I started replacing a lot of seals on them, the new rams have a more polished finish.

On that trailer rewire, go to wally world, buy a 16 ga. 50 ft extension cord, run it down each side os the trailer, now you have three insulated wires inside its own cover, you use one wire for turn and brake, and one for running lights, take the last wire and use it as a dedicated ground(hook it to the white wire on your harness). Poor grounds are 99.999% of trailer light problems(other than a mechanioc taking them ot with their shin)

Fixed it LOL


Great idea on the ext cord... Also I like to skip the marker lights and then wire them separately either from the tail forward or back from the tongue... That way a failed connection at a marker won't take out the tails.

[spareparts]

between the fork lift and my shins, I take out at least 10% of traielr lights. I'll give credit to this site on the trailer wiring, someone else posted the idea up here years ago

[Blue_Runner]

I decided against total rewire and just replaced the lights. Used shrink butt connectors & also silicone over top of that JIC. Everything working good right now. Picking up 3/8 A1 fuel line at lunch.

p.s. wife bursts into my building this morning (I work out of my building) frantically searching for her hair dryer. ROLMFAO!!!