Hydraulic steering play at wheel

[screaming reels]

G'day fellow ausfishers and a happy new year to all,need advise on bleeding seastar hydraulic steering,problem is steering wheel has at least 1/3 of play in 1 revolution of wheel before it bites in and starts to steer.Have purchased 1ltr of fluid and have been told from marine shop(young fella) to fill head unit and keep toping up whilst bleeding from other end and turning wheel all the way in one direction then back the other way. To me this is a two man job but my 1st question is how do i stop air getting in whilst doing so,2nd question is how do i know when all the air is gone from lines. Would greatly appreciate any feedback as it is a pain in the backside when doing tight manovering. thanks Brent

[Spaniard_King]

may need a few more bottles of oil.. and one of these

http://www.bla.com.au/index.php?fn=productGroupView&dId=1&id=1652&eId=10&actual_dId=79&sId=21a2d27bfcad8115c01fa7f631ae8b46

[MEGA'bite]

get a sml softdrink bottle put a hole in the lid and fit a tube in the top join the other end of the tube to your bleed nipple, now fill the bottle quarter full making sure the end of the tube is in the fluid at all times, this way it cant suck any air back up. now bleed away cheers good luck

[screaming reels]

Thank you guys for your input do you feel i should buy another 1ltr fluid before starting then or would the 1ltr be enough

[Jabba_]

Thank you guys for your input do you feel i should buy another 1ltr fluid before starting then or would the 1ltr be enough

You will need another bottle so you can flush the lines properly... You will also need the helm connection that Spaniard King provied a link to....

The job can be done with a 1 person, but you will need a long (600mm) of clear tubing and use a 2ltr milk bottle, or similar with a neat hole drilled into the cap to insert the tubing..
Rest the bottle in the engine well and lossen one nipple on the hydro ram, attach the tubing...
Now attach the new fluid to the helm using the connection kit..
Turn the wheel to full Port then Starboard, and repeat untill no air is left in that side off the Ram, and tighten the nipple....
Now repeat the above on the second nipple located on the Hydro Ram...

After this you steering will feel very direct... If you start to get play at the wheel again, like I did a week later.. The Ram will need a seal kit put through it..
That will cost you $100 fitted from Marine Controls at Labrador.... You will need to remove the Ram from your boat and take it to them...

[griz066]

Look here and follow to the letter do not skip a bit

http://www.hydrive.com.au/site/images/admiral%20manual.pdf