How To Bleed Marine Hydraulic Steering EASILY.
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- 12 easy steps on How to Bleed Marine Hydraulic Steering. These 12 easy steps allows for the DIY person to do alone. Thats right, one person job using these easy diy steps. Marine Hydraulic steering is easy to bleed this way.
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/ @lmannyr1
#boat
#steering
#diy
I'm a diy guy with a 4 year twin diesel catamaran rebuild. Has sterndrives and hydraulic steering. Your video helped tremendously as I get this thing on the water. Thank you.
Great to hear!
Thanks very much. I am going to give this a shot today if I can round up the tubing and tee. Very well done video without the usual fluff that takes a lot of time.
Thanks. Your welcome.
Thanks, your system worked perfect for my new helm steering control install! very easy and no mess.
Your Welcome!
A+++, Simplicity at it's best, works great, just make sure the hose is tightly on the ram to avoid "pop-off"/spillage. Very helpful Thank you
Cool, thanks
This was extremely helpful. Great work! Thanks !
Your Welcome!
Didn’t have clue how to do it, thanks to this video I have successfully got my boat ready for a very important weekend. Can’t thank you enough.
Just one question, where can you get the adapter device to go into the header tank. I just had to stand there squeezing a bottle of fluid.
I have two 250hp outboard and it works for me, Great simple procedure, we need more guys like you in UA-cam , keep the boating issues coming so we can have you always as a reference.
thanks
Glad to help
You made it so simple. Great video ! You earned my subscription.
Oh my god,thank you so much for this tutorial, now finally my stirring will not go crazy 😂❤
Your very welcome!! Boat safe and Have FUN!!!
Thanks for the video, I’ve seen several and yours was excellent in terms of explanation.
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you so much for this very timely video! I was having major issues with my hydraulic steering at the weekend, and I have a similar two-helm system (without engine assisted pump). My next step is to bleed the whole system to hopefully eliminate some air, and this video is a great tutorial!
Doug Lane your welcome.
Just did the steps to my newly installed Baystar, so simple and works perfectly.
Thanks!
You're welcome!
Fantastic procedure. It most be the very best way to get a perfect no bubble hydraric system! I will do the procedure tomorrow. Thanks best regards from Sweden
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Helped me out a lot. I have now bled my steering ya!!
Nice!
Simple & effective. Simple. Good video
Thanks 👍
Great how to video. You made it simple!
Glad it was helpful!
Enjoyed your video. I am always alone when working on boats. This looks like a very good method to bleed air. Thanks.
Glad to help. I too work on my boats alone. This makes it a one person job. Thanks for the comment and subscribing. Boat safe and have FUN!!!
Nice simple presentation! Thanks!
This was very helpful for me, thank you! We bought a 1986 Bayliner 3270 last fall and discovered that the upper helm wasn't responding at all. After sitting through the winter, the lower helm began to act up as well. I've been looking for workable solutions that would be better than simply adding more fluid and this makes a lot of sense. Plus, as you say: It is easy!!
Thanks for posting this!!
Glad it helped!
Great job! Very easy to follow, and very informative. Thanks!
You're very welcome!
Just got a boat with hydraulic steering, was told it needs bled, this will help me out so I can do it myself.
Let us know how it goes.
Nice job! To many people over complicate things. Great common sense approach. Also works perfect on my boat!
Thanks! 👍
Absolutely fantastic video brother!!! Such a big help 👍🏾
Glad it helped!
thanx you gave the best explanation ever will try this week is there any way to drain the system to replace hoses with minimal loss of fluid as I have to do that this week, thanks again for your great video Rex
I would divert the pipe from the lowest point of the system into a container beneath it. Let gravity work for you. Still open the helm port to allow air in.
Great video. Does it make a difference which helm you start with? I removed my upper helm for repair and reinstalled it, now I am ready to bleed the system. The lower system was not disconnected and should be full of oil. Another question you have had no problem using transmission fluid rather than that very expensive sea-star oil?
I would start with the top helm first. When the air stops then move on to the bottom helm. Then end by going back to the top helm. The bleeding setup stays hooked to the top helm the entire time. It’s easy enough to spin the bottom helm to ensure all air is out.
I have been using transmission oil for more than 10 years. Never had any issues.
I’m glad you found the video helpful. Thank you for watching and subscribing.
Very helpful in the bleeding process.
Thank you.
Thanks for the video. I was able to bleed my steering without any help.
Good to hear
Loved the video, I was looking for something close to what I was dealing with on my own boat with a twin rudder set up, I just changed out the helm pump/ hub and wanted to know the easiest way to bleed the hydrolic steering fluid
This was a twin rudder boat. Should be same.
Thx bro,it helped me alot and easy to do,greting s from aruba🌞
No problem 👍
Very cool! Thanks!
You bet!
Good job, thank you sir
You are welcome
Thanks so much. It is really helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
What a great Video! Well organized, no excessive face time, no wind noise and covers it all! Thank you as I have to do this, lost all steering.
Question, If just adding a few ounces to the resouvor in the steering wheel base must it be bleed down at the ram?
Thank you again!
As long as the reservoir still had oil in it. If no oil, then the lines sucked air and must be bled.
We’ll explained instructions. Good video.
Glad it was helpful!
Great tip thanks buddy.
No problem 👍
very helpfull. thanks!!
You're welcome!
Very Good.... You made it clear and easy!!!! Now if I can just find my Ram.... :)
Have fun!
they make a bleeder kit with quick connects for Sea Star, its a tube with 2 quick connect fitting that go on the bleeders no T needed just connect them together then you dont need to run 100 foot line. 20 bucks on amazon comes with the fill fitting too
No additional hardware needed here. Just tubing needed. Super easy.
GREAT VIDEO ,,,,,will be using this system should the occasion arise,,,,thanks charles
Any time
Very good instruction - easy to follow! 👍👍
How do you avoid oil-leakage in the boat when taking away the vinal tubes from helm and cylinders?
with the oil absorption pads or old towels you can throw away
Rag or oil absorbent pads.
Good video. What's your advice on how to disconnect all the hoses and not end up with a mess of steering fluid all over the boat?
Good question! Connect the hose to the lowest bleed valve in the system. Next, place the other end o the hose into a catch container. Then open the highest helm oil port. Turn the helm none direction until no more oil comes out, then do the same for any other bleed valve. Easy peasy.
great video
Thanks!
Great video. 👌 thanks to share such a helpful information. I dont understand in my country people hiding alot information like government secret 😜
Can i ask you one question?
I installed a new autopilot simrad ap44 and hydraulic steering hydrodrive mf175w , but there is air in it. how can i do this, can you give me information about it? Thank you 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Hi I have a inboard outdrive I'm looking at replacing my Morse cable system it does have power steering though would you recommend this for a v8 outdrive.
Yes. Same process.
Nice video. Looks really simple. Have a two helm system. Will this method work when the system needs to be refilled after a cylinder repair?
Yes it will
@@lmannyr1 Well I tried. But it did not work perfect as air was sucked in to the cylinder when you changed direction at the wheel. Eventually it would probably work. But it went much faster when I bled one side at the time instead of leaving both ports open. I think perhaps it would worked better if I hade made the T-connection further away from the bleed ports on the cylinder. I was pretty close. (1 feet)
Thanks very informative 👍
Thank you.
Thanks great information
Nice
Thanks
Thanks very helpful!
No worries!
Really good video! Thanks for posting
Glad you enjoyed it!
thanks for a great video ! is there a particular transmission fluid that you use ? i have to re-install a new ram at the motor then bleed both helms. your tips will make it alot easier ! but was unsure what type of trans fluid to use, as its alot less expensive than hydraulic fluid.
Nope. I use whatever transmission fluid I have on hand. Never had a issue in over 10 years.
Very helpful thanks.
Your Welcome.
Perfect video!
Thank you!
Did you say you had 2 helm stations? And you only had to do this method to the top station. Or both stations and top or bottom first? TY
Done to both. Started with bottom, then top, then bottom again. Also ran the autopilot..
Thanks 👍
No problem 👍
Great video. A question for you: when you open the two bleed valves and turn the rudder left and right, does the rudder or motor foot rotate or stand still during this operation? Thanks
Thanks for the question. No movement since pressure is not building up in the system.
@@lmannyr1 How do you know there isn't any air in the ram before you started? What do you do if you suspect there is?
No more bubbles coming out mean no more bubbles. I continue to spin the wheel for a few minutes more after seeing the last bubble.
Great video, anything special to do if I am installing autopilot? After seeing your bilge I also need to get cleaning!
I did not do anything with the autopilot when I did it and had no issues. So can't really help too much there. I would run the boat with autopilot and repeat the process if needed.
I really try hard to keep my boat clean. A clean bilge make it easy to spot issues and keeps bilge pumps running properly.
Great video. I have a 2 station with twin motors. Do I do both motors at the same time? Thinking I would have to as Not opening bleeders on both the steering would only turn about 4-5 revolutions, is that correct? Thanks in advance. Gregg
Yes, connect the tubing to both steering cylinders at the same time. Same as video. Good luck. Super easy.
@@lmannyr1 Thank you
Your welcome
Hello just installed sea star pro series hydraulic pump on outboard along with helm was wondering if I could use same procedure
Yes you can. Super easy. This will work on new systems as well.
Thanks for the video mate very helpful.
Just did my seastar pro just as he said. Worked wonderfully.
Excellent.
Hi, Don't you need to loosen the two hex brass nuts on the reservoir first and make sure the reservoir is toped up? André
The helm is the reservoir. Thanks for posting.
This video, though excellent, however, does leave out the effort to purge the hydraulic RAM of air bubbles. The method only purges the helm and the lines. To empty the ram of bubbles you would close the 2 nozzle/valves with a wrench, as demonstrated, and then rotate the motor to full port. Then perform the whole procedure in the video to remove bubbles from the system. Then you would close the 2 nozzle/valves again and swing the motor to full starboard. Then perform the whole procedure again to remove bubbles from the system.
It purges the air out of the rams as well when done as shown. A properly installed ram with have the bleed valves facing up. I’ve been using this process for years. Super simple.
Good Job :)
Thanks 😁
I'm assuming you are doing this with the motor off? Mine has an independent pump is that normal for this style?
This particular boat had Autopilot which has a pump. No difference.
Hi, thanks for the video all the way from Australia. Does this method work for single helm dual ram (catamaran with hydraulic tie in with cut out valve for rebalancing rudder alignment)? Would you isolate each ram with the cutout valve as you did each one or leave the complete system open and only use the valve when re aligning? Cheers Paul.
It should. Let us know how it worked for you.
I appreciate it man good info. It really helped. Time to kill some fish. Mobile Al.
No problem. Catch 'em up.
So if I'm understanding this correctly, start at the flybridge helm...then leave everything connected as is on flybridge but go turn lower cabin helm steering wheel both ways? Don't rig this all up on lower helm?
Correct. It will all circulate to the top helm when spinning the bottom helm.
Nice job. ATF fluid is flammable,big no no in hydraulics for boats. Sea star is Not flammable which is why the coast guard recommends it.
Thank you for the tip.
Great video. Thank you. Even more amazing than the video itself and the fact that it is exactly what I needed, is the fact that half way through it, I realized you are working on my old boat...like literally, that is my boat I bought brand new in 2000. You even still have the black nylon Albemarle bag I attached to the wall in the galley (I saw it in your other video). Haha small world. I loved that boat. I sold it only because our boating priorities changed. Looks like it landed in the hands of a great family that has really enjoyed it and taken care of it. Awesome. Sounds like you are selling soon (or maybe already sold it?). Good luck! Just wanted to reach out. Small world.
Interesting. Small world it is. I picked it up in Mobile Alabama in August '17. Brought it down on its own bottom to Stuart, FL. Best riding boat I've owned so far. Glad you enjoyed your video. And yes, we sold her. Sad day for sure. Still need to put the video up for that. You know what they say though, best day of a boat owner is the day you buy it, and the day you sell it. I miss it!. We are searching for the next one though.
Only one step was missed. Unhooking everything and not getting fluid all over (13th) step... Otherwise, I love this process.
lol...Thanks!
is it OK to top off with that Castrol Dex/Merc fluid over whatever is in the system?
That’s what I have always used. Never an issue and a fraction of the cost.
How do you bleed a cable system🤣😂
No bleeding required in a cable system.
no need to hang up the bottle just put it on the floor with both tubes inserted. The fluid will be sucked out into the helm
Nice tip!
Today I used this process on my brand new hydraulic system from Uflex. When filling a completely dry system it takes a little while.. You gotta be patient. but just watch it dribble in and then watch every bubble float up..... every bubble is a sign that you are replacing air with oil. in a little while, all the bubbles are gone and your steering is perfect. . THANK YOU Boating Adventures ! This is an awesome technique EXCELLENT VIDEO. Just go slow and be as neat as you can... I only spilled a few drops. Took the boat out afterword, it was great.
Awesome. Happy boating.
I bled the hydraulic steering on my boat and found your video useful before I started doing it. One comment: I noticed that the oil coming from the ram in the return hose was polluted /miscoloured and you therefore should not return it into the same bottle as the new oil. Use another bottle to collect the old oil from the ram and make sure you have enough oil to bleed the system.
This is by far the best and easiest method to bleed your hydraulic steering. I just replaced both sea star steering lines on my 1988 Sea Ray Seville and this bleeding process worked absolutely great! It took more time just going to the store(s) to get the required items. Thanks for this video sir!
By the way, I used 5/16 inner diameter tubing and 3/8 inch barb for an air tight seal!
Thanks for the info
No problem.
Great video and I commend you on the condition of that bilge. Hyper clean
I appreciate that!
Hi boaters,
I have boat without steering assist. Steering control from the helm to the stern is with cable and steering is heavy. What do you thing if I install hydraulic steering to replace cable do I get lighter steering or I must install steering assist firstly?
You could try lubricating the cable. Then hydraulic.
Hydraulic steering is the way to go.
Wouldn’t that waste a lot inside the tubing?
You can drain the fluid in the tube back into the bottle at the end.
Step 13, removing the feed hose and fitting from the upper steering station, do you just make sure it stays topped off when you reinstall the cap? I like the T instead of having 2 return lines.
I want to say thank you so much for the info and instructions on how to bleed the system. We did ours exactly like you said and worked like a charm!! Thanks again sir and have a wonderful day!!!
No problem. Glad I could help.
Very nice video sir but the last step should be a victory lap around the marina
Next time, lol.
Where did you get the parts - adapter for the helm...seems you just can’t get an over the counter fitting and bottle cap
The adapter for the helm and bottle were purchased from the local marine store or amazon. Look up seastar fill adaptor. The rest is from the local hardware store.
Good Luck.
Boating Adventures thanks a million
Crazy question but did your helms have a compensating line between them? Mine doesn’t...hum
No
This is brilliant. I've always put this job off until I have a second person and it is never this clean. Thanks for the video!
You're welcome!
Great video brother thanks!
You bet
It a useful Video for sure, but the atf just gets recycled. IMO it would be better to make those return lines go go to a Waste container.
Yes the “T” is the way to go.
Yes it is!!!
This is an excellent video and explanation. One thing to improve this would be for the fill adapter at the helm pump to be a shut off valve so you could remove the vertical tube (now filled with fluid once the bleed is complete) without spilling all over your helm. If this new adapter extends just a little into the helm, then once shut off, you would be able to remove it without spilling a drop and leave the reservoir topped off.
Great tip!
A valve at the helm is a GREAT idea!
Yes!
Yeah I just tipped mine over into a clean coffee can while it was still connected... then unthreaded it, only spilled a few drops..... then I used a Turkey Baster to suck out the top... my helm needs like 1/2 an inch of space on top for expansion
This is the best "bleeding by one person system" I have soon so far. Thanks.
Thanks!
About a year ago I came to the conclusion that I was going to have to replace my cable helm system with hydraulic as the flybridge was barely moveable and required a lot of strength and it could not be lubricated. So I purchased the Seastar system helm part number HH 5273-3 and the hydraulic cylinder HC 5314-3 and the lines associated with them. Just recently I completed the installation and was ready to add the fluid and I came across this procedure. Since a friend of mine wasn't going to be available all week I thought I would give it a try. After purchasing the three eighth inch tubing I realized that it wasn't a tight fit on the bleeding valve. So, being the genius that I am, I determined that just simply adding some tubing clamps would solve the problem after all the lines are open-ended and the fluid does not get under pressure. But what I ended up finding out after I added fluid was that the fluid ended up leaking anyways and I ended up losing just about 7 quarts of hydraulic fluid at $21 a quart. So I went back to the manufacturer’s instructions and used a helper. My brand new hydraulic system then worked fine. So I just do not recommend this procedure. You should have someone down below.
Use the correct tubing size, must fit tight. All low pressure.
Hi friend first thank you for the beautiful and clear video. I have a question to ask: when the bleed screws are closed you can turn the steering wheel from full right to full left. When the bleed screws are open can you turn endlessly on one side or even the other side? I hope my google english is understandable. Thank you
That is correct and normal. Turn in one direction until no more air bubbles seen in the clear tubing. Then turn the opposite way until no bubbles. I would repeat until no bubbles in both directions.
This was good, thank you. I noticed you have a simrad autopilot. Does it also have a pump that requires bleeding?
There is a simrad bleeding procedure. I did not do it. It is easy enough to do though.
Great video, the t piece is their anything special about it? One way valves or anything or is it just basically joining the pipes? Can I use 2 pipes?
Thank you. Its just a simple "T". No valves. It just joins the pipes together.
Great video, its simple enough that even I feel confident that I can do it.
Perfect!
Thanks for the video. Very informative and well narrated. Now to go out and do mine. 😊
Glad it was helpful!
what about your auto oilot ? do you need to be running it during this process
I have an autopilot and did not run it during this process. I did run the autopilot on the water with no issues. Solid helm.
The video was extremely helpful and informative. Thank You,
You're welcome!
thank you
Very good video, very informative and to the point, thumbs up!
Much appreciated!
Brilliant method of purging air! Great video and very helpful!!
Glad it was helpful!
👍🏻🇨🇦