Chuckpacific
New member
Has anyone replaced cable steering with hydraulic steering on a CD-22? Comments, Cost?
Chuck
Chuck
Hydraulic Steering
- Thread starter Chuckpacific
- Start date
Chuck-
This is a frequent question.
The hydraulic steering is a great upgrade, and easy to install for someone with mechanical skills. The hardest part is removing the old cable, which can be done with a pneumatic or electric cut-off tool, or probably bolt cutters. The cable can actually be slid out, but the sheath can be more difficult, and is easier to remove in sections after cutting.
Installing the new helm, hydraulic hoses, and steering cylinder at the rear is straightforward and simple. The new system must be filled and bled, but it's an easy job if you're careful and don't let it get messy.
The choice of which system to use, such a Teleflex BayStar Versus SeaStar, depends on your intended use, with the nod going to the SeaStar if you're planning on adding an autopilot now or eventually.
******************************************************
Lots has been written on this subject, so look on the Motor Control Systems section of the Library Forums.
The last four topics are right on the subject with the topics-
Again With the Hydraulic Steering Upgrade
Hydraulic Steering Upgrade
Steering upgrade cost
hydraulic steering --dual helm
******************************************************
Good Luck with your upgrade!
Joe. :teeth :thup
This is a frequent question.
The hydraulic steering is a great upgrade, and easy to install for someone with mechanical skills. The hardest part is removing the old cable, which can be done with a pneumatic or electric cut-off tool, or probably bolt cutters. The cable can actually be slid out, but the sheath can be more difficult, and is easier to remove in sections after cutting.
Installing the new helm, hydraulic hoses, and steering cylinder at the rear is straightforward and simple. The new system must be filled and bled, but it's an easy job if you're careful and don't let it get messy.
The choice of which system to use, such a Teleflex BayStar Versus SeaStar, depends on your intended use, with the nod going to the SeaStar if you're planning on adding an autopilot now or eventually.
******************************************************
Lots has been written on this subject, so look on the Motor Control Systems section of the Library Forums.
The last four topics are right on the subject with the topics-
Again With the Hydraulic Steering Upgrade
Hydraulic Steering Upgrade
Steering upgrade cost
hydraulic steering --dual helm
******************************************************
Good Luck with your upgrade!
Joe. :teeth :thup
Chuck
Its been awhile since we changed over with twin Honda 40's, so don't remember to many details or cost and I'm very poor at describing technical details anyway, so will only go into it in a very general way.
Its more difficult with twins due to having to remove the starboard motor to make the change and it requires a different hydraulic cylinder at the motors. The threads that Joe recommended may have that information for twins. I only do mechanical work when I can not afford not to or taking the boat to where work is performed is more time consuming or difficult than doing the work myself. Other than having to remove the motor I could have easily done the change over. The repair shop I used did poor work and had the hydraulic line connections reversed. Entertained some people at the dock when I launched with the steering reversed. And then I had to go through the whole bleeding process after changing the lines which is the more difficult part of the change over.
Went with the baystar and added a auto pilot and couldn't be more pleased. Do know the baystar is much less expensive and is made for motors less than 150 hp. The seastar is made for the higher hp motors and operates at much higher pressure which is not needed on the CD 22.
Jay
Its been awhile since we changed over with twin Honda 40's, so don't remember to many details or cost and I'm very poor at describing technical details anyway, so will only go into it in a very general way.
Its more difficult with twins due to having to remove the starboard motor to make the change and it requires a different hydraulic cylinder at the motors. The threads that Joe recommended may have that information for twins. I only do mechanical work when I can not afford not to or taking the boat to where work is performed is more time consuming or difficult than doing the work myself. Other than having to remove the motor I could have easily done the change over. The repair shop I used did poor work and had the hydraulic line connections reversed. Entertained some people at the dock when I launched with the steering reversed. And then I had to go through the whole bleeding process after changing the lines which is the more difficult part of the change over.
Went with the baystar and added a auto pilot and couldn't be more pleased. Do know the baystar is much less expensive and is made for motors less than 150 hp. The seastar is made for the higher hp motors and operates at much higher pressure which is not needed on the CD 22.
Jay
I have the stock manual steering on my 22 and thought about converting to hydraulic but lately I have seen several folks with problems with leaks in the hydraulic lines.... they seem to be made of light weight plastic tubing.... has anyone else had this problem ??? I sure would hate to ruin a cruise or worse because of some plastic line failure....
How often should these lines be replaced ?? they must degrade under sunlight.... thoughts ??
Joel
SEA3PO
How often should these lines be replaced ?? they must degrade under sunlight.... thoughts ??
Joel
SEA3PO
I believe this is a prime example of what DoD Dan was eluding to on a recent maintenance thread. If a person wants to spend extra dollars to give them a sence of security then fine. Spend away its your money and your security. On this specific item baystar vs seastar I personally feel its a total waste of your money. We now have over 3000 trouble free miles on the baystar. If one is worried about the fittings on the hydraulic lines the higher pressure much more expensive ones can be purchased separately and will fit with out the more expensive cylinder. To me there is a higher risk of developing leaks in the auto pilot fittings then in the hydraulic steering cylinder fittings or lines. My confidence in this system is well supported by our willingness to take the boat with this system in areas where any total breakdown of steering or anything else could be very dangerous and costly. We do bring along spare fluid in case of a leak, but I sure prefer the chance of a leak to a total lock up of the steering system, which happened to us on the old stock manual system and could have been really bad had it occurred in many of the places we have been. That lock up of the stock system is what caused me to think about switching to hydraulic steering in the first place.
The ram that comes with the regular seastar kit won't fit with twin Honda's. I questioned the then c-dory factory how to do the set up because at that time they were using the baystar system with the CD 22 sold with hydraulic steering and twin honda motors. Believe the baystar cylinder will due to it looks the same as the one on our boat. Can't remember for sure. For the twin honda's much intall longer motor to steering rod connecting tabs else there is jamming when raising or lowering motors. I believe the tabs we used to replace were what normally came on the next lower hp honda motor. Bought them through the factroy and again can't remember for sure.
Jay
The ram that comes with the regular seastar kit won't fit with twin Honda's. I questioned the then c-dory factory how to do the set up because at that time they were using the baystar system with the CD 22 sold with hydraulic steering and twin honda motors. Believe the baystar cylinder will due to it looks the same as the one on our boat. Can't remember for sure. For the twin honda's much intall longer motor to steering rod connecting tabs else there is jamming when raising or lowering motors. I believe the tabs we used to replace were what normally came on the next lower hp honda motor. Bought them through the factroy and again can't remember for sure.
Jay
I wonder if anyone has any experience with SeaStar installed on twin Suzuki's? Mine have worked flawlessly for about 360 hours now, but I have an annoying problem that I have to address before it results in a problem. Due to the placement of the ram for the steering, and the ram for the Raymarine rudder indicator, which is clamped to the steering ram, I'm unable to reach the two zerk fittings that grease the tilt arms on the port engine. I guess I'm going to have to disasemble the rams to get to the zerks, then maybe replace them with 90 degree angle ones.
dogon dory
New member
Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author
I installed the BayStar steering on my boat last year after extending the hull. It is not a hard job to do, probably easier than installing cable steering. The only thing I had any difficulty with, was the steering link for my kicker engine. And most of that was due to me not wanting to buy a new link so I had to modify my existing link to clear the hydraulic cylinder.
Don’t remember the exact cost but it was right around $500,00 at West Marine.
________
Dave
Don’t remember the exact cost but it was right around $500,00 at West Marine.
________
Dave
tom&shan
New member
We had cable steering on our 16 Angler - which I replaced (thats a whole nother story in itself). Anyways when we decided to get a new 19 Angler, they were listed with hydraulic as standard, of course in 2007 that changed to having cable as standard - even had a sales guy tell me that the cable was hydraulic. So when we got our 19 Angler, it came with cable, but hearing how great hydraulic was, we had the dealer replace the cable with hydraulic. Bottom line - the cable steering seemed tighter and easier to use, the hydraulic seems a bit loose and sloppy and Shan actually preferred the cable steering, I cant really tell a difference.
I know if we ever got autopilot then we would need hydraulic, but on second thought I would of just left it with cable and saved the extra cost.
Tom
I know if we ever got autopilot then we would need hydraulic, but on second thought I would of just left it with cable and saved the extra cost.
Tom
Tom
We too had installed a new cable just before switching to hydraulic. The hydraulic steering was better in everyway then with cable. Could be wrong but it sounds to me like your sloppy steering could be caused by still having air in it. Ours was kind of sloppy too untill getting it all bled out. It sure isn't sloppy now.
Jay
We too had installed a new cable just before switching to hydraulic. The hydraulic steering was better in everyway then with cable. Could be wrong but it sounds to me like your sloppy steering could be caused by still having air in it. Ours was kind of sloppy too untill getting it all bled out. It sure isn't sloppy now.
Jay