Sea Star Steering Troubleshooting

[seasick]

Thank you. It concerns a new Mavi Mare system GF150 BRT, identical to SeaStar.
Motor pivots smoothly when disconnected.
When boat has no speed, wheel turns easily.
When moving, there strong resistance in the wheel.
Lock-to-lock turning of the wheel is 5,6, and should be 4,9

I don't want to bother you more than necessary.
Have bled the pump and hoses multiple times with the bypass: cann't imagine any trapped air remaining, unless maybe in the cylinder, so that explains my question.

Is the steering hard when turning in both directions or a lot more in one specific direction?
Your vessel is a single motor correct? What model is the motor? The Mavi kit you mentioned is rated for smaller motors, 150 HP max

 

[Vronsky]

Single motor, OB Suzuki DF115A, steering hard both ways, bit harder to port

 

[Hookup1]

It's Italian, supposed to be a solid brand.
New hoses as well, also Mavi Mare supplied, part of the kit.
My motor is a Suzuki DF115A, so well within spec.

It's the red parts in your message that is not fully clear to me:
"The tricky part is to get the air out of the cylinder. You do this by pushing the motor over by hand to empty one side, close the bleed (which one?) and turn the wheel to fill one side and empty the other. Close the other bleeder (which one?) and turn the wheel the other way and close the bleeder (which one?) . Turn wheel stop to stop several times. This will clear any air in cylinder."

Thanks,
V.

I'm not sure your problem is bleeding. I would call Mavi Mare tech support or their representative here in the USA.

Difficult to explain without being there. Anyway the idea is to push all the fluid out of one side of the cylinder. Then do the other side. It's best that you understand what is happening not just follow a procedure.

Pick a side, put a short bleed hose on the bleed above the fitting to keep fluid in hose and keep air out - do not turn wheel and allow air in. Crack open the bleed valve and turn wheel in the direction to push piston shaft out opposite side. Close bleed and do on other side.

You can disconnect the motor so the cylinder can have full travel. When the cylinder is all the way over to one side the cylinder piston shaft is fully exposed on the same side.

 

[seasick]

If the ram is a single actuator that is where it is fixed at one end and the ram rod extends out of the other, that the force will always be weaker in one direction as compared to the other. If the ram has ram rods on both ends, steering effort should be the same in both directions.
I would take a look at the trim tab anode under the anti-ventilation plate. The fin may need to be adjusted. Typically that fin when looking down into the water should be turned a bit towards starboard. When the motor is tilted up and you are looking from underneath, it should be rotated clockwise off of center. I would start at about 10 to 15 degrees.
There is no exact position, the tab will be optimal at a specific speed and your typical cruising speed is what you should test at. This recommended setting is for normal rotation props.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Remember that the motor is going to be harder to steer in one direction than the other. Prop turns one way and there is a fin normally as anode on motor cavitation plate which is adjustable to neutralize the prop induced force. If it comes loose or gets pushed over it may change the behavior.

If you have power steering, this should not have any effect on it. I don't know if Mavi Mare is power steering or just a regular hydraulic steering system.

h

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Actually, Suzuki may have double rotation twin props, they would neutralize the steering to be the same in both directions I think.

 

[seasick]

Actually, Suzuki may have double rotation twin props, they would neutralize the steering to be the same in both directions I think.

Not on a 115 I think.

 

[Hookup1]

Single motor, OB Suzuki DF115A, steering hard both ways, bit harder to port

How did you make out?