Lake Champlain United - Forums

Some infos on how and what is neede to convert a mechanical steering to a hydraulic, useful if you want to get a autopilot
Most popular (Mercruiser):
Power Assist steering =
Power steering pump that is operated by the engine power pump which moves the Mercruiser power cylinder (not the Teleflex cylinder) . Cylinder required HC5328-3 to work with a SeaStar Helm pump and lines. You will have a hydraulic power assist steering, meaning, a hydraulic helm pump (HH5271-3), two steering lines, that run down to a power assist cylinder (HC5328-3) which in turn screws into the Mercruiser power assist cylinder (Mercruiser part) that is run from the power pump and this Mercruiser cylinder is connected directly to the drive.

Non power assist steering =
No power pump and/or power steering cylinder (no Mercruiser cylinder on board, no power pump) requires manual Hydraulic cylinder # HC5332. This means that all that you will have is a helm pump (at the steering wheel), two steering lines, going to a steering cylinder attached directly to the outdrive (HC5332).

With no power assist you will be manually moving the steering wheel, meaning that there is no power assist.

Application guide: http://www.seastarsolutions.com/product ... ering-new/

I have been on hydraulic steering for 7 seasons and know a lot of folks with 115 hp engines with cable steering that have converted to allow a hydraulic Auto Pilot. It's the wave of the feature even with 115 hp powered boats now. The gold standard used to be 150 hp and above with hydraulic steering. Nice to see it on lower hp. applications. Randy converted his 90 hp Etech to hydraulic steering a few years ago to hook up his Ray Marine AP.

I post this because there is a lot of guys with I/O that are always struggling on what to use to do the conversion. I agree , hydraulic is the way to go.

Great advice Andre.

I converted Surprise three years ago and never looked back hydraulic is the best thing ever.

I wanted to add a auto pilot & 9 inch touch screen Lowrance sonar/gps.

Couldn't spend the money all at once so it was a two year project. Got the Teleflex Baystar from Hodges supply in Florida. The removal and installation was easy with good directions and a few video views. https://www.hodgesmarine.com/

Note: I cut the helm end of the cable and duck taped the hydraulic hoses to the cable and used it to pull the new hoses thru the hull.

Later I got a closeout Lowrance from Cabellas and the Raymarine Autopilot came later with a Rebate also bought at Hodges.

Love doing Clover leaf's down in Fishville. The autopilot will hold a steady course along a wave break . Just look back and watch it work.

Randy

Thanks Randy; it's easier on outboard vs a I/O. This why I post this so if there some guys that are thinking installing a autopilot at least they know what to get and find out how much it's going to cost.

So I have mercruisers with twin bravo 3's on a 2004 290 Amberjack that has power assist. I want to convert to hydraulic this winter and get autopilot. If I want a balanced cylinder, do I remove the power assist cylinder that is there now or just hook new cylinder on to old power assist cylinder? I would like new 2.4 helm for less turns, but don't want it too tough to steer either. Right now I shut 1 engine off to troll but only 1 engine has the power assist so that engine is accumulating more hours.

Do i attach the new cylinder to the existing cable mount ? Do i then unhook the existing cylinder rod from the steering horn? I am converting a Mercrusier to hydraulic steering.