PDA

View Full Version : who makes the best hydraulic steering that i can trust



decomaryan
07-13-2008, 10:09 PM
im looking to put a hydraulic steering system in my 1990 STV with a mercury 200 and a 6" jackplate. i use my STV for sking and my dual cable rack and pinion is very hard to turn. i need something my father and friends can steer. i have been told not to go hydraulic in a fast boat but i use it more for recreation and the occasional 80mph run across the lake. what do you guys think i should do and what is a good reliable brand of hydraulic for this type of boat?

beer30
07-14-2008, 02:52 AM
I am pretty sure you can trust Teleflex Sea Star. I bet over 60% on here do.:) Chuck

rjdubiel
07-14-2008, 12:29 PM
read up and to a google search on the seastar. they worked with allison boats to create a new setup that many here say is great. even the older seastar pro is reccommended by many here.

Image 21
07-14-2008, 08:50 PM
i ran a sea star pro on hydrastream vegas xt at 85 and had not one problem

150aintenuff
07-23-2008, 02:04 PM
the best.... latham marine side wing plate... the most affordable good trustworthy system... seastar pro, for above 80 mph get the 6345 cylinder

1BadAction
07-23-2008, 02:58 PM
I have seen the Seastar systems, they have flex and play all over the place in the linkages because there's more connecting parts involved than cable steering.

then whoever owned it must have taken it apart and not assembled it right. :thumbsup:

pyro
07-23-2008, 03:16 PM
I just went into the garage to check my 20 year old Morse dual-cable system. Shaking the motor, it shows 1/16" of play at the tip of the anti-ventilation plate, and 1/4" of play at the rim of the steering wheel when I jiggle it side to side. With the solid mounts, chine-walk is almost non-existent.

-"Straight-ahead" is always on the same place on the wheel! :rolleyes:
-I can actually "feel" what is going on through the wheel
-I can spin the wheel with one finger at idle or slow cruise
-I can drive it with two fingers and a thumb at 90 mph. :D

I'm just saying, if the dual-cable system isn't working out, it because it's worn out, mis-adjusted, or perhaps there are other setup problems.

Trikki1010
07-23-2008, 04:07 PM
No matter how hard ya fix teleflex, you'll always get some pull going thru the ranges of speed, most will pull/spin hard if you let go of the wheel.

I bought a boat with a mayfair helm and the latham style side ram and thought I hated it at first. I learned to feel the boat more instead of being slammed by fighting the teleflex. I still would prefer cables instead of the hydraulic. I believe you can feel the action on the prop and torque steer in cables and in extreme cases it is much easier to read and react faster.

I also like the reduced force on the the latham due to larger bolts and the wing plate's further distance from the pivot tube. The Seastar still utilizes the same tiller across the front of the clamp section.

Plus cables SCARE people if ya let them drive :D:D

Just my opinion

mad dan
07-23-2008, 09:16 PM
I have latham side mount on my stv and it works great.None of the seastar,teleflex systems are recomended for boats running over 60mph.

D.B.S
07-23-2008, 09:25 PM
side mount :iagree:

jphii
07-24-2008, 10:35 AM
I have latham side mount on my stv and it works great.None of the seastar,teleflex systems are recomended for boats running over 60mph.

You are mistaken.

benski
08-12-2008, 01:37 PM
You might move this thread over to set up and rigging, just to see if you get a bigger response.

Bruster
08-12-2008, 02:31 PM
I have seen the Seastar systems, they have flex and play all over the place in the linkages because there's more connecting parts involved than cable steering. You couldn't PAY me to put sloppy sh** like that on my boat. Slop and play adversely affects handling. That's why most of us run solid motor mounts.


Yep, they will have when they are not carefully installed. :eek:

Done right they can be very tight, and very smooth.

wideglide55
09-03-2008, 08:18 AM
Don't know what Pyro is talking about,put the Sea Star Pro on my Eliminator and it was super smooth and very tight ,no play,no slop, no flex at 100mph.

Trikki1010
09-03-2008, 05:06 PM
Don't know what Pyro is talking about,put the Sea Star Pro on my Eliminator and it was super smooth and very tight ,no play,no slop, no flex at 100mph.

The Sea Star still attaches to the SAME bolt that the teleflex or morse cables do. You steer easier, but still rely on ONE 1/2" bolt

Riverman
09-03-2008, 05:36 PM
Mine has no play, NONE. If there is slop in one it wasn't assembled and/or bled properly. Seastar provides excellent instructions too.

Straight-ahead is always on the same place on the wheel? Who cares? I can let go of the wheel at any speed and it still goes straight.

I have fought with rack and cables on my cruiser for years. I sure wasn't going to put that crap on my baby.

D.B.S
09-03-2008, 09:40 PM
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::iagree::iagree::iagree:

Tom Foley
09-25-2008, 04:20 AM
Don't know what Pyro is talking about,put the Sea Star Pro on my Eliminator and it was super smooth and very tight ,no play,no slop, no flex at 100mph.

I've have had it on five boats and three of those are 100 mph plus rigs .....no issuses and WORLDS better than cable steering imo .

Dirk Pitt
09-25-2008, 05:52 AM
Anything thats moving as fast as we go, should consider a side mount wing plated set up. Yes Latham is great stuff, but Marine Machine makes great stuff also, and is less expensive http://www.marinemachine.com/