Seastar play

[KIRCHNER]

I HAVE no air in the system, i cant stop the end brackets from rocking. tightening the tube collar only applies friction. now i see why special brackets are keyed on the shaft. i cant find anyone with a keyway cutter. when i turn 1 bracket rises, the other drops. that adds up to about 1'' of lateral play at the prop nut. i cant be the only system doing this. my other seastar rig does not rock, it is identical. whats up. i see the problem but cant cure it.. anybody?

[David - WI]

I can't picture exactly how they're attached, but can you either (green maybe?) Loctite the brackets onto the shaft... or drill & tap the bracket for a small pointed allen set screw?

[KIRCHNER]

YES, if i pin them, both on the same plane, that would do it. i noticed the tiller bolt/bushing is bottomed out, but allows some rocking also. i can barely get in there, the pan sits right on top of the bolt.

[LakeFever]

My guess is it started with very small amounts of slip and wallowed out the seastar aluminum bracket, making the hole inside the end brackets oversize so it cant grip properly. Remove and add 0.0010" stainless shim stock around the shaft making sure not to but the shim stock and try again. Usually best to have the shim seam where the collar clamp split is. You could dab some green locktite on the shaft and both side of the shim too it cant hurt at this point. If possible do a mock up dry first to be sure the 10 thou shim is enough. I doubt locktite on its own without the shim would hold any better under load

[KIRCHNER]

I have ss shim stock. i mentioned keyways because i read of some allison steering mods where they keyed the brackets. i have to search the brackets dont wobble, they slide on nice,but rotate like a prop shaft in a bearing. that movement x2 gives me that dead zone. ill eyeball it close again. im thinkin the set screw deal, i have the tools,taps, d press.. they act just like a rear auto sway bar

[LakeFever]

The pro and tournament cylinders are keyed and have beefier brackets. If you have the means to add a keyway and key thats the ticket.

[KIRCHNER]

YEP, i tryed to get a part # for just the shaft & brackets.no dice. key setup is 1000$. going to my shop now, another look/see.. thank you for the info, Art..

[Z06man]

You can do side ram for about 1300.00 zero play

[KIRCHNER]

what would 1300 get me? have to pull p.h.? i checked out a side steer, at taveras races, no play,

[Onetime]

Side steer is the only way to go!

SeaStar always has play and think it’s in the design.

Z06man, whose side steer for $1300? Does it include cylinder, wing plate and tilt tube pin?

[25two.stroke]

Just threw away the seastar and put a classic hynautic ram on my boat 2 weeks ago. Seastar always has play. Always. The new pro square front mount cylinder is the best they make. The one that has a big flatbar drag link and looks kinda like a uflex ram. Those are the tightest rams seastar makes. The basic one is sloppy. 1/8" play at best bleed.
The issue you got here is greater than that though. Like mentioned above the offset brackets must be hogged out. Thats the only thing that would cause your problem if all the nuts are tight. Regardless I would never buy a new seastar front mount cyl. for a high performance boat. Just not safe. When you let off the gas your motor turns 1/2" at the propshaft and thats no good.

[KIRCHNER]

Hey j i read the not-for list on the ss steering. i scored 0. the cast brackets have a smooth bore, slide over a smooth shaft, that i lube, how tight should they be? when the engine is straight, the brackets [ends] are tilted upward, not laying flat. if the tiller was longer the brackets would swivel to a more level position, perpendicular to the engines actual tube. jmo, that would cancel the rocking motion apply all force sidways, not upwards..im overthinkin. hynautic ??

[25two.stroke]

Youre over thinking. Those brackets need to slew up and down. Don't matter what position they are in at 0 degrees rudder. They should not turn opposite way when you turn the thing side to side. They should both rock in sync up and down. If they are opposing each other then I would be lead to assume the 5/8" hex nuts on the cylinder shaft are loose or hogged out to where they don't hold each other synchronized.

[KIRCHNER]

its so hot in my bldg, i cant focus, the 5/8 nuts must not be tight. i realize that arc changes, making the brackets rise and fall. gonna give it 1 more shot. 30-40 ftlbs?

[David - WI]

I think I had to take off the part that attaches to the tiller and flip it over so it would mount from (below?) rather than above the tiller? I don't have the boat here to look at. i know it didn't look like it would work but making the arms & tiller parallel took out that "arc" movement.

Also, I think I have another set of "arms" you could try.

[25two.stroke]

They don't have clearance to mount underneath on a 2.5L offshore fat tiller, I know that. Mine mounted on top no problem. I didn't have near the play he's talking about. I have many sets of arms too if that is what is the problem. Not sure the torque spec. I just go tight. Hella tight. Loctite helps too, but stainless on stainless fine thread doesn't really need it.

[KIRCHNER]

Did a system overhaul, torque wrench, lots of fluid thru, helm to ram. everything to spec. only play left is at the helm its a 2.0 std. i wonder if a pro helm would be tighter? the azz end is solid, almost 0 Play. any likes on a pro helm? thanks guys.

[LakeFever]

I run a pro helm and cyl. I like it. It is tricky to bleed though it takes two days to do it properly. After my first bleed I let it sit for a day. Then I start by cracking the bleeders before touching anything and I get tiny little bubbles out of each side. For me I know when its bled right because no matter how hard I try it will not turn past lock even a tiny bit.So if you can turn the wheel past lock? You know theres air still in there.

[KIRCHNER]

When i go to lock, right or left, i still have about 1/2'' of piston rod showing. im assuming the engine isat its mechanical stops? 25 is correct about the fat tiller. thanks for the helm tip.

[KIRCHNER]

wondering why my one rig is so easy to steer,, it has a 1.7 helm. feels like p/s, but more turns lock2lock. my#1 rig had arm weary torque steer, went to a bigger steering wheel, much,much better. i thinka 2.4 helm with a 15'' s wheel, low effort,fast ratio would work nice..

[Wild Bill]

I have two of them, the one on the ally is tight and barely wiggles. the one on the tunnel is older and loose. Hate to think how many gallons of oil I have pumped through it. I thought about rebuilding the ram but if the rod seal was leaking it would be doing different stuff. I am thinking it is the check valves in the helm not switching fast enough. If They are available, I might change them this winter.

[KIRCHNER]

i think my helm needs something, ck valves. i was so impressed what an improvement a bigger steerwheel did. an old aluminum hydro wheel, ebay, not pretty but drives nice. if i pick up anothr helm, it will be the faster 2.4 unit.

[Wild Bill]

I should say piston seal. I can hear some kind of valve clicking when I turn the wheel, that is what I am going to look into this winter.