Hydraulic Steering Maintenance

[StreamFixer]

Excellent article

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/february/caring-for-your-hydraulic-steering.asp

The article recommends fluid replacement every 5 years.  My boat is a '97.  I'll be it has never been flushed and replaced, certainly not by the guys I bought it from.

Alas, yet another chore to add to the ongoing list.     When does the list start getting shorter   

Yeah, I know, when I sell it, and the list goes with the sale   :nono:

StreamFixer

[ak-angler]

Also, on a Baystar system, you'll also want to take a couple of minutes each season to pull the 'support brackets' so you can clean and re-grease them. (The bent stainless rods that go into the tilt tube.)

Back in the day, I had neglected my Baystar steering, thinking it was a totally maintenance-free system. The grease in the tilt tube had solidified, causing the support brackets to freeze in place. When I tilted my motor, I heard a POP as the pivot plate adapter broke, causing me to lose all steering.

I was at the dock (launching) when it happened, and fabricating a fix for the pivot plate wasn't too difficult once I got home, but it ruined a fishing trip. It could have ended much worse.

[Yachter Yat]

AK:  You didn't use automotive grease did you?

[ak-angler]

As I recall, it was a Penzoil multi-purpose Marine grease. When I got it apart, the tilt tube was all rusty, and what grease was left was all caked up.

Page 29 of the Baystar manual specifically states that this maintenance should be performed every 200 hours...

http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/964610C.pdf

[Threeweight]

OMC's Triple Guard grease (which is the same thing as the blue Yamalube grease, I think) is excellent for these kinds of applications.  Crazy sticky, waterproof, and long-lasting.

Just don't use it for wheel bearings.

[Yachter Yat]

Threeweight:   You're right.........OMC Sea Lube is one of the best for marine use. I've used it for years and never experienced problems with "caking-up". I can't say the same for automotive grease.  Please keep in mind OMC also makes wheel bearing grease.  It's a little thicker and is colored red as opposed to the blueish-colored Sea Lube. 

I'm sure most of you seasoned boaters know, but for others, just a word of caution:   NEVER, NEVER use automotive grease in a marine environment. I speak from experience. 

Now here I go calling this stuff Sea Lube, but that's from a day gone by. Threeweight, you're right again, it's actually called Triple-Guard.  Name was change years ago. (Still living in the past I guess)

Yat   

[Salmon King]

THANK YOU for the reminder gentlemen!
I would have forgotten this item come spring...