GEAR
*Illustration is an
approximation.
Consult owner’s
manual for details.
BOAT TECH
steering
cylinder
steering
rod
hydraulic
line
bleeder
valves
hydraulic
pump
hydraulic
lines
hydraulic
line
BASIC POWER-STEERING MAINTENANCE
T
TIPS FOR TROUBLESHOOTING AN UNDERPERFORMING STEERING SYSTEM
oday’s bass boat owners have it
made. Modern amenities make
things so easy, taking the has-
sle out of duties and upkeep that
once were dreaded projects.
Maintenance-free trailer hubs imme-
diately come to mind, as do the
newest Led light systems.
Power-steering is another perk of
the modern bass boat. veteran
anglers might remember a time
before hydraulic steering assist,
when turning a v-6 outboard took
serious muscle. today’s anglers sit
back and steer with one finger, never
knowing any different.
the ease of use of power-steering
might make it seem like there’s never
any maintenance or attention to be
given to keep the system running
smoothly. But that’s not always the
case. it pays to understand what’s
going on inside the steering system,
what can go wrong and what to do if
it does. so let’s dig under the hood
to learn more about our boats.
What We’re dealing With
50
the term “hydraulic steering” can
actually cover several types of steering
systems used in boats today, from
manual to electronic. there are even
pressurized systems used in large
yachts. for our sake, we’ll outline the
two-line, manual systems that are
used in most new fishing and pleas-
ure boats.
it should be noted that many
large four-stroke outboards – now
quickly integrating into the world of
high-performance bass boats – con-
tain separate steering pumps mount-
ed below deck in the boat. for main-
tenance on those systems, consult
your dealer.
a two-line system is a hydraulic
network containing two separate
lines, or hoses, that run to each side
of a steering cylinder, which attaches
to the outboard’s steering rod. a
hydraulic pump at the helm sends
fluid through one line when the
steering wheel is turned. this line
then operates a piston to extend or
retract the steering arm, thus turning
the outboard. the other line receives
the fluid and pumps it back to the
helm. the entire operation functions
as a closed system, sending and
receiving fluid.
By Joe Balog
iLLustration By kevin hand
although the system is relatively
basic, it is not without moving parts
that require some form of mainte-
nance and monitoring. however, the
most difficult aspect of hydraulic
steering troubleshooting occurs at
installation or when an entire system
must be replaced.
What to Watch For
the first step to maintaining a
hydraulic steering system may have
nothing to do with hydraulics. often,
the steering bar behind the hydraulic
cylinder needs to be greased. this is a
fairly simple procedure, but be sure to
use marine-grade white lithium grease.
once all mechanical fittings within
the steering system are properly
lubricated, any additional problem
can be diagnosed as occurring within
the hydraulic system itself.
here, the most common cause of
sticky steering is low fluid level. to
check, simply remove the cap at the
helm station (usually on the steering
column) when the outboard is off.
use a flashlight to visually inspect
the fluid level. if it’s low, you’ll proba-
bly see a steering disc, which the
FLWFISHING.COM I WINTer 2020