Hydraulic steering is really stiff

[champion1955]

Hard to tell , put it to bed for the hibernation

[mrsturggie]

With your boat on the trailer and trimmed all the way down steer it stop to stop. Noting the effort to turn it. Then trim up a bit and steer it stop to stop and note the effort to turn it. Continue this until you have found the Stiffness your referring too. At that point, inspect your lines from the ram all the way to the helm. As you trim up there is the possibility of a kink developing in the lines most likely in the transom area. Should you not experience the Stiffness on the trailer, your problem is as stated earlier that your mounted to high on the transom and or jack plate. A system that has air in it will have slop in it from stop to stop and be slow to react to pressure from the helm rather than build excess.

[lpugh]

May have a incorrect helm, think of the ram to helm as a gear ratio, lower ratio requires less effort. Also a larger steering wheel may be of help

[Breezy1]

As already mentioned..Install a skeg mounted torque tab problem will be solved or helped a lot.

[lpugh]

As already mentioned..Install a skeg mounted torque tab problem will be solved or helped a lot.

Torque tab only helps for torque steer (left turn)

[Glenn_S]

Boat comes home this week and I am going to change out the fluid. I'll update when I finally get it on the water when the ice goes out.

[druthomas]

Talked to Seastar at the classic and they say it should be stiff when running. Maybe give them a call.

[BOW4UM]

Pic of the Skeg trim tab. Mine is flat and like to see what style fits a 225 and about where to set it.

[WayneM1946]

I have a "new to me" 92 201 with a 225 VMax. Only had it out twice so far but noticed the steering getting harder to turn as I trimmed the motor. I checked it yesterday on the trailer and it turns freely lock to lock with the motor trimmed down as well as with the motor trimmed up almost to where the tilt kicks in. When I had it out, I had no idea where the Jack Plate was set. Has a 6" Bob's Machine Shop Hydraulic Jack Plate. I did play around with the Jack Plate a little but I had no frame of reference since I have never had a boat with a Jack Plate before. Yesterday, while boat was on trailer, I set the Jack Plate with prop centerline 3.5" below the pad with the pad and the cavitation plate level. I can't wait to get it back about and try it.

[Johnnyred]

I know this is an old thread... did anyone here find an answer to high steering effort when running on pad trimmed up?

[fastfiat]

My 97 186 with a 150 has the Baystar and has always been stiff. Not two handed stiff but a stiffer than any cable steer ive ever had. I also added a skeg mounted trim tab to help with hole shot ( it did ) but i noticed no difference in steering effort. Just my personal experience.

[Tx Champ]

I know this is an old thread... did anyone here find an answer to high steering effort when running on pad trimmed up?

For steering you're either over or under trimmed. When you hit the happy spot for a given throttle/speed setting, steering is easy & one handed. But that happy spot may or may not be optimum trim for speed.

[ChampioNman]

My 97 186 with a 150 has the Baystar and has always been stiff. Not two handed stiff but a stiffer than any cable steer ive ever had. I also added a skeg mounted trim tab to help with hole shot ( it did ) but i noticed no difference in steering effort. Just my personal experience.

Baystar system should have never been installed on a bass boat with a motor over 150 HP it's great on a Bay boat with a 150 but not a bass boat.