I just replaced the seal on my hydraulic steering sytem. I had lots of play in the steering. This was caused by a leaking seal. I then bled and purged the lines. I still have some play in the steering. It is allot better then it was before. Is this normal to have some play? Or do I need to bleed out more fluid? It is a seaster sytem on a 225 Fict.. I bled out 3 bottles already? HELP
I guess the question is how much play? Most that I have worked on have very very little...
Before I replaced the seals I could use one finger to move the engine side to side easily. Now it moves about an inch either way using two hands on the engine. It is allot less but still concerns me.
I was thinking there was a way to take the slack up back there... but I could be wrong...
Any more than about 1/8 of an inch is too much, bleed the steering again.
You should also look at the jam nut on the starboard side of the steering tube (from behind the motor), if it is loose it will cause some play in the steering.
should take a quart for initial fill then about a pint to bleed off if that. Follow the procedures in the manual.
Two quarts to fill a dry system.
One to fill it and one to bleed it.
I looked at every part attached to this unit and cant find anything called a jam nut? I have the parts list and cant seem to find it. Is it also called something elase?
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blazed »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I looked at every part attached to this unit and cant find anything called a jam nut? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Look at the round black item (round nut) screwed on to the stb. side of the tilt-tube. Old versions have a knurled surface and a small set screw as a locking device.
Newer steering cylinders had a smooth round nut with a large allen head screw used as a pinch bolt.
That nut is used to take up any slack between the tilt tube and the cylinder holding brackets. When you grab the motor and move it back and forth, see if there is any play between the tilt tube and the brackets. If there is, loosen the allen screw and rotate the nut to take up the play and then add about 1/2 turn of preload on the system. Check the spacers and washer locations with the parts book to make sure everything is assembled correctly.
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A Technical troubleshooter possessing more tools than talent !
That is all good. The play is on the piston rod. The cylinder moves about a half inch to either side. It was moving about an inch until I bled more out of the system. I now have used 4 bottles of fluid. 2 for each side. Maybe I just need to bleed some more?
Silly question here, but why not get a small tube to go over the bleeder, then run it back into a bottle and reuse it?
It needs to be filtered thru a screen. I rather spend 16$ then go thru the hassle.
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