2120 Hydrolic Steering

I experienced unresponsive steering last spring after my boat had sat for 3 months. After my Tech bled my lines and told me about the valve sticking in the helm, I though that I might have gotten lucky and the fix would work. As my luck is never that good, my steering seems to be acting up the last couple of trips out. My tracking has been off and in crossing seas I've felt like I was really having to constantly steer/over steer to maintain headings. My helm is still clicking occasionally as it has done since purchasing the boat 3 years ago. The final straw was last weekend at the docks when I noticed my engine falling off to the side repeatedly with it trimmed all up out of the water. I knew it was time to make a call to my Tech to confirm my suspicions of the need for a helm unit. As luck would have it, it's worse, he has told me that the seal in the ram at the motor is likely leaking and it can't be rebuilt. As I already know the helm is also in bad shape, it looks like a steering overhaul is going to happen. My Tech, who I trust, is recommending replacing everything with a Uflex system. According to him, it's much better than Seastar as the ram is solid stainless vs chrome coated steel etc.. And that is what he replaces all of his customers units with. The kit is around $850 plus the instal. Very exciting. As I mentioned, my Tech is excellent but I thought I'd toss out for recommendations to my CP crew on all of this. I know Wart has posted something on the steering system but I can't find it. Thanks guys!

I had a u flex system on my maritime skiff it was sweet i did have a problem with the helm right out of the box it was clicking stuck check valve i believe. but i talked to the marina i bought it from and the got me a new one right away. The cylinder and helm are much beefier than the sea star bay star system. My dad has the bay star on his carolina and i dont care for it as much as the uflex the baystar seems to be much tighter. Mine was the one that was up to 150hp and i paid a little under 500 for the whole kit. When i upgradw the motor a u flex will be going on as well. I would recomend it.

camron":ni7ca6xb said:

I had a u flex system on my maritime skiff it was sweet i did have a problem with the helm right out of the box it was clicking stuck check valve i believe. but i talked to the marina i bought it from and the got me a new one right away. The cylinder and helm are much beefier than the sea star bay star system. My dad has the bay star on his carolina and i dont care for it as much as the uflex the baystar seems to be much tighter. Mine was the one that was up to 150hp and i paid a little under 500 for the whole kit. When i upgradw the motor a u flex will be going on as well. I would recomend it.

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Thanks for the feedback Camron. I've been doing some research tonight and have now read many good things about the Uflex. I'm definately going that route.

I've also found the info Warthog has on his. Now I'm trying to decide if I should go with their standard Protech 2 that's good for up to 300hp or go for the High Performance Silversteer 2.0 for Hp 300+ and has a few more features? Hopefully Wart will read this as I would like to re-use my existing hydrolic lines but I read in the instal for the Silversteer that it recommended using their Kevlar reinforced hose kit. If that is really necessary then I'll probably just go with the Protech?

My Tech, who I trust, is recommending replacing everything with a Uflex system.

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I've been saying that for a while now.

All my stuff is Uflex.......tired of Seastar leakage.

But I stepped up to the high performance Uflex stuff.... Not the run of the mill.

yes, UFLEX seems to be the industry new product leader in hydraulic steering. I know International Marine here local in Florida is strictly using this system when rigging new Suzuki power. It's what I will be going to when the repair/ replacement is necessary.

New hoses are 1500 psi rating and expect yours are 1000 psi. Your call on replacement

warthog5":2j5l7tsx said:

My Tech, who I trust, is recommending replacing everything with a Uflex system.

Click to expand...

I've been saying that for a while now.

All my stuff is Uflex.......tired of Seastar leakage.

But I stepped up to the high performance Uflex stuff.... Not the run of the mill.

Click to expand...

Wart - I saw on your project post that you used the high performance version (Silversteer). I also thought you wrote that you kept the original hoses from the lower helm? Do you think I can get away with my original hoses even though the new pump will be at 1500 psi?

Brent":3bktu09f said:

New hoses are 1500 psi rating and expect yours are 1000 psi. Your call on replacement

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Thanks Brent. That's my concern too. I don't really know my current hose rating but like you I wonder if they are just 1000 as that is all the Seastar pump needed? I think Wart mentioned he didn't replace his so I'm hoping that he can shed some light on this as well?

shawnee83":usuagrj7 said:

warthog5":usuagrj7 said:

My Tech, who I trust, is recommending replacing everything with a Uflex system.

Click to expand...

I've been saying that for a while now.

All my stuff is Uflex.......tired of Seastar leakage.

But I stepped up to the high performance Uflex stuff.... Not the run of the mill.

Click to expand...

Wart - I saw on your project post that you used the high performance version (Silversteer). I also thought you wrote that you kept the original hoses from the lower helm? Do you think I can get away with my original hoses even though the new pump will be at 1500 psi?

Click to expand...

Yes....Those hoses rated at 1000PSI are the ONLY thing on the boat left that are Seastar.....The hoses going from Lower to Upper helm are the 1500 UFlex.

Thanks everyone for your input. I've decided to go with the Uflex Silversteer SVS-28 Package. I will go ahead and replace the hoses also with the correct Uflex 1500 psi type Kevlar reinforced hose. I hope that I will notice a good improvement in my steering for the extra effort and dollars involved in installing a top quality system. I hope to get back to Beaufort next weekend and drop my boat off for the repair. Mid/late September thru December brings some good fishing in the SOBX and I want to be ready to go. I'll definately post some after pics of the install along with hopefully positive results. Good luck to our northeast CP crew with this storm.
http://uflexusa.ultraflexgroup.com/easy ... hedaid=922

Picked up boat tonight from shop after getting the new Uflex hydrolic steering installed. Looks good, steers good and feels good knowing the whole system is new including the lines. Crappy pics to go with the crappy rainy weather.

Good work

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Thanks Brent and thanks for your input.

Nice feature the fill port is easy to access

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My Seastar fill was in the same place. I do feel that the Uflex pump seems a tad bigger as in I think it sticks out a little more from the helm.