Stiff steering on plane

A

airdvr1227

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Joined
May 29, 2014
RO Number
33641
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New to me 1989 carver 3067 Santego. Twin 5.7L Alphas. OEM steering has been replaced with a SeaStar unit. Steering is fine at low speed but on plane it's extremely stiff. I checked the oil level at the helm and it was a little low so I filled it but no change.
 
Why did you change the OEM steering out, and did it steer easier with the OEM?

If it steered easier before, I wonder if the SeaStar was installed with less leverage on the tiller arm than you had before. Could the SeaStar that was installed been too small for the application? Maybe this page can help http://www.seastarsolutions.com/products/hydraulic-new/

Are your rudder posts binding in the bearings? If they aren't free, the greater the speed the greater the pressure and the more you'll feel the binding.

There's also the concept of Balanced Rudder. A balanced rudder's pivot axis is aft of the leading edge. Water flow against that leading edge helps overcome the resistance on the portion aft of the pivot. Unbalanced rudders will get harder to steer as speed increases since you have to overcome all the resistance from the helm.
 
jd- I believe those are I/O's. ("Alphas")

Airdvr- The drives are counter-rotating to each other , right, and everything in the drive and steering linkage greased up where it should be??
Has any excess air been purged from the Sea Star system? After centering the drive , do you have same turns to lock at port and stbd? No torque tab anodes ..with fins.. on the drives , right?

Are you confident you installed the right system for your drives and have the correct fluid and hoses are installed correctly?:
Application Guide ( check notes 1,5,6,7 for Alpha drives too):
http://www.seastarsolutions.com/products/hydraulic-new/sterndrive-steering-new/

Do you happen to have a Sea Star power steering assist pump in the system?: (notice):
http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ADVISORY-POWER-ASSIST_STICKY-SPOOL.pdf
 
Boat is new to me so this was prior. I have twin I/Os so the rudders aren't there. Thanks
 
Oh well he said alphas..

Sandy's right check compatibility
 
Thanks for the help guys. I didn't install the system and the boat is in a slip 2 hours away. I'll be up there this weekend and hope to get a better idea.
 
Is the seastar system power assisted? Sounds like it isn't hooked up at all.
 
I talked to the seller (consignment). He thought possibly the power assist pump might be low on fluid.
 
Didn't actually fire her up this weekend. Too many other things going on but it appears the power steering pump has enough fluid.
 
Which power assist pump are you talking about. The merc is cable activated to the merc power assist. Isn't the seastar hydraulic?
 
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