Steering ram leak

310sundancer

310sundancer

Active Member
Feb 28, 2012
151
Lake St Clair MI Mac Ray harbor
Boat Info
2003 420DA
6CTA
Engines
6CTA
Steering ram leak
My steering ram “ hydraulic cylinder“ Has a small leak on one end.
My question is are these Rebuildable ?
Thanks
Steve
B4D88A6C-873C-41B4-A8DF-7C73E89F7BBC.jpeg
 
I had a leak on my 420 steering ram. My investigation showed that a new ram was $900 and a straightforward (easy) swap out; whereas a rebuild kit was cheap, but I still had to remove and replace the ram, and I ran the risk of nicking the "silver rod" when removing and replacing the seals. In the end, I purchased a new ram.

Jaybeaux
 
I also replaced just do to being such a old part.
 
The other factor to consider is that the cylinder rod will eventually corrode from just being in a wet environment. You may rebuild the ram only to have it leak again in a few months when the corroded spots on the rod eventually cut the new seals.
 
Doesn't SeaStar have a rebuild service? You have to send it to them, but I think it comes back pretty much like a new one.
 
Send it to Boat Steering Solutions. They purchased Sea Star. They are in Venice Florida. I tried the rebuild option, and it failed. Dropped the cylinder off at Boat Steering Solutions, and had it back in just a couple of days. Works perfectly.

Ken
 
Thanks for all your replies, so we’re down to three options to rebuild it myself, send it out for $535 plus shipping both ways and downtime, or just spend the Boat buck with very little worries.
Option two is out, by the time you spend $535 plus expedited shipping you are 2/3 the way through a brand new unit.
Option one, Frank has a good point but this has been a freshwater boat all its life, so corrosion I’m not too concerned about. And it’s not the first hydraulic actuator I’ve ever rebuilt, and it’s only 1000 psi most of the ones I’ve done on 3000 psi.
Option three, this is my fall back, if upon inspection any damage to the shaft or the cylinder would definitely require spending the Boat buck ! Plus it would be an easy swap
And a possible fourth option, swapping a new one, rebuild the old one, Pressure test it and sell it.
Your thoughts?
Steve
 
Option 1. Just be sure to keep everything lint free and it's no big deal.
 
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