330 Hard Steering

[Spyder]

Hello,


Im bringing up this issue from last year as I know a little bit more about my 330 SD. When I bought the boat I was going from a Four Winns Stern Drive with power steering.


My 330 is VERY difficult to steer. Must use 2 hands. It has about 370 hours on it. It does not have hydraulic steering. I had one guy tell me that the condition was normal (not an avid boater) normal last year.


This year, a “more experienced captain” instantly said, “What the hell is wrong with your steering?”


So here goes my question.


I was told it could be the steering cable. How difficult is it to replace?


What else could it be?
Thanks!

 

[dpmulvey]

You have a PM.

If what I sent doesn't work, Google "replacing the steering cable in a 330 sundancer" (no quotes) and you will find a ton of hints and videos.

HTH.

 

[wellswa]

Hello,


Im bringing up this issue from last year as I know a little bit more about my 330 SD. When I bought the boat I was going from a Four Winns Stern Drive with power steering.




My 330 is VERY difficult to steer. Must use 2 hands. It has about 370 hours on it. It does not have hydraulic steering. I had one guy tell me that the condition was normal (not an avid boater) normal last year.


This year, a “more experienced captain” instantly said, “What the hell is wrong with your steering?”


So here goes my question.


I was told it could be the steering cable. How difficult is it to replace?


What else could it be?
Thanks!

I have a 97' 330 with no power steering as well. Do you have the boat properly trimmed after it is on plane? That will make a big difference in the required steering effort. Once my boat is on plane I move the trim tabs to the full up position then adjust them for any list that is encountered afterward. Try that before you replace the cable.

 

[Creekwood]

If it is not stiff at the dock and at low speed, but stiff at planing speeds, its completely normal (and your experienced buddy is not so experienced). There is a lot of pressure on the rudders to overcome when running on plane and turning sharp. That is why hydraulic steering is so nice on a planing boat with inboards. Probably should not have been an option by Sea Ray IMO.

If it is stiff at the dock, you may have to lube or replace the cable or check bushings etc.

Mine is also not hydraulic. I am used to it now, but it was unnerving when I first bought the boat. I have looked at upgrading and I think it would be an easy installation, but I am not willing to pay new pricing for the parts to do it. I expect if I shopped around I could find a used system, but I have not bothered.

 

[Alegria]

+1 to what Creekwood said. I do not have power steering on my boat either and sharp turns on plane are a two handed operation. I wonder what a difference power steering G is like on our boats.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[Spyder]

If it is not stiff at the dock and at low speed, but stiff at planing speeds, its completely normal (and your experienced buddy is not so experienced). There is a lot of pressure on the rudders to overcome when running on plane and turning sharp. That is why hydraulic steering is so nice on a planing boat with inboards. Probably should not have been an option by Sea Ray IMO.

If it is stiff at the dock, you may have to lube or replace the cable or check bushings etc.

Mine is also not hydraulic. I am used to it now, but it was unnerving when I first bought the boat. I have looked at upgrading and I think it would be an easy installation, but I am not willing to pay new pricing for the parts to do it. I expect if I shopped around I could find a used system, but I have not bothered.

Thanks so far too all of you...it's just as stiff at the dock as it is under way.

 

[munko]

My steering was stiff when I first purchased boat.
I followed the recommended maintenance and lubed the cable at the rudder tie bar.
it has been 100% better.

 

[Spyder]

What product did you use? Did you turn rudders far port or starboard before lube?

 

[dpmulvey]

+1 to what Creekwood said. I do not have power steering on my boat either and sharp turns on plane are a two handed operation. I wonder what a difference power steering G is like on our boats.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Astronomical!!! I know a fellow that had it. I thought something was wrong with my boat when I compared the two. It was like driving a Caddy.

 

[Spyder]

My steering was stiff when I first purchased boat.
I followed the recommended maintenance and lubed the cable at the rudder tie bar.
it has been 100% better.

What product did you use? Did you turn rudders far port or starboard before lube?

 

[munko]

Sorry for late reply.
To lube steering cable, Per the operating manual I used Quicksilver 2-4C multilube on the exposed end [don't remember but I think I turned rudder all the way to port].
I also lubed all pivots points with SAE30W.
Regards

 

[Mike Blake]

My steering was stiff when I first purchased boat.
I followed the recommended maintenance and lubed the cable at the rudder tie bar.
it has been 100% better.

That happened to me. Lube the hell out of it and have someone at the wheel turning it lock to lock while you put the lube to it.

 

[Rizzman]

Hi All,
I know this is an old thread and forgive me if this has been answered again and again but We purchased a '96 330 DA with cable steering late last fall and so after the sea trial into storage it went for the winter. Now that we have it out it seems impossible to steer even at low speeds or just sitting engines off at the dock? It takes two hands to turn the wheel boat off (no power steering, manual). I haven't had a chance to really look at it yet and going to start with the easiest first, lube the slide on the cable end first. After that if no improvement then disconnect the steering cable and see if wheel/cable move freely or are stiff with rudders disconnected? I've been told that the tunnel drives steering is hard under power but mine is hard to turn just sitting still.
Thanks in advance!

 

[FINAL DRAW]

We thought the cable was bad on our ‘91 310.
When disconnected at rudders it was smooth as silk. Lubricated rudder posts at packing with a waterproof spray lubricant. Made a great difference. In normal operation seldom turn wheel more than 1/2 turn.

 

[Rizzman]

Thanks FD! I won't be back on the boat till next weekend and have a week of vacation so will have all week to straighten it out. Pulled out my WD40 Silicone spray and will first grease the cable slide and spray the rudders to see if that is all that is needed. If it still takes two hands to move it, I will disconnect the cable and find out if it is the cable or rudders.

 

[Rizzman]

Took off work today and went to the boat with the intention of pulling the cable out if needed but first disconnected the cable at the tie bar and the cable moved fairly easy but did drag. Cleaned the slide with WD40 Silicone then greased with quick silver lube. Reconnected and now turning the wheel with one hand at the dock. So glad I didn't have to pull that cable out!!