Steering Problem. Need Advice

[Laura Mei]

Hope maybe somebody here can help. * I am having problem with the dual station steering on my Outerbanks.* Today the lower station just spins free the upper station still works.* Have a Robertson autopilot.* Maybe a check valve maybe stuck open at lower station?* Any advice is very much appreciated. Thanks

[Sleigher1]

Hi Charlie,
Does the auto-pilot work?
Can you hear the pump clicking back and forth?
Is there any fluid leaking from the lower station? If there is than neither will work much longer.
How easily does the bottom wheel spin?
Might be that the fluid is cycling through the upper helm when you are spinning the lower helm. Does the lower helm hit its stop or does it just keep spinning and spinning in one direction?
Have someone listen at the upper station when you are spinning the wheel down below to see if they can hear the fluid gurgling through the helm.
Did it start happening all at once?
Maybe with the info from above it can be narrowed down.
Other than that, the boat looks great.
I was lamenting her sale to my wife just a couple days ago.

P

[sharkwaters]

Do you have the pressurized steering system with the reservoir in the back? Is this inboard or I/O? I have inboard and the steering ram had a small leak and I would lose pressure in the reservoir. I kept adding fluid until the seal went out and I had to take the steering ram apart and replace the "O" rings. I have two stations and it had the same symptoms you describe.

Bob

[hijole]

Charlie I have the Robertson AP1000. If the autopilot is turned off and you still have the problem it shouldn't have anything to do with the AP. I would start with lower steering station helm. The only time the steering keeps turning is if the screws are loosened at the bottom of the fluid reservoir when you bleed the system. if the system is OK using the top station, it has to be the lower helm. THe kit is about $50 and not too bad to clean and rebuild. If it stopped working all of a sudden, I wouldn't know what would break inside to cause the problem. No Help!

[Laura Mei]

Thank you all for the advice. It pointed me in the right direction ...I think. Called a guy that fixes steering because I generally suck at fixing mechanical stuff. The seals on the lower helm pump are shot and fluid leaked out so I was just spinning air around. Upper station helm pump was replaced when I re-powered the boat a few years ago, the the lower station helm pump is original. Anyway the guy is coming back Tuesday to put in the new pump and that should fix it. Tony took out the old hynautic tank stuff when he re-powered and put in all new running gear. Thanks again for the advice.
Good luck everybody. Happy Fourth.
Charley

[Wa Mei]

Thank you all for the advice. It pointed me in the right direction ...I think. Called a guy that fixes steering because I generally suck at fixing mechanical stuff. The seals on the lower helm pump are shot and fluid leaked out so I was just spinning air around. Upper station helm pump was replaced when I re-powered the boat a few years ago, the the lower station helm pump is original. Anyway the guy is coming back Tuesday to put in the new pump and that should fix it. Tony took out the old hynautic tank stuff when he re-powered and put in all new running gear. Thanks again for the advice.
Good luck everybody. Happy Fourth.
Charley

Good to hear that you'd be back up and running again Charley!