Hydraulic steering

[Mbryant]

In need of advice:

Took the RIB out today and noticed a little leak of hydraulic fluid during my travels. As I was returning to Portsmouth harbour the steering was getting worse and worse until i could do almost a full wheel rotation with no engine movement.

So my question is:

Is the steering going to need to be bleed, if so can anyone advice someone who can do it in the Portsmouth area.

Thanks in advance!!

[Pete7]

You could try just topping it off and see if that solves the steeing problem, however you will still have a leak which won't cure itself. If not just bleed the system, just like bleeding brakes on a car.

Pete

[Biggles]

Where was the leak ?

I now have my first boat with hydraulic steering and have noticed that when I went to check it during the summer that as soon as I opened the cap it just poured out everywhere.
Once the cold weather got here it I was able to top it up a little.
Not as bad as your problem but it seems temperature plays as much a part with hydraulic fluid as air in your tubes with regards expansion.

[Mbryant]

Cheers Pete7 will give that a go and hope for the best!

In reply to Biggles comment its coming from the cap just behind the steering wheel. But it seems odd to start leaking as the 'summer' finishes.

[Biggles]

So is it empty now ? Or is it just a spillage ?

I get the feeling that once you've got a little seepage from the cap. Unless you really clean it off it will keep weeping.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Mbryant

In need of advice:

Took the RIB out today and noticed a little leak of hydraulic fluid during my travels. As I was returning to Portsmouth harbour the steering was getting worse and worse until i could do almost a full wheel rotation with no engine movement.

So my question is:

Is the steering going to need to be bleed, if so can anyone advice someone who can do it in the Portsmouth area.

Thanks in advance!!

That's a leak. Air in the lines will cause sluggish, jerky, or sloppy steering; no fluid causes no steering.

Of course, it goes without saying that with the level down, you've pumped air into the lines, so it *will* have to be bled, but only after you've repaired the leak, and refilled the fluid reservoir (I suppose you could get by with just topping it up every so often so as not to let the level drop far enough to suck air, but that's not really a "solution"...)

FWIW, I've found that the hose connections on mine are prone to leaking if they're not cranked down *very* tight.


jky

[Mbryant]

'So is it empty now ? Or is it just a spillage ?'

It seemed to just be a spillage but after trying to recover it from the marina on sunday it began to seriously pour out from the seal between the steering and where it is attached to the console so i guess it wasn't coming from the cap i thought in the first place.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Mbryant

'So is it empty now ? Or is it just a spillage ?'

It seemed to just be a spillage but after trying to recover it from the marina on sunday it began to seriously pour out from the seal between the steering and where it is attached to the console so i guess it wasn't coming from the cap i thought in the first place.

Either get a seal kit from Hypro marine if you're competent or take it off and send it away for new seals!

[Poly]

One way or another get it fixed though: http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/...och_lomond.cfm