Power Steering & Hydraulic Steering

[Chris Murray]

Please can someone explain the difference between hydraulic steering and power steering.

It is possible to have hydraulic steering in isolation or hydraulic steering that is "beefed up" by the addition of an engine driven unit, becoming power steering?

I am a bit confused by this

Thanks for any light that you can shed on the subject!

Chris.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Chris Murray

...It is possible to have hydraulic steering in isolation or hydraulic steering that is "beefed up" by the addition of an engine driven unit, becoming power steering?

Yes.

[pressman]

Originally Posted by Chris Murray

Please can someone explain the difference between hydraulic steering and power steering.

It is possible to have hydraulic steering in isolation or hydraulic steering that is "beefed up" by the addition of an engine driven unit, becoming power steering?

I am a bit confused by this

Thanks for any light that you can shed on the subject!

Chris.

Power assisted steering is hydraulic, asssisted by an engine driven pump.

You can have normal cable steering assisted by hydraulics or, hydraulic steering assisted by by power steering.

Mercruiser, volvo are mainly supplied with cable steering assisted by power steering but, you can fit hydraulic steering systems in place of the cable system.

[codprawn]

Hydraulic steering is manually operated - think of a car jack - hydraulic but operated by hand. Power assisted steering uses an engine driven pump to provide the oomph!!!

[Matt]

Well, to assist with the oomph, as the name suggests.

[Chris Murray]

Thanks Guys,

Now I understand.

Regards,

Chris.

[Cookee]

Mercury Verado outboards have an electrically driven hydraulic power steering system as standard included in the price of the engine.

[BogMonster]

Is hydraulic steering a big improvement on mechanical steering? There is a bit of slack in my steering system, not enough, but being a perfectionist it is annoying me! so I was wondering whether to tinker with it to try and improve the slack (which I think is at the console end rather than the engine end) or look at something else.

[Matt]

Hydraulic steering isn't perfect either - it just has different quirks.

[codprawn]

And can be lethal if not properly maintained!!!

Poor bloke and his daughter died in a Scottish Loch as a result of a leaky system - they were thrown out into freezing waters.

[BogMonster]

I suppose there is also the thought that if mechanical steering fails at sea there is a chance you could fix it with a bit of wire and a hammer, whereas if the hydraulic fluid has just been pumped over the stern you are pretty much up a certain creek without a certain instrument!