Full hydraulic steering

[02HoWaRd26]

So my boat has cable from helm to transom, then the Brazilian valve and single ram hydraulic asssit.
Been thinking i really want to do full power steering but being I’ve never been around a conversion curious if it’s something i can do myself or need a shop to do.
Also is this something i can buy all the parts piece by piece or should but all at once, as it’s aleays easier even if a lil extra in the end to buy slowly.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Pic of my ass for reference

 

[Nates270]

check www.cpperformance.com

they have kits that will have exactly what you need. hardest part looks to be assembling the hoses.

 

[Cdog]

View attachment 611867 Pic of my ass for reference

I’m curious what it looks like at the inside of the transom? Where it goes from cable to the lever. Do the hyd hoses just route to the in/out lines on the ram? On my Howard there is little to no room. I’d like to do a external ram but not sure if space allows without going hyd to the helm to free up space under there. Shit is expensive!

 

[Nates270]

This is how mine looked, yours should be similar. The two threaded holes on the steering actuator are for the power steering and return lines

 

[Cdog]

This is how mine looked, yours should be similar. The two threaded holes on the steering actuator are for the power steering and return lines View attachment 677935

Thx! That’s really helpful seeing how it plumbs in & out of the Brazil valve. I’ll have to check if my current set up has provisions for fittings.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Thx! That’s really helpful seeing how it plumbs in & out of the Brazil valve. I’ll have to check if my current set up has provisions for fittings.

I do not have pics with the cable ram on, never took any but my hoses from the Brazilian valve to the transom fittings was only maybe 8” long and my transom fittings were directly below the valve. Right where Nate’s exhaust is. (yellow color blob)

However now that I’m done with the conversion of going helm back hydraulic i wish i did it sooner. And best yet still just running single ram.

 

[Lakeshark3392]

I do not have pics with the cable ram on, never took any but my hoses from the Brazilian valve to the transom fittings was only maybe 8” long and my transom fittings were directly below the valve. Right where Nate’s exhaust is. (yellow color blob)
View attachment 677981

However now that I’m done with the conversion of going helm back hydraulic i wish i did it sooner. And best yet still just running single ram.

How are you liking the single ram full hydraulic set up? Currently debating on if I should get a system prepped for dual ram or just commit to keeping single ram

 

[02HoWaRd26]

How are you liking the single ram full hydraulic set up? Currently debating on if I should get a system prepped for dual ram or just commit to keeping single ram

Ron at IMCO told me not to waste my money on dual ram when i already had the single. He said it’s about half cosmetic and half well if you have a catastrophic failure at high speed it’ll hold a single drive on, it can still buck left or right but it’ll hold the physical drive up after failure.

I have one buddy who talks all kinda of shit as it’s not centric but in all reality just as Ron said i know no difference while driving, well from single to dual! And from cable to full hydraulic well yea that’s still the best single upgrade I’ve done to the boat. Think all said and done i spent 10 hours to pull interior install then reinstall interior, and 2100$ and went across the basin at Mohave at 50mph in autopilot.