hydraulic steering
 

My volvo 5.7/duoprop power has a power steering actuator that is crap. Its going bad, third time in 9 years, the part is over $650. I'm done and am getting hydraulic steering, Sea Star most likely, and will get rid of the actuator. The problem is what to do with the old power steering pump. Something has to be there because that is how the belt gets tightened and I have to have that belt. Volvo says I can just connect the hi and low pressure hoses and let the pump free flow. I'm suspicious it will get too hot or have other issues(I've had two power steering pumps fail) and would rather get a tensioning pully in place of the pump.

Has anybody switched from power steering to non power assist hydraulic steering? How well does that work?

Anybody know how I can rig a tensioning pully on this engine or who might be able to help me do it?

Any comment on free flowing the hydraulic pump?

Thanks to all

I would not free flow the pump - lots of opportunities for a problem there.
Summit has lots of options.
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...rib-serpentine

I have worked on a hand full of DPS volvo twin engine gas boats. There is one steering cylinder hooked up to one engine. They use a tie bar and the other engine has the steering lines coupled together. Keep in mind that there is still a power steering cooler on the engine thats not doing anything, so its getting cooled. I doent c a problem with it, but i get what your talking about...pluss its another place thats going to leak oil at some point.

Hello Connor, in the process of refurbing my 79 MA, I was convinced to convert from my 1999 SeaStar helm to the new tilt style. Very expensive but found one on fleabay under $500. Not sure this was necessary, but I now have a spare SeaStar horizontal/vertical helm pump with 160 hours of use/daylight. It’s in perfect condition, even has a 15” Stainless Destroyer wheel on it from same vintage. No knob or finger grooves. Let me know if this saves you some change and if I have to I’ll try to pull a model number for you. It may help us both out because my project is WAY over budget!?! Haha

Michael.

Thanks to all. I figured out how to get rid of the pump, but will do that later. Hooking the hi and low sides of the pump together, after the cooler, seems to be ok.

Vezo, I'd love the wheel and would like to know what model number on the help pump. I'll private message you on details, thanks!

If you could fabricate a mount for another alternator it would be a plus to have to insure redundancy.

Interesting idea, thought about it. I like redundancy and carry a spare alternator. Looked at the existing mount. its pretty strong, not worried about mount failure, but thanks for the idea.

I'm planning to have a pully assembly welded on to the existing power steering pump mount, so that I can use the existing mount to tension the belt(as it is now) and get rid of the pump

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Veso, check your pms