Allison/Seastar cylinder

[Forkin' Crazy]

What is really the difference in a regular Seastar and the Allison/Seastar I keep hearing about?

I just installed a Seastar Pro sysytem in my SS and love it..... It's hard to imagine that there would be that much of an improvement.

 

[Butch Leslie]

The Allison one is more heavy duty and gets out all of the steering slack. I don't have the Allison one and I run 100 plus with a XB2002/280 and I have no problems with it. It was cheaper also.

Butch Leslie

 

[Dark Allison]

I've installed both. The Allison one has less play and is more sturdy.

 

[David P]

Allison cylinder

The Allison cylinder has key ways on each end of the rod to eliminate
slack. I also heard something about a higher pressure valve. not sure.
I paid the same thing for the allison cylinder HC6345, as the other
HC-5345. I can't comment on the difference since I haven't used both.

 

[Forkin' Crazy]

Thanks guys.

I can move my motor a bit, but I think the "slack" is in the helm and not in the cylinder. I think the helm is nothing more then a vain pump (but I've yet to take it appart...lol), the the "slack" is in the vains unloading and then loading again(you cannot compress a liquid).


Anyone got any pics?

 

[badbait]

When you bleed the system you should be able to take the slack out of the helm. Take it to full lock and have your partner close the bleeder at that point on each side. I dont have any helm slack...

 

[Forkin' Crazy]

I did that. You can turn the helm back and forth and hear it click, I am assuming that is the vains in the pump...

BTW I ran or shall I say "pumped" a bunch of flulid through it while I bled the system. I also have the same set up on my XB and it does the same thing. I am an accomplished mechanic and am very familiar with hydraulics, so I am certain I did get all the air out.

So, it is only the cylinder made for Allison and not the helm, right?

 

[Forkin' Crazy]

Oh yea, I am not doubting what you guys are saying, and mean no disrespect, just trying to understand how the new cylinder takes out slack... I have repacked several hydraulic cylinders... all were the same internally, except for the size.

 

[jimmyb]

in any hydraulic helm there is some "slack"... it is just as forkin described, some slight side to side motion of the wheel before the helm reverses the "pumping". I drove myself nuts with this for a few days thinking that there was something wrong with my helm... after i crawled into 1/2 dozen boats with seastars, and feeling the same thing on all of them, i figured it was normal! FWIW, you never feel the slack on the water when there is some torque on the motor from the prop.

the slack that the allison cylinder helps elminate is the wiggle that occurs at the motor. Try pushing hard on the cavitation plate of the motor and you should be able to wiggle it a bit (side to side) and see the steering cylinder move back and forth. The allison ram is supposed to have less side to side motion than the standard sea star pro cylinder

 

[1badss]

FC, my STV had a little slack in the helm and so does my Allison. Not to worry if it doesn't interfere with driving and mine doesnt.