There are a lot of benefits to having a hydraulic steering system.  Hydraulic systems are often incredibly durable and require little maintenance or repairs.  However, hydraulic steering is not completely immune to problems.  If your steering becomes loose, has a lot of play or becomes less responsive, you may need to do some boat steering troubleshooting and see whether there are any issues to resolve. 

In this article, we will cover some of the most common problems that occur with hydraulic steering systems on boats and advise you on how to properly address these problems.  We will also look at standard marine hydraulic steering service and maintenance you shoudl perofrm to reduce the chances of problems cropping up.  By following this boat hydraulic steering troubleshooting checklist, you can discover potential trouble before it spirals into even more expensive, time-consuming repairs.

The Turn Test

The first and simplest way to identify if there might be a problem with your hydraulic steering is with a turn test.  Just turn your steering wheel all the way to one side, then turn it all the way to the other side.  As you turn the wheel, observe whether the engine or drive is responding.  If the engine or drive lags in response to your movement, then there is potentially an issue in your system that must be fixed.  If you have multiple boat helms, make sure to check each steering wheel on the boat, including the autopilot.

Check Your Hydraulic Fluid

Most of the problems that occur with hydraulic steering arise from issues with the hydraulic fluid. These include leaks, low fluid, dirty fluid or a combination of all three.  If your steering is not performing as expected - such as too much play in the steering or not being as responsive as it used to be - checking your steering fluid is a good place to start. 

The hydraulic steering fluid can be checked at the boat helm pump.  If you have multiple helms, there will be a pump at each helm, and you should inspect the highest helm pump first.  Usually, a helm pump has a removable bolt or screw at the top.  Once you remove this screw, you can check the fluid level - the reservoir shoudl have a line indicating the minimum fluid level.  If the fluid is low, you may have a leak somewhere.  You should identify the source of the leak before you refill the hydraulic fluid.

Finding Hydraulic Fluid Leaks

Leaks are the most common problem found in hydraulic steering systems. A leak can happen in several places, so it is important for you to familiarize yourself with the layout of the steering system to know where to look.  Usually, leaks happen wherever hoses connect to various components or fittings within the system - if the hose cracks or the connection comes loose, fluid will lead. This means you should check where hoses connect to each helm as well as connections to the steering cylinders near the engine. 

Steering cylinders themselves can also leak due to failed gaskets or cracks, so check each one closely.  Furthermore, the helm pump itself can leak, so you should look all around each helm pump to see if there are any leaks .  Cylinders and pumps can sometimes be repaired, but you may want to consult an experienced and certified marine mechanic for assistance.  Larger vessels may also have a reservoir tank in the steering system, so be sure to check hose connections to the tank as well.

Filling the Hydraulic Fluid

Once any leaks or repairs have been performed, you will need to fill the hydraulic fluid of each helm pump.  To fill the fluid properly, you should go slow.  Add a small amount of fluid, and then turn the steering wheel from lock to lock several times.  Repeat the process until the hydraulic fluid is full.  Take your time and add the fluid in stages.  This is done to properly bleed the fluid throughout the whole steering system.  Also, keep a rag handy to clean up any messes that may occur.  If you have a larger vessel with a reservoir tank in your steering system, you will need to check and fill the hydraulic fluid in the tank.

Bleeding the Hydraulic Lines

If there are no leaks in your system and the hydraulic fluid is properly filled, but you still experience some unresponsiveness in the steering, you may have air in your hydraulic lines. To remedy this, you need to bleed the hydraulic system.  While the average person can bleed a hydraulic system themselves, the process requires some specialized tools and a lot of patience.  If you suspect your hydraulic system has air in the lines and needs to be bled, we highly recommend you contact an experienced and certified marine mechanic to handle the job.

Contaminated Fluid

The worst possible scenario for a hydraulic steering system is that the hydraulic fluid contains dirt or other contaminants.  If it does, this can damage the components of the hydraulic system.  If you observe the steering system components have failed, dirty fluid could be the cause.  Contaminated fluid may also be a sign that other steering system components are already damaged, causing debris to get into the fluid.  You'll need to bleed the lines and possibly replace the fluid altogether, in addition to replacing any damaged components.  Again, this is a process you may find best handled by an experienced and certified marine mechanic.

Don't Forget Regular Maintenance

The surest way to avoid any of the issues listed above is by performing regular maintenance on your hydraulic steering system. You should perform a system check at least once a year, usually in the spring.  If you put a lot of hours on your boat, you may want to conduct this checkup more frequently.  You'll need the proper wrenches as well as a torque wrench to tighten all fittings to the correct specifications. You will also need a good quality marine grease and plenty of rags.

First, clean out the steering/tilt tube where the steering cylinder connects to the engine.  Remove the support rod from the steering tube, and thoroughly clean out the steering tube using some rags.  Make sure to get all the old grease out of the tube. Old grease can harden and make the cylinder not move as well, and the old grease can contaminate the new grease.  

Next, grease the support rod liberally, and connect it back to the steering tube. Also, grease the tilt tube and all the support bracket holes. You can lightly grease the threads before you replace the washers and tighten up the nuts to prevent seizing.  Make sure you do not remove the tiller bolt to grease the cylinder.  This bolt should not be removed unless you're specifically working on the tiller.

From there, check the tightness of all the fittings throughout the steering system, including those that might be hard to access behind the helm pumps.

At the helm, remove the steering wheel and grease the steering wheel shaft, then re-install the steering wheel.

Lastly, inspect the hydraulic fluid for cleanliness and proper levels. As mentioned above, contact a marine mechanic for assistance if the fluid is dirty and needs to be replaced.

As always, taking the time for proper maintenance on the systems of your boat can avoid many harmful problems later.  We carry many products for boat maintenance and repair, including steering fluid, fittings, replacement hoses and helm seal kits.  If you have any questions about troubleshooting your boat hydraulic steering system , feel free to contact the ABYC-certified experts at Marine Parts Source by calling us toll free at 866-388-0390 or emailing support@marinepartssource.com.