Re-fitting BayStar Steering Hoses - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Repairs/Mods
  Re-fitting BayStar Steering Hoses

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Re-fitting BayStar Steering Hoses

pcrussell50 posted 08-12-2015 06:59 PM ET (US)
June 2014 was [the end of useful service life] for the c.2000-model BayStar steering on my commercial Boston Whaler ALERT hull with a Mercury-branded Yamaha 90-HP four-cycle engine. I bought a new replacement engine tilt tube, in stainless steel this time, and a new Baystar cylinder, which has a new design for the [actuator] that slides through the tilt tube. They no longer make my 15-year-old Baystar cylinder, so the one I ordered is the new design.
Will my old Baystar hydraulic hoses thread onto the new cylinder's fittings? I ordered the cylinder with the "H" at the end, which according to a Baystar is for people replacing the old style cylinder. So here's hoping. Anyone know for sure?
[UPDATE:] I think I'm answering my own question here: the newer style Baystar cylinders are NOT compatible with the hoses from the pre-2005 Baystar system, and if your pre-2005 cylinder needs replacing you will need to consider this. But the fix is easy. You simply save the fittings from the old cylinder where the hoses attach, and put replace them on to the new cylinder. That's it, as far as I can tell.
-Peter
Don SSDD posted 08-16-2015 08:09 AM ET (US)
Not too familiar with this on hydraulic steering, but my old 1998 Mercury 90 had no grease nipple on the port side of the cable steering. There is an aftermarket fitting available to add that nipple. Is this something that was lacking on your old system and is it needed or available for your new sytem? The old Mercury only had one nipple in the middle, if I remember correctly, and relied on the movement of the arm in the cylinder to pull the grease toward the port side, and it didn't do a very good job of that.
Don
jimh posted 08-16-2015 09:49 AM ET (US)
PETER--thanks for the information on the re-fitting of the hydraulic steering hoses. It sounds like the actuator cylinder has the same threads in both old and new designs. By using the old fittings on the new actuator you could continue to use your existing hoses.
pcrussell50 posted 08-18-2015 01:07 AM ET (US)
Exactly right, Jim. I stumbled upon that fact while doing some frantic googling, and yesterday, I verified it as fact because I performed the swap myself. Easy peasy. The old hoses definitely do NOT fit the new fittings.
In related news, Teleflex literature says that the new Baystar fittings are compatible with Seastar hoses.
Don, shame on me, but I don't remember if my 2000 Mercury 90hp FourStroke has two or one grease fitting. Either way, the lesson I have learned is not to trust that alone in a salt water boat. I will run a 12 gauge shotgun bore brush through the tilt tube with some solvent, every year or two, and then re-grease with FRESH grease.
-Peter

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Re-fitting BayStar Steering Hoses
pcrussell50	posted 08-12-2015 06:59 PM ET (US) June 2014 was [the end of useful service life] for the c.2000-model BayStar steering on my commercial Boston Whaler ALERT hull with a Mercury-branded Yamaha 90-HP four-cycle engine. I bought a new replacement engine tilt tube, in stainless steel this time, and a new Baystar cylinder, which has a new design for the [actuator] that slides through the tilt tube. They no longer make my 15-year-old Baystar cylinder, so the one I ordered is the new design. Will my old Baystar hydraulic hoses thread onto the new cylinder's fittings? I ordered the cylinder with the "H" at the end, which according to a Baystar is for people replacing the old style cylinder. So here's hoping. Anyone know for sure? [UPDATE:] I think I'm answering my own question here: the newer style Baystar cylinders are NOT compatible with the hoses from the pre-2005 Baystar system, and if your pre-2005 cylinder needs replacing you will need to consider this. But the fix is easy. You simply save the fittings from the old cylinder where the hoses attach, and put replace them on to the new cylinder. That's it, as far as I can tell. -Peter
Don SSDD	posted 08-16-2015 08:09 AM ET (US) Not too familiar with this on hydraulic steering, but my old 1998 Mercury 90 had no grease nipple on the port side of the cable steering. There is an aftermarket fitting available to add that nipple. Is this something that was lacking on your old system and is it needed or available for your new sytem? The old Mercury only had one nipple in the middle, if I remember correctly, and relied on the movement of the arm in the cylinder to pull the grease toward the port side, and it didn't do a very good job of that. Don
jimh	posted 08-16-2015 09:49 AM ET (US) PETER--thanks for the information on the re-fitting of the hydraulic steering hoses. It sounds like the actuator cylinder has the same threads in both old and new designs. By using the old fittings on the new actuator you could continue to use your existing hoses.
pcrussell50	posted 08-18-2015 01:07 AM ET (US) Exactly right, Jim. I stumbled upon that fact while doing some frantic googling, and yesterday, I verified it as fact because I performed the swap myself. Easy peasy. The old hoses definitely do NOT fit the new fittings. In related news, Teleflex literature says that the new Baystar fittings are compatible with Seastar hoses. Don, shame on me, but I don't remember if my 2000 Mercury 90hp FourStroke has two or one grease fitting. Either way, the lesson I have learned is not to trust that alone in a salt water boat. I will run a 12 gauge shotgun bore brush through the tilt tube with some solvent, every year or two, and then re-grease with FRESH grease. -Peter