Replacement trim cylinders

rasbury

Well, I sure wish when I pulled my transom asy I would just replaced it all, I have one trim cylinders that is pushing parts out of the end of it and obviously where my water intrusion came from.

I have not really looked at price for new and probably going to find a used one or replace them both. With what is going on with the bad one I'm not sure it can be serviced so don't want to invest the time and money to find out as they look pretty cheap and have not heard of one going bad except for heavy use...

How do I know what will fit mine as I'm sure I can't shop by part number?

YYZRC

@LaRea do you still have yours for sale?

The transom assembly is the same for Bravo I/II/III. The trim ram part number is cast into the tube (circled in the image below). Looks like 98703/98704 and 98718/98719 are available as per the EPC. Shouldn't be hard to verify what you have now and replace with same.

mbnarney

Has anyone had experience with the SEI rams. They seem to be pretty reasonably priced.

rasbury

I will check and do a little more surfing on it, thx-

GMSLITHO

there easy to rebuild its just new seals and washers 

LaRea

Mine got sold on eBay.

rasbury

Mine are the 98718/19....I see several adds that say fits all bravo drives and list several l part numbers but then don't list mine...I see SEI which I have emailed...who is EPC? I would rebuild but the one looks pretty screwed up...

GMSLITHO

maybe you can find a good used set and rebuild them 

Dream_Inn

Looking back, I should've kept some of my old B-2 drives (3 total, with shiny new casings) I had when I replaced them.  Probably could've parted them out for something.  Just seemed like a PITA to take a full drive home and do that.  Even my old transom assemblies had working trim cylinders.  Oh well, life goes on....(I'm still trying to get rid of extra crap I have!)  Good luck Ras!

rasbury

I just ordered two new from sei. Worth a shot!

YYZRC

Did you order the replacement hose kit as well?

https://www.sterndrive.cc/product/Fits-Bravo-Hose-Hardware-Kit-AL.html

GMSLITHO

I replaced those hoses it a real fun job 

rasbury

Did not...I replaced them when I did the transom work so that should be good...get all the fluid flushed out of the pump- in the meanwhile I'm getting back in the water!!

rasbury

Pretty dang impressed with sei- was going to throw the old cylinders on and get in the water - ordered at 4 pm and will be here by 2:30 tomorrow with free shipping! I hope the lines all line up without additional stuff needed.

rasbury

I had these delivered in less than 24 hours! 160 each with free shipping.  Cheaper than used ones- I came down with something yesterday but did take them out to the boat, mainly to make sure the length were the same and everything matches up. I'm on vacation next week ( can you be in vacation unemployed?) So I hope to install them today and run the boat before we go out of town.

I'm going to disconnect the lines and push out and flush as much bad fluid out as I can and figure out how to bleed them.

GMSLITHO

you don't have to bleed them just raise and lower the drive a few times and the air will come out 

rasbury

That's what I think I did before even I pulled the...

PickleRick

Your used one will be worth some cash on eBay!  

rasbury

Well, this is not going well...two trips to harbor freight for line wrench set...another trip for some heave duty spring clip plyers...got it all together and fluid shooting out everywhere...I was not having a leaking issue prior.  I pulled it back apart and used some Teflon tape, should this be required? One of the lines I could not budge as pictured- I did not want to crush the fitting . touched up a couple spots on the od and looking pretty good but super disapointed..I don't think I crossed any threads...

rasbury

PickleRick said:

Your used one will be worth some cash on eBay!  

Did you seecwhat I did to it it? and that's the one that was working!

YYZRC

I would replace the lines. 

rasbury

Those lines were recently replaced..maybe I'm doing something wrong. I don't understand how its suppose to seal- you have a flared end on on the tubing and a mating surface on the cylinder. So, the tubing itself goes back and forth through the nut. I could pull the tube back a bit through the nut and assemble and there is no way it would seal? What draws the flared tube to the cylinder to make the seal? 

Update- I'm reading that compression fittings are not reusable.  So, I guess I have to replace the 4 lines from the little manifold. I read also that once tightened hand tight it should not require more than one revolution to seat the fitting and complete the seal. I would say bad design but I guess for connections not subject to taking apart very often it's cost effective. Just disappointing I could not launch this week and going on vacation. When I pulled the transom asy apart I know I replaced the two main lines from the pump to the manifold- I don't recall replacing those for sure...if I didn't then I was lucky. I also read it's a good idea to use perfect seal on the threads- not to seal it but so you can get it apart one day and not go through what I did to get the one line off. I guess I will have the new lines waiting for me when I get back from vacation.

aero3113

I had mine leak when I replaced mine on my 242, I had to snug them down a little more.

rasbury

aero3113 said:

I had mine leak when I replaced mine on my 242, I had to snug them down a little more.

Might not work out when you go to pull them, that's what I did per the pic above..had to cut it out! And in the end replacing them all anyway. Only makes sense if you crush a connection together like that and it's just metal, your not going to duplicate that connection right? And if I did not replace them before then I got by one replacement...I have them way tight and still "weeping"....again this SEI company, that you can order direct, ordered about noon and they are already on fed ex, "free" shipping , all four lines for a hundred bucks...can't beat that. Maybe I should check them out for a job...

rasbury

Well...new hoses and cylinders. Mind you I did not have a leaking problem before,  the two shorter lines at the cylinder weep a little. The worst part of the story, you know those little rubber things the shafts go through? Apparently tossed half of them with the old cylinders....

mbnarney

So @rasbury, after ready some of your exploits I am almost terrorized to put a wrench to anything on my boat. However I am in need of a ram. Did you ever get to the bottom of why your new SEI rams were leaking and would you go that route again. I am taking it that new lines are a must.

PickleRick

The most common problem when you have compression fittings that leak is over torque.  These housings are soft aluminum or pot metal.  The nut on the hose is steel.  If you cross thread them and/or over torque them they will never seat.   A little dab of ATF on the tip of the fitting before install also helps with seating.  

You should be able to hand thread the fitting until it's snug then gently snug it the rest of the way.    Similar to how you'd tighten a brake or clutch master cylinder hose fitting.  It's a compression fitting, not a lug nut.  It's very very easy to cross thread these fittings when the housing is such soft metal.  If you can't hand thread them don't be tempted to use a wrench to force it the rest of the way on.   This is how you screw up a cylinder....I only know this from hands on experience...and I've screwed up more than one simply because I was rushing. 

mbnarney

Sounds good  thanks

rasbury

@mbnarney no, and I need to. I was super careful that nothing was cross threaded and I barley snugged them , put gluid in and went from there. There were no issues at the manifold, just the rams so I'm not going to blame this one on me...I dunno...

PickleRick

Can you post pics of where it's leaking?   They usually have a pretty good warranty/customer service on their parts.    I've seen where their company has posted on the hull truth before to answer potential customers questions.   If the threads are all good and these are not that old I'd try to contact them.   If you have a leak it means you'll likely suck water into the system if you use it like it is in the water. 

rasbury

It's not in the water..I did email them and never headed to a resolution. I was going to try a little Teflon on the thread and see if that would help..