2022-01-28, 08:41 PM
Hello,
i have a Searay cabin cruiser with hydraulic steering (Mercruiser outdrive) and a sailboat with tiller steering to upgrade to Pypilot.
Poked around for hydraulic pumps and noticed how insanely expensive these are, like everything marine-related right...?
I used to work as a certified automotive master mechanic in a previous life and thus was thinking about what off-the-shelf auto components could replace such an autopilot pump, realized convertible top pumps could do the trick.
In order to experiment with this I just bought this unit (1994-1998 OEM Ford Mustang Convertible Top Motor Hydraulic Pump Cylinders ) with hydraulic hoses and cylinders of eBay for 150 bucks, if it does not work I have other uses for it.
Thinking about putting this into the existing hydraulic circuit of the Searay and also building an hydraulic version of a linear actuator to work on that sailboat.
Has anyone experimented with this setup in the past?
In any case, I will keep my progress posted here.
i have a Searay cabin cruiser with hydraulic steering (Mercruiser outdrive) and a sailboat with tiller steering to upgrade to Pypilot.
Poked around for hydraulic pumps and noticed how insanely expensive these are, like everything marine-related right...?
I used to work as a certified automotive master mechanic in a previous life and thus was thinking about what off-the-shelf auto components could replace such an autopilot pump, realized convertible top pumps could do the trick.
In order to experiment with this I just bought this unit (1994-1998 OEM Ford Mustang Convertible Top Motor Hydraulic Pump Cylinders ) with hydraulic hoses and cylinders of eBay for 150 bucks, if it does not work I have other uses for it.
Thinking about putting this into the existing hydraulic circuit of the Searay and also building an hydraulic version of a linear actuator to work on that sailboat.
Has anyone experimented with this setup in the past?
In any case, I will keep my progress posted here.