Steering gear

Steering Gear Services.

Steering gear pumps, control valves, spools, rams and seals: fault diagnosis, overhaul and function testing in the steering gear room.

Service line 11Hydraulic · Mechanical · ElectricalReport included

Ram-type steering gear with rudder angle scale in a steering gear room — Steering gear

01What we do

A ship cannot sail with a steering gear in doubt, so these calls tend to come with a departure time attached.

A ship cannot sail with a steering gear in doubt, so these calls tend to come with a departure time attached. The usual reports are a rudder that answers slowly, hunting around the ordered angle, one pump unit that will not take over, or oil on the steering gear room floor.

The hydraulics follow the same rules as on a crane, which is why our hydraulic team handles them. We check pump pressures and changeover, take the control block apart, clean and inspect the spools, and look at the safety valves, the ram seals and the linkage between the rudder angle indicator and the tiller.

Parts that can be repaired on board are repaired on board. Pumps go to the workshop when the rotary group needs opening. After the work the gear is run from both units and both control positions, with hard-over times and the angle scale checked.

Steering gear pump unit and control block with pipework — Pump unit11

What to send us

Steering gear maker, model and type: ram or rotary vane
What the bridge and the engine room see, and any alarm text
Pump and valve type plates, with photos
Port, departure time and whether class is involved

Describe the job

02Scope

What the service covers.

The work items under this service line, as listed by our engineers.

01
Fault DiagnosisPressure readings at each pump unit, changeover checks and control signal tracing to find the cause.
02
Pump Unit OverhaulSteering gear pumps removed, stripped, measured and rebuilt with new rotary group parts and seals.
03
Control Valve and Spool ServiceControl blocks opened, spools cleaned and inspected, solenoids and pilot valves checked.
04
Safety Valve CheckSafety valves inspected and their settings verified against the steering gear documents.
05
Ram and Seal WorkRam seals, gland packing and rod condition checked; leaks stopped and seals renewed.
06
Tiller and LinkageTiller, rudder angle scale and feedback linkage inspected and adjusted.
07
Oil and FiltrationOil sample, filter change and flushing when the system is contaminated.
08
Function TestRunning from both units and both control positions, hard-over times recorded, with a service report.

On the job

Photos from recent attendances.

Steering gear valve block with a No. 2 safety valve label — Valve block02

Gloved hands holding a cleaned control spool in a cloth — Control spool03

03Typical jobs

Faults we are called for.

01Rudder hunting around the ordered angle: control block opened, sticking spool cleaned and the feedback linkage adjusted.
02Oil leaking at the ram gland: seals renewed on board and the gear tested before departure.
03Number two pump slow to take over: changeover circuit and pump pressure measured and the fault corrected.
04Oil running from a control block: seals and safety valve checked, block cleaned and resealed.

04Questions

Asked before the first visit.

Can you attend before departure?

That is the normal case. Tell us the port and the departure time with the fault description, and we come with the seal kits and tools it points to.

Is the work accepted by class?

We record what was done and the test results in a service report for the vessel file and the surveyor. If class has to witness the test, we run it at a time that suits the surveyor.

Do you stock spools and valves for steering gears?

We repair the original spool where it can be saved and source replacements from the maker or its distributors. Send the type plate of the valve or the block.

Spare parts / equipment