Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

liquidlew

liquidlew

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 14, 2008
Messages
304
I thought one of my trim cylinders is bad, I unhooked them from the drive and hit the up button, and both cylinders extend. When I hit the down button, only the port cylinder retracts. Is that normal, or is the starboard side bad? Does it need to be rebuilt? Last time I had it in the water (last Oct.) it seemed to come up real slow. Trim pump is brand new last year. Drive is Alpha 1 Gen 1, cylinder is 14034A.
 
N

nikon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
193
Re: Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

On mine, salt got underneath the rubber seals and started clamping down on the ram, one would go slower than the other, up wasn't a problem, down was almost impossible. I would start by rebuilding them, I found my rebuild kits on ebay for cheap.
 
liquidlew

liquidlew

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 14, 2008
Messages
304
Re: Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

So you are saying both should RETRACT as well as extend? How difficult are they to rebuild? I talked to my ex high $ marine mechanic and he said they charge $200 to rebuild just one, but the seal kit is only $20, he made it sound like it's a hard job. I've fixed alot of stuff on this boat myself, I think I will give it a whack if it really needs it, I just want to be sure it needs it before I throw more time and $ into it.
 
Howard Sterndrive

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

your unhooked cylinder test was not a valid test of anything.

hydraulic oil takes the path of least resistance... you now know which cylinder has less friction, but it means nothing...two brand new perfect cylinders can act the same way.....the friction cannot be 100% identical
 
liquidlew

liquidlew

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 14, 2008
Messages
304
Re: Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

Thanks, yeah, that makes sense. I just ran them in and out again a few times and they both move (contrary to what I said before), but the starboard cyl only moves 1/2 speed as the port, and my ex mechanic did tell me something like one would drag the other along, so I'm thinking they are ok, that's just the way they work. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, which I am alot cuz that's one thing I'm really good at.:redface:
 
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