SeaStar Dometic Hydraulic Steering HA5438 Review

The oil level in the steering reservoir will jump up and down as you turn the steering wheel so you need a supply of fluid when bleeding. The best I can say is that the end of the pump is a BPS 1/2-16 which I couldn't easily find elsewhere and the other end screws into an oil bottle. So I paid $17 (ugh!) and got this. It worked as advertised, but I have a hard time accepting that something so simple can cost so much. it doesn't help Teleflex and SeStar's brand image to charge so much for…

This tool is a complete rip off but you need it. It should be less than $5 or at that price it should have a swivel fitting so you can screw it in without twisting the hose. But good luck refilling the helmet without him. Helpful Tip: Forget the stupid pin to let air in the bottle. Take an empty bottle, cut off the bottom, put it on top so the liquid doesn't spill all over the place, tie it to something to hold it, and then fill it with liquid. You can just add more from the bottle as needed…

I hooked it up to the steering wheel filler neck and to the steering fluid reservoir. There were no leaks. Simply holding the reservoir upside down allowed liquid to drip into the hub. I turned the wheel from lock to lock until the bubbles disappeared and the liquid was slightly near the hose. I took the container off the hose, put my thumb on the open end, and then was able to unscrew the other end without spilling a drop of liquid. It worked great. I noticed that the old liquid was brownish…

Reportedly required to clean the SeaStar Helm. For $20 it's a joke. This is not a seller as I'm pretty sure SeaStar most likely charges it. It's nothing fancy, just a standard barbed NPT fitting, hose and bottle adapter (can be made for about 50 cents). SeaStar needs to take the lead and start offering better prices and service. There is a $50 steering wheel restoration kit that consists of zero rings and gaskets and costs about $3. Next kit I buy I will get all the parts and start making my…