Can seals on a CMC 7050 actuator be repaired?

[champ198]

I have a CMC jackplate with 7050 actuator. The actuator is self contained. Fluid is leaking out of the bottom and puddling on the floor. The original actuator did this now the replacement which I purchased in July 2013. What can I do?

Thanks

 

[GotMyAlly]

Man, you're hard on equipment! :gasp

 

[champ198]

I leave my jackplate at the highest setting when I trailer and garage the boat. I wonder if this keeps pressure on the fluid all the time??

 

[Allyfishing]

Hmmm....who knows?/ I always set it at the half way point after I pull it out of the water to trailer it home. I figure (in my small mind) that there is less chance of fatiguing parts in that position.

 

[xb03fs]

When is the last time you greased it? If it's not greased it will stall out trying to move

 

[GotMyAlly]

I leave my jackplate at the highest setting when I trailer and garage the boat. I wonder if this keeps pressure on the fluid all the time??

I do the same with mine.....

 

[Allyfishing]

When is the last time you greased it? If it's not greased it will stall out trying to move

I called CMC service many years ago when I had the hydraulic on my Astro to find out what maintenance should be done to the glides and rollers and was told to spray them once in a while with WD-40 but to never use grease.

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

I just got/installed the 8 nylatron flat washers from CMC, was told the same thing....no grease, WD40 regular or sillycone...and DON"T overtighten the bolts, the aluminum flat washers should turn freely with a little effort.

I didn't hence the replacement.....:embarassed

 

[xb03fs]

Why no grease? I will remove and use WD 40 I guess.

 

[Allyfishing]

Nathan, grease is a dirt magnet!! It will pick everything and anything and stick to it like glue. Before ya know it ya got a mess. I remember seeing a guys Ranger at the local marina here quite a few years ago and he had the glides loaded with grease and I walked over to it and it was thick and caked on. Not good!!

 

[mittenbass]

Yes, as many above have said WD-40 is recommended by the manufacturer and NOT grease. I called CMC to get a torque figure for the bolts since I could spin my washers with my fingers and to my surprise they said that is how it is supposed to be. The nuts on the inside are jam nuts and are not supposed to be used to crank down the outer washers.

Also this is probably overkill, but I do not adjust the jackplate when the boat is in gear. If I want to go higher on the plate after a top end run I will slow down, put the motor in neutral, bump it up and then see how it runs. Certainly this puts less stress on the hydraulic ram. This degree of caution may not be needed, but it is how the previous owner of my boat told me to operate the plate. In fact, he installed a dash switch to raise and lower the plate rather than a second blinker switch. My boat is a 2003 model year and operating it this way it has never had any problems with a leaking actuator.

 

[brotherxb03]

Are u using the wright fluid, because I know on sea star steering using the wrong fluid will mess up the seals.