Raymarine Type 2 Linear Driver parts/service

[sailingharry]

My 1998 has a Ray Type 2 Linear Drive. Assumed to be original. It's made two Atlantic crossings and several trips to the Carribean. We are planning to take it to remote parts of Canada next year (Newfoundland, St. Lawrence River). Ray's view on service/spares is "send it in for service" and "carry a spare unit" -- no user serviceable parts inside. BS.


Anyone have any recommendations? For starters, I have read stories on this forum, and read the exploded parts diagram, and it's easy to tear down to parade rest, inspect, clean, lubricate, reassemble. That's almost a "must to."


But what about parts? Are there any common failures? This was built before the shift to bronze gears (2000 or so), so unless they've been replaced (good chance they have, given the boat's maintenance history), they need it. Although a staggering price -- a whole unit is $2000, the gear set is close to $300!


Note, the boat came with spares for 100% of the rest of the system -- rudder indicator, compass, computer, control head. Just the drive is a concern.



Thoughts?

[mlydon]

I would suggest you pick up an octopus hydraulic linear - self contained, and dead simple. Parts at any hydraulic place.

Matt

[sailingharry]

Yes, I have eyed them. Not exactly a cheap answer to the question, and not terribly simple either. A grand or two to buy, then whatever labor it takes me to refit the mounting (shouldn't be too hard, they both would sit on the same mounting shelf and presumably are wire/wire replacement).


How does performance and current draw compare? That's a harder question to get answers to!

[kmacdonald]

The hydraulic octopus will take a lot more power. Dont do it.

[maine50]

I have a set of RM "metal gears" available (for sale). Do you have a RM part number so we can be sure they are the right ones?

[maine50]

I have read that the type 1 vs type 2 linear drives difference is only the motor.
I have the gear set that serves both types. Other parts that could be replaced is the drive belt (about $45), a set of brushes (must source locally) and the motor. It may be much easier to buy one complete unit on ebay or even CF classifieds.

[stormalong]

I have rebuilt these. I have an original 1985 T2 drive and replaced the plastic gear several times. Now I have upgraded to the metal gear and have also purchased a couple of spare drives at resale shops. Boat has over 130,000 miles on it and most of that is on autopilot.

Upgrade to the bronze gear. It comes with the little spur gears. If the drive has a lot of miles on it replace the ring gear too. The older drives used a Klaxton brand motor and if you have one Raymarine will not sell you brushes for it - they want to sell you a new motor for $300+. When mine wore out I bought some larger brushes and sanded them down to fit. The drive arm uses a recirculating ball screw drive that will last forever. Don't take it apart, it is a PITA to put it back together.

I fitted a four pin generator power connector to mine so that I can quickly swap drives if it fails. I can do this under sail with someone else on the helm in about ten minutes. I found two spares at resale shops for bargain prices and snapped them up. The original drive is now retired but still good if needed.

These drives are brilliant - I doubt Autohelm/Ratheon/Raymaine built them - they are to well made.

[maine50]

I have posted a set of Raymarine linear drive gears (primary ones metal) in classifieds that are replacements (backups) for the plastic gears for type 1 and type 2 linear drives. They sell as high as $300 and I have them for sale at
$175.

[Mastermuffin]

I had an issue with mine where a roll-pin used to hold the main gear sheared causing the shaft to spin free and not turn the gears. Might want to carry some spare roll pins as well as replace the gears.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by stormalong

I fitted a four pin generator power connector to mine so that I can quickly swap drives if it fails. I can do this under sail with someone else on the helm in about ten minutes. I found two spares at resale shops for bargain prices and snapped them up. The original drive is now retired but still good if needed.

These drives are brilliant - I doubt Autohelm/Ratheon/Raymaine built them - they are to well made.

Can you explain this a bit more? What is a generator power connector? I recently bought a spare and have the wires running to a bus bar next to where the AP is mounted. The bigger issue I have seems to be trying to balance the AP body on my knees while I get the "piston" part attached. It's mounted horizontally.

Also, curious how people mount their APs to the helm. Mine is mounted directly to the radial drive but I've read it should be on the rudder post in case of failure of the steering unit. Seems I would need to get a tiller arm to do this.

Hope these questions don't hijack this great thread!

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Can you explain this a bit more? What is a generator power connector? I recently bought a spare and have the wires running to a bus bar next to where the AP is mounted. The bigger issue I have seems to be trying to balance the AP body on my knees while I get the "piston" part attached. It's mounted horizontally.

Also, curious how people mount their APs to the helm. Mine is mounted directly to the radial drive but I've read it should be on the rudder post in case of failure of the steering unit. Seems I would need to get a tiller arm to do this.

Hope these questions don't hijack this great thread!

A generator power connector is a four pin 20 or 30 amp 220 volt connector. You can buy that at any home depot type store. Two pins are for the motor and two for the clutch. This needs to be in a dry area as they are not waterproof. I have the male plugs on the drive and the female connects to the course computer.

My drive is connected to a separate tiller arm on the rudder post.

I use stainless steel hitch pins on both ends on the drive so it is easy to pull the drive. The process is just disconnect the plug, pull the hitch pins and remove the drive. Very quick and easy. Not surprisingly since going to the bronze gear in the drive I have not had to swap drives. I am also not crossing oceans anymore - now a dirt dweller making summer excursions.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Can you explain this a bit more? What is a generator power connector? I recently bought a spare and have the wires running to a bus bar next to where the AP is mounted. The bigger issue I have seems to be trying to balance the AP body on my knees while I get the "piston" part attached. It's mounted horizontally.

Also, curious how people mount their APs to the helm. Mine is mounted directly to the radial drive but I've read it should be on the rudder post in case of failure of the steering unit. Seems I would need to get a tiller arm to do this.

Hope these questions don't hijack this great thread!

I think he is talking about Anderson Connectors. A terminal block is better and easier IMHO. It's not a high current connection.

A separate tiller arm on the rudder shaft is the best way to install it. The aluminum radial drive could break but is very unlikely so it's not a bad way of doing it. That eliminates the rest of the steering system as a point of failure for the AP. You might not even have room for a tiller arm.

[Argyle38]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Can you explain this a bit more? What is a generator power connector? I recently bought a spare and have the wires running to a bus bar next to where the AP is mounted. The bigger issue I have seems to be trying to balance the AP body on my knees while I get the "piston" part attached. It's mounted horizontally.

Also, curious how people mount their APs to the helm. Mine is mounted directly to the radial drive but I've read it should be on the rudder post in case of failure of the steering unit. Seems I would need to get a tiller arm to do this.

Hope these questions don't hijack this great thread!

I have one of these bronze tiller arms attached directly to the rudder post. The drive unit is installed in the lazaratte and attaches to the end of this arm:

https://edsonmarine.com/products/sai...t-tiller-arms/

When you order it, they ask for the diameter of your rudder shaft and they machine the ID of the tiller arm to match it. It wasn't too difficult to install, a little metal drilling and tapping in to the rudder post was the hardest part. Very robust and it is nice that if a steering cable breaks, the AP will not be affected.

On topic; I did what some others have done and just got a whole spare drive. I put a key word search on ebay for a while but eventually found someone looking to offload an old but unused one for about 1/2 price so I snatched it up. I do like the idea of installing good connectors. I don't know about 'generator connctors' since I don't have a gen set, but I have used these connectors for other moderate current connections:

https://www.bestboatwire.com/anderson-sb50-6-awg-gray

I think they would work pretty well in this application, especially if you filled them with dielectric grease and wrapped them well.

Question: What's up with 'metal gears' for the RM linear drives. I have heard (on a Delos video, I think) that it's the plastic gears that often fail. Did some machinest decide to make some metal gears for these things? I would definitely be interested in those!

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

I think he is talking about Anderson Connectors. A terminal block is better and easier IMHO. It's not a high current connection.

A separate tiller arm on the rudder shaft is the best way to install it. The aluminum radial drive could break but is very unlikely so it's not a bad way of doing it. That eliminates the rest of the steering system as a point of failure for the AP. You might not even have room for a tiller arm.

No, I am not talking about Anderson power poles. I am talking about twistlock connectors used for home and jobsite portable generators. Up here everyone has a standby generator due to frequent and long power outages.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Argyle38

Question: What's up with 'metal gears' for the RM linear drives. I have heard (on a Delos video, I think) that it's the plastic gears that often fail. Did some machinest decide to make some metal gears for these things? I would definitely be interested in those!

Raymarine changed to bronze gears as far as I know.