www.iFourWinns.com

My 99 Vista has a leaking trim RAM. I was wondering how hard this is to replace DIY, and if by any chance if somebody out there has a part # for me. It is a 1999 5.7GS DP-SM 1.95 gear ratio, IIRC. Has anybody here tackled this before?

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Apart from undoing the 2 hydraulic connections, I've removed the rams several times ( for painting on antifouling paint). If you're asking about changing the whole ram, it's pretty easy. If you mean changing the internal seals, then it is not as easy ( I'm not sure the seal kits are still available from VP, the instructions on how to change them are in the '99/ "WT" MY shop manual, but VP may prefer just to sell you a whole unit!).

Removal:
Support the weight of the drive when it is in the down position.
Remove the bolt holding on the ground cable.
Unscrew the hydraulic connections, discard the "O" rings.
Remove the plastic caps, "E" clips and washers at each end of the ram.
The ram should now just slide off the 2 pivot rods.

If it doesn't, a soft drift/ mallet can be used to drive the pivot rods out of the bores/ in towards the outdrive body. Whilst you're at it, you might want to remove the rods completely and coat then and the internal bores in the outdrive with waterproof grease, to preclude the chance of any corrosion.

Refitting;
The reverse of removal, using new "O" rings on the hydraulic connections and waterproof grease on all the pivot points/ washers/ clips. You might want to source some new "E" clips, as they can break sometimes especially if a single screwdriver has been used to remove them. Don't forget to reconnect the ground cable.

Bleeding (out the air, not your knuckles!)

With the drive fully down, fill the reservoir to max with fluid.
Take the drive up is short steps, filling the reservoir close to max each time
When it is fully up, fill to max.
Cycle it down and back up 5 times to dispel any air, keeping an eye on the fluid level, finally top reservoir to MAX.

Graham

Thanks Graham. Ive been calling around to get prices on rebuilding the ram at a professional shop, but so far have gotten the run-around.

Does anybody have the actual part # for a hydraulic ram on a 1999 DP-SM outdrive? I cannot locate it on volvos website.

Will a ram from the same year SX drive work? It seems to me that the uppers are all the same, its the lower (sx vs. dp) that is different. So Im assuming an SX ram would work....?

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

A ram from a SX drive is exactly the same as the DP one; it is only the lower unit that is diffferent, Earlier units than the '99/ "WT" used different pivot rods ( with nuts rather than "E" clips), I don't know whether the actual rams were different.

Graham

Thanks Graham! I thought so. A lady at the local parts dept of a volvo dealer told me they werent the same and wouldnt give me the part #

Would either of these work?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VOLVO-PE ... enameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-Pe ... enameZWDVW

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

The first one looks like the later type, the one you have on your drive, $120 compared to almost $400 new!

The second ones are the earlier type; the end of the piston rod are different, might fit but you might need an earlier pivot rod/ hardware.

Graham

Well Im going for the first one. I hope it works!

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

I got my trim ram rebuilt for like a $100 IIRC. No leaking since.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Where are you located? I called and there is a shop that will rebuild it but its 3-5 days turn around time. That might cut into my weekend boating So Im wondering if I get the one shipped from ebay, and install it, it would just be a 1 hour job. I dont know though... the thought of buying a used one and having it leak too kind of gets me nervous.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

We live in North Fort Worth, Texas. I got the ram rebuilt at DFW boats in Ronoake, TX. They ordered the parts then when the parts came in I dropped off the boat and picked it up the next day.

With ordering a used one, I agree that is why I had mine rebuilt. Cheaper and should be better than an unknown condition one.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Well I made an offer to the seller. If he doesnt accept, I'll have mine rebuilt I suppose.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Personally, I'd be tempted to buy/ fit the Ebay one and get the original one repaired.
Worst case it leaks, but you don't lose a lot of time because you'd have to get the original one removed/ repaired in any case. Best case it doesn't leak and you'll have a spare one ready for when the ram on the other side of the drive starts to leak, they are not "handed".

Internally, the rams can't be any different to standard hydraulic rams, so the parts should be available at any shop specialising in such repairs.

Graham

Last year I had my cylinders rebuilt for about $150 at a local truck fab shop. They did a great job. The worst part was the lossening and removing the hydraulic lines from the cylinders. Make sure you have a good compression wrench. I believe it was 11mm from Sears was about $9. Once the lines were disconnected I had to clean the female threads out on the cylinder with a tap. The rebuild kits from the Fourwinns dealer were about $20 bucks a piece. Good luck.

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

So do I have to buy the rebuild kits or will the hydraulic shop acquire or stock the o-rings and the like?

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Hmm. I can't recall if I ordered them or not. I think it was one of those things where I was going to order them and then I just let the truck shop get them.

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop