Random steering?

I have consulted the great google and have not found a decent answer. I have a orbital valve full hydro steering. I swapped the orbital for a faster one. In the beginning it worked great but about 6-7 rides in it started acting very strange. It will randomly steer, usually to the drivers side, almost like it has blow by when the fluid warms up? For the first hour of riding steering is pretty stable but after that it gets progressively worse. I have had the same steering setup for the past four years as far as ram, coolers, etc without issue. There is not air in the system that I have found. But I wanted to trouble shoot the orbital before throwing a few hundred at a new orbital.

I dont see much for rebuilt kits on these either? otherwise I would rebuild it and see if that worked.

"usually" if the orbital is acting up randomly, it's damaged internally and isn't really "rebuildable"


if it was leaking to the outside or something then you could probably get a seal kit for it.

This video does a simple tear down and explanation of how they work/rebuild

[Hydraulic Steering] Orbital Valve Rebuild and How it Works

What kind of ram?

Thank you for the video, there is no leaking on the outside.

Its a psc 3 in double ended ram.

Swap your old orbital back in.
If that solves your problem, the other orbital is leaking internally.

If you still have the problem, then the ram is leaking internally.

Indecision buggy had the same problem. Had to change the orbital.

This the orbital I gave you?

Yea it is that one. I will try swapping my old one back in Ill have to pull it from the kids rig.

Assuming thats the issue are the trail gear orbitals and the ones that PSC sells interchangeable? Is there a big difference in quality? If their not interchangeable I dont care to change brands but if they are and are of a similar quality then I would give TG a try.

I couldn't find the link to the orbital I bought to replace that one.

I was chasing down a hissing noise and the bypass symptom you describe.

I had the problem out of the box from PSC. It took me a year to get my rig finished and by the time I called them with the issue they told me I was out of any warranty coverage.

Plus they didn't sound very confident what the issue was but had no problem telling me it was a $430 shot in the dark.

So when I replaced it, I didn't buy theirs. Turned out my steering column was causing the hiss but it did take care of the bypass.

I wheeled that orbital for 6 years, never got worse. I just dealt with it.

I sent it to you for free and covered shipping because I really didn't know if that orbital was bad. It was just gonna take up space under my bench. So it was worth the $12 to get you on the trail in hopes it would work for you.

I'm sorry it gave you trouble. At least you have a core. Maybe you can dissect it and fix the prob for the next guy.

SBJeepn said:

Yea it is that one. I will try swapping my old one back in Ill have to pull it from the kids rig.

Assuming thats the issue are the trail gear orbitals and the ones that PSC sells interchangeable? Is there a big difference in quality? If their not interchangeable I dont care to change brands but if they are and are of a similar quality then I would give TG a try.

Click to expand...

PSC's are actually Char Lynn brand steering valves. I would bet the bank that TG doesn't make their own either... Might be Eaton brand units.

LightBnDr said:

I sent it to you for free and covered shipping because I really didn't know if that orbital was bad. It was just gonna take up space under my bench. So it was worth the $12 to get you on the trail in hopes it would work for you.

I'm sorry it gave you trouble. At least you have a core. Maybe you can dissect it and fix the prob for the next guy.

Click to expand...

I was very grateful for your help. definitely no hard feelings that it didn't work out. Its kinda surprising they dont sell rebuild kits for these they should be easy to rebuild