Steering you fit once
and forget for decades.
Hydrive has built hydraulic steering in South Australia since 1966 — over 800,000 systems, every single one tested before it ships. From tinnies to 100-metre vessels, and Luxfords has stocked and supported it for over 40 years.
Exclusive Victorian distributor - Luxfords
Australian made. Individually tested.
Hydrive has manufactured hydraulic boat steering in South Australia since 1966 — over 800,000 systems sold worldwide, and a range that spans 5-metre tinnies to vessels over 100 metres.
Every unit is individually tested before it ships — Hydrive doesn't batch test — and safety margins exceed marine survey society requirements, tested to meet the safety standards of international survey authorities including Lloyd's, CCS and BV.
Luxfords is an exclusive Victorian distributor and stockist of Hydrive steering, and has stocked and supported the range for over 40 years — along with steering wheels, accessories, and cable steering kits and replacement cables.
1966
manufacturing hydraulic steering in South Australia ever since
800,000+
systems sold worldwide - the Southern Hemisphere's largest maker
100%
of units individually tested before despatch - never batch tested
40+ yrs
of Luxfords stocking, specifying and supporting the range
The kits we stock, and what they suit
Everything below sits on the shelf in Mornington or comes quickly from Hydrive in South Australia. Every kit ships complete - helm, cylinder, tubing, ULTRA-15 fluid, fittings and instructions.
Outboard kits
Complete cable-to-hydraulic conversions in one carton: helm, cylinder, tubing, fluid and every fitting. Pick by horsepower and the room beside the motor.
| Kit | Mount / cylinder | Suits | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBKIT1 | Bullhorn (tilt-tube mount) | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin | |
| OBKIT1-XT | Bullhorn, extreme performance | To 350 hp single / 1200 hp twin | |
| OBKIT2 | Side mount (tube mount, balanced 210T) | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin | |
| OBKIT3 | Side mount, single-ended (210TSE) | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin | |
| OBKIT5 | Front mount, fixed (216FM) | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin | |
| SPORTKIT | Side mount, compact (512T) | To 200 hp single / 300 hp twin | |
| COMKIT1 | Bullhorn (511BH) | To 200 hp single / 400 hp twin | Leisure |
| COMKIT1-PRO | Bullhorn (511BH) with Admiral 401 helm | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin | |
| COMKIT6 | Bullhorn, compact (512BH) | To 150 hp single | Leisure |
Sterndrive kits
Drive-specific cylinders that bolt where the cable steering was - Mercruiser and Volvo Penta patterns, plus the universal tube-mount.
| Kit | Mount / cylinder | Suits | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERCRUISERKIT | Mercruiser-specific cylinder (210MERC) | Confirmed at quote | |
| VOLVOKIT1 / VOLVOKIT2 | Volvo-specific cylinder (210V / 216V) | Confirmed at quote | |
| OBKIT2 (sterndrive) | Tube mount on the drive's cable bracket | To 300 hp single / 600 hp twin |
Inboard & jet kits
Rudder kits from 8-metre leisure boats to commercial survey, and the deliberately fast COMKIT-JET for jet boats.
| Kit | Mount / cylinder | Suits | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|
| COMKIT-IB1 | Inboard rudder (512 IB cylinder) | Rudder torque to 30 KgM - Most leisure boats to about 8 m | Leisure |
| COMKIT-IB2 | Inboard rudder (510 IB cylinder) | Most leisure boats to about 10 m | Leisure |
| IBKIT1 | Inboard rudder (210 cylinder) | Rudder torque to 85 KgM | |
| COMKIT-JET | Jet boat (512-JET cylinder, 100 mm stroke) | Confirmed at quote | Leisure |
Bigger boats: HD series & power steering
Above the kits sits the HD system - helms 103 to 107 matched to cylinders from 107 to 2,651 KgM of rudder torque, the range that steers everything from 10-metre cruisers to 50-metre commercial vessels and sailing yachts that insist on feel at the wheel. Powerkit-M12 electro-hydraulic assist tops it off for big multi-rig transoms and effort-free helming.
Hydrive, answered
How do I know what size hydraulic steering my boat needs?
For outboards it's Hydrive's published three steps: match your engine's horsepower to a kit's rated capacity (single, or total for counter-rotating twins), pick the cylinder style that fits your engine well, then choose the pleasure-rated Commander tier or the commercial-rated Admiral tier. For inboards, sizing is by rudder torque rather than horsepower. Our selector walks the whole sequence — or send us the boat and engine details and we'll spec it.
What's the difference between the Admiral and Commander ranges?
Commander is the value tier: anodised aluminium cylinders with electrolytic insulation, rated for pleasure use (PRO versions add commercial approval). Admiral is the premium tier: chrome-plated marine-grade brass cylinders, solid brass end caps and stainless tiller arms, rated for both pleasure and commercial use and built for the corrosive conditions of northern Australia. Both use the same proven helm design.
Can I convert my cable steering to hydraulic?
Usually, yes — and it's the most common upgrade Hydrive sells. The side-mount (tube-mount) cylinders screw onto the outboard's tilt tube exactly where the cable ran, so kits like OBKIT2 or COMKIT2 reuse the same mounting. The result is no more feedback through the wheel, no lost motion, and fingertip control at speed.
How many turns lock-to-lock should I expect?
It's simple hydraulics: cylinder volume divided by helm displacement per revolution. Hydrive's kits land around 5.4–5.5 turns with the standard helm — or 4.4 with the larger 402 helm, which trades a slightly heavier wheel for fewer turns. Jet kits are deliberately fast at 1.7 turns; small inboard kits run 3–5. If you want a different feel, changing the helm is often all it takes.
What oil does Hydrive steering use?
Hydrive ULTRA-15 hydraulic oil, full stop. The manual is explicit: alternative fluids can cause premature seal wear and void the warranty, automatic transmission fluid is out, and brake fluid will damage seals and components. A small single-station system takes about 2 litres including bleeding losses; we stock it.
Is Hydrive steering suitable for commercial survey vessels?
Yes — Admiral kits and PRO versions of the Commander kits are rated for professional and commercial use, Hydrive's safety margins exceed marine survey society requirements, and the HD and power-assisted ranges carry the brand into workboats, ferries and superyachts. Tell us the survey requirements and we'll match the right system.
Forty years of specifying this range
Tell us the boat and the motor - we'll name the kit, the correct cylinder variant for your engine, and everything needed to fit it. Spares, seal kits and ULTRA-15 fluid on the shelf.
(03) 5973 6444