Jefa Direct Drive unit configuration/installation
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 445/455/458
Forum Description: 445/455/458 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15466
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 03:29
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Jefa Direct Drive unit configuration/installation
Posted By: stulk75
Subject: Jefa Direct Drive unit configuration/installation
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 11:57
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We have the Jefa autopilot direct drive and steering on our 2013 445. This is paired with a Simrad AP24 autopilot computer, and the RF-25 rudder feedback unit. We have had a thunking noise in the steering and finally believe we have determined its source, and are concerned about the alignment of the draglink and the steering quadrant above the rudder. Jefa recommended new eyeball bushings on the draglink as the solution to the "thunking". However we are concerned that the drive motor may not be installed/configured correctly. We had the rudder feedback unit replaced, and the person installed "backwards" (so said the 2nd guy we had come take a look). So we had them fix it. We are still getting random disengagements and noise when hard-over. We aren't sure if either of them would have messed with the draglink or motor positioning. I'm attaching 2 pictures showing how the steering unit aligns when hard to port and hard to starboard. Clearly the draglink is making contact with bolts on the quadrant when hard over.   Does anyone have pics of their setup? I'm hoping this is just a configuration issue between the motor and the RF unit in either the AP computer or calibration of the rudder feedback unit. We also now notice that there is some play in the output lever. When we turn the wheel we see it slipping. This video shows the play and the noise from the "driveshaft" of the motor. https://youtube.com/shorts/n33E73rpBjc?feature=share I found this for reference on Jefa's site, but this is not how ours looks) https://bsidk.com/app/uploads/sites/12/2022/03/Simrad_rudder_feedback_bracket.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://bsidk.com/app/uploads/sites/12/2022/03/Simrad_rudder_feedback_bracket.pdf and https://bsidk.com/app/uploads/sites/12/2022/03/Install-DD1-1.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://bsidk.com/app/uploads/sites/12/2022/03/Install-DD1-1.pdf Has anyone reconfigured their motor? We did manually unhook the draglink and manually position the lever 180 degrees, but it just wanted to return to its current position. |
Replies:
Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 13:18
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The geometry of your set up is completely wrong as is the angle sensor. The two arms need to be parallel when the rudder is midships and the draglink should be close to perpendicular.
------------- Leon / ARCADIA 2018 Hanse 588 Sag Harbor, NY |
Posted By: 32mike
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 14:08
Here’s pictures of my 458 quadrant at neutral rudder. Hope it helps. Looks like the autopilot control arm is rotated 90 degrees too far counter clockwise?.  ------------- Mike S/V Dulces Sueños 458 #087 Tampa, FL |
Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 14:37
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Mikes set up 100 percent correct. I’m not sure but it seems that your drive unit may be working in reverse. Double check that the drive rotates in the same direction as the rudder post. You may need to reverse the polarity of the drive and recalibrate. The way it is now, the system is overloaded and inefficient. ------------- Leon / ARCADIA 2018 Hanse 588 Sag Harbor, NY |
Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 14:46
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Based on your photos, when the rudder is centered, both lever arms should pointing to the left and parallel. The lever arm on your rudder set up is measured on the line from the bolt where the draglink connects to the center of the rudder post. Same on the drive unit. Those two lines should be parallel when the rudder is centered. I hope this isn’t too confusing but it is essential. Someone must have played with the adjustments and even the wiring. ------------- Leon / ARCADIA 2018 Hanse 588 Sag Harbor, NY |
Posted By: Ian Coverdale
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 14:59
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We also have a 2013 445. Our DD1 is connected the same as Mike's 458. I just poked a borescope camera up under the cover. I'd guess your DD1 was removed at some point and on reinstalling, the shaft-key was in the wrong position and someone 'made it fit' rather than correcting the shaft-key position? Couple of things noted in your photo:- (1) It appears your steering cable is not the original Jefa assembly. Jefa used a swagged terminal to the quadrant ends, not eye-bolts with looped cable secured by saddles. The eye-bolt thread is far too long. (2) The steering wheel pedestal assembly is fixed into the deck moulding by six screws. The screws will have been covered by teak caps. I can see one screw head in your photo is missing the teak cap. Are all six missing teak caps or is it just the one? All six would suggest your steering system has been completely dismantled at some time. (3) I see your rudder stock earth is disconnected. This was a recall item a long time ago when Hanse connected the rudder stock to the boat system earth. Jefa recommend not earthing the rudder stock and mine never had it fitted. Later boats had an earth connected but to a dedicated anode totally separate from the boat earthing system. IF your earth wire is connected to the boat earthing system, be very careful about reconnecting it. Hope that helps? ------------- Ian & Andrea SV Gabrielle (H445) Liveaboards - currently Montenegro. www.facebook.com/sailinggabrielle |
Posted By: Ian Coverdale
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 15:20
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PS to the above and thinking this through a bit more ... if the rudder position sensor was faulty, it is possible the DD1 continued to motor past its normal stop position and onto the wrong side? If you can manually motor the DD1 around the correct side then recalibrate the autopilot, the steering geometry would be correct? Be mindful that the rudder sensor may now be in the wrong sense! ------------- Ian & Andrea SV Gabrielle (H445) Liveaboards - currently Montenegro. www.facebook.com/sailinggabrielle |
Posted By: stulk75
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 15:34
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Wow. Thanks everyone. I think the collective diagnostic is this is "FUBAR". @Mike - thanks for the pictures, extremely helpful...there was a recent point where the under deck area was just as clean as yours... I swear! @Leon - all your observations are 100% accurate. It's a good suggestion to check the polarity. @Ian - as are yours. One of the steering cables snapped last spring and we had it all redone, and they didn't use the same exact Jefa parts. I think we do need to cut that eyebolt back at a minimum. So this was probably a chain reaction... RF failure, misalignment of the DD1... whatever contributed to the snapping of the cable (probably wear and tear). We did manually rotate the DD1 when we saw it like this. But... When we powered it all back on, it reverted to the current "backwards" alignment. We did not try to reseat the shaft key, so I think that will be part of what we try and do DIY. I'm fairly certain the RF is a calibration and based on @Mike21's pics, it's mounted in the same place as the former one. I do not think anyone removed/replaced the DD1, at least that wasn't done recently. **also as far as that grounding wire... lol. When we bought the boat that thin little black wire was attached to an aft stanchion. I finally ripped it off after seeing the bulletin about NOT grounding the DD1. I wonder if the previous owner wasn't sure what to do, so just ran that wire... @mike - is that an earth ground attached to your quadrant/rudder post? Looks like possibly a missing screw on ours. |
Posted By: 32mike
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 15:47
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Yes I believe that is a ground wire since all of the ground wires are green. If I’m not mistaken, it runs down to the hull anode right by the rudder on the port side. I could be wrong - haven’t had to actually research that one or track it down, just going by memory. ------------- Mike S/V Dulces Sueños 458 #087 Tampa, FL |
Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 15:47
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If you manually rotated the arm and it reverted back its original position then it is VERY likely the polarity is reversed. The DD1 will rotate in either direction thru 360 degrees so it is the rudder position which controls the start, stop and direction of the drive. Check that the direction of rotation is the same for rudder and drive !! ------------- Leon / ARCADIA 2018 Hanse 588 Sag Harbor, NY |
Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 09 December 2025 at 15:52
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With rudder centered, the geometry should look exactly like Mikes first photo. ------------- Leon / ARCADIA 2018 Hanse 588 Sag Harbor, NY |
Posted By: stulk75
Date Posted: 07 January 2026 at 16:29
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We resolved the primary issue by realigning the motor arm and re-running the autopilot calibration. We disconnected the drag link from the motor arm, then manually rotated the motor arm approximately 180 degrees from its prior position, roughly from 11:00 to 5:00. We then centered the helm and reattached the drag link to the motor arm. After that, we re-ran the autopilot installation and calibration using the Zeus chart plotter installation menu. We used a 60-degree rudder swing, 30 degrees port and 30 degrees starboard, followed by hard-over to port and starboard, then centering the wheel as prompted. After this correction, manually turning the helm hard over no longer produces the thunking noise, and the steering geometry now looks correct throughout the range of motion. There is still some play in the motor spindle that we can feel by hand, and during manual rotation there was a point where the drive appeared to disengage momentarily. This may indicate internal wear or damage, possibly within the gear set, but for now the system is operating significantly better than before. Thanks again to everyone who shared photos and guidance. It was extremely helpful. One remaining question for those familiar with the Jefa DD1. The motor output spindle still has noticeable play that we can feel by hand, and during manual rotation there was a point where the drive appeared to momentarily disengage. Is any amount of spindle play considered normal on these units, or does this suggest internal wear, a loose coupling, or gear damage that should be serviced before continued use? |
Posted By: MyBMW
Date Posted: 15 February 2026 at 02:00
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here's ours in motion, if it helps: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CqQDMhp9jKjaSFPo7" rel="nofollow - https://photos.app.goo.gl/CqQDMhp9jKjaSFPo7 (needs cleaned) ------------- Jumeirah San Francisco (458 #253) |
Posted By: Etre Jeune
Date Posted: 19 February 2026 at 21:20
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If you have some play, in the output shaft of the Jeffa, the bearings are toast! Good news is they are reasonably common deep groove ball bearings, available from bearing shops, even in food grade stainless for less than $100 including a seal. If you have some mechanical aptitude, it is possible to strip and replace the bearings. I took the extra precaution to hand pack each bearing with marine grease. The geometry of the system, as pictured is pretty ordinary, and this is exasperated, once some play in the output shaft or rudder begins. ------------- R Stock |
Posted By: stulk75
Date Posted: 19 February 2026 at 22:11
| Awesome. I was going to ask if anyone had rebuilt one. Jefa isn’t responding from their website or emails I’ve been sending. |
Posted By: Etre Jeune
Date Posted: 20 February 2026 at 21:31
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I have some photos of mine when I stripped the unit and replaced the bearings. It is pretty straightforward, the hardest part was releasing some of the allen screws that had corroded in the casing I had to get a stud specialist to remove one obstinate one. hopefully yours are easier. You will need a standard bearing puller but that’s about it. The bearings are standard metric deep groove ball bearings, so the shaft diameter is the last two digits of the number, IE 63 series 10 x 5 =50 6310 example I purchased stainless sealed versions. The original are steel. Lever out the bearing seals on one side, gently and pack them with good marine grease, they only rotate at slow speed. Cheers Richard ------------- R Stock |
Posted By: Ian Coverdale
Date Posted: 21 February 2026 at 08:17
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Thanks Richard, that's really interesting. Had been thinking about returning our 12-year old unit to Jefa for service ... but will have a go myself now. Incidentally, just ordered new chain/cable set from Jefa, 495€ including 66€ Fedex but excluding taxes. UK Customs charged taxes of £98 so ~£530 total. Must be on borrowed times with 12-year old cables/chains. ------------- Ian & Andrea SV Gabrielle (H445) Liveaboards - currently Montenegro. www.facebook.com/sailinggabrielle |