Recently I have noticed a problem with the rudder shaft assembly. Under heavy loads, it feels as the tiller to post attachment is slipping fractions of an inch at a time.
I have looked at the pics posted by EE of the assembly. Unfortunately, all of the bolts in the collar on my boat are broken. I fear that I may destroy that collar removing tiller assembly. I am curious if anyone knows a source for this and the nylon bearings.
I would like to attempt this project in the water. I intend to secure the bottom half of the rudder with a line, but am willing to entertain any and all ideas about this.
Rudder shaft issues. EE and others
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Mario G
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Andiron120
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:28 am
- Location: Lake Whitney, Texas
I had to cut the collar off mine with a die grinder and cutting wheel. Found stainless replacements at a place that handles bearings. Got the 1.5 inch collars but had to take them down to a local machine shop and have them opened up a little as the rudder tube was slightly out of round, they probably all will be. The stainless won't sieze up the way the aluminum does to an unlike metal.
"I feel no need to go anywhere the ice gets larger than will fit in my glass"
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EmergencyExit
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2954
- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 5:02 pm
- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Hmm, not sure if I would be able to get EE's tiller bracket off without dropping the post assembly - I've had to loosen its bolts, then use a block of wood wedge to drive the post down past the woodruff key some before the bracket would separate from the post. Not much a place place to pry upwards from, and you really don't want to be beating on the bracket at all !
Also when you reattach the post assembly to the bracket you need to pull the lower mushroom bearing and lower spacer solidly into the hull, and pull the whole assembly up tight to the underside before you adjust/lock the upper spacer and add the bracket back. Pushing it up from below works better than pulling it up for the cockpit I bet ! You might could get a couple guys together, and one dives to push it up, but it is very heavy !
The tiller bracket, that I've never been able to find a replacement/sub for online.
EE's spacer collars were PVC, I bought a gray PVC pipe coupler fitting that was the right I.D. and cut the threaded end off then drilled and tapped the thick upper collar for the bolts that tighten it to the post.
And on the mushroom bearing, EE's was broken at the upper part - the outer ring of mushroom had separating from the center part. I cleaned it, glued the part back on with 5200, then "backfilled" the underside of the mushroom with 5200.
So far so good.
If you try it in the water, do it somewhere shallow enough to dive and get the assembly back if you need to
Good luck !
Also when you reattach the post assembly to the bracket you need to pull the lower mushroom bearing and lower spacer solidly into the hull, and pull the whole assembly up tight to the underside before you adjust/lock the upper spacer and add the bracket back. Pushing it up from below works better than pulling it up for the cockpit I bet ! You might could get a couple guys together, and one dives to push it up, but it is very heavy !
The tiller bracket, that I've never been able to find a replacement/sub for online.
EE's spacer collars were PVC, I bought a gray PVC pipe coupler fitting that was the right I.D. and cut the threaded end off then drilled and tapped the thick upper collar for the bolts that tighten it to the post.
And on the mushroom bearing, EE's was broken at the upper part - the outer ring of mushroom had separating from the center part. I cleaned it, glued the part back on with 5200, then "backfilled" the underside of the mushroom with 5200.
So far so good.
If you try it in the water, do it somewhere shallow enough to dive and get the assembly back if you need to
Good luck !