E35-2 Auto pilot tiller arm

[Ffejs]

I am in the process of getting a under deck pelagic auto pilot. Have to build a tiller arm, they do not seem to be an over counter purchase and was hoping someone has done the same,where it came from and size. I have found edsonmarine and jefa. I will do my own measure of the tiller post diameter but would be nice for confidence to hear other tiller Arm builds. Did you mount it facing forward or to stern over the quadrant. How did you handle the angle of the rudder post and ram mounting. Pictures would be great to see where ram was mounted also

thanks for any info
jeff

 

[Loren Beach]

HI Jeff,
From the picture in your avatar you might own a 35-2, so to make it easier for others to help you, please do put some boat/engine/sailing area info into your sig line.
Looking at your pix, it appears that your boat has enough rudder post available to attach a tiller arm to for an AP drive. I know that there are photos here (somewhere) of drive mountings for other similar-size Ericson's, but not so sure about yours.
Hopefully some other owners will be checking in.
Good luck!

edit: corrected thread title to make searching more productive.

 

[Ffejs]

Shes a 1979 E35. Somehow I came up with version 1 of the 35, i stand corrected. I will search for those pics.
thanks

 

[Navman]

Edson makes a tiller arm to your exact spec's. Once you remove the spacer, drilling the shaft for the tiller arm through bolt is the hard part. Lots of oil and a new, sharp Kolbalt bit. It's not easy working in that confined space with a drill and 6" bit. I mounted my arm so the ram would push fore and aft so the arm is perpendicular to the centerline of the boat. The last photo shows the ram mounting platform I installed on the stringers, by screwing and glassing in the tapered supports and finished the deck with 9 laminate ply with a SS plate as a finished surface. Work great and is easy to access for any needed maintenance by lifting up the helm seat.

 

[Ffejs]

Navman,
Just got my edson tiller arm and see that you have the recomended bolt going through the tiller post. Did you actually drill through your tiller post,?!?! If so did you continue the hole on the other side of clamshell and tap to take the provided bolt and how fun was all this to do?

 

[Navman]

I don't believe there is any other way to attach the arm to the rudder post other than to drill through. As you can see in photo 1, the through bolt is provided. I drilled from one side through to the other. I bought a long (8")Tungsten bit from McMaster Carr. I should have bought two. I did drill right through the tiller arm and attached the nut from in between the top and bottom flanges (see photo 3) as the area as "hollowed" out. Use lubricant and find the right speed where it cuts the metal and doesn't just spin around generating heat. Took over an hour to drill with as much pressure as I could leverage onto it. I can take a photo of the nut when I go down this weekend. Just have to remember to do it! GOOD LUCK!!!!! ~~_/) ~~

 

[Navman]

Correction, 6" KOBALT drill bit.

 

[Navman]

Hate to keep coming back with more info but thought this might be helpful. I raised the rudder blade up and blocked it. This will help minimize rudder slop in the future. I then bolted on the tiller arm where I wanted it, perpendicular to the centerline. Establishing a centerline can be challenging. I used string line and put in at the center of the mast and shot through the engine compartment. Engine stuff was in the way so I did a 6" offset which worked. The string line was replaced with a wooden stick to which I placed a framing square and came up with the tiller arms perpendicular attitude. Then I drilled through with the tiller arm in place. The pre-bored hole helped keep the bit aligned. Drilling through the second wall of the rudder post was hard as the drill bolt has room to "drift". Once the bit finally gets a bite though you are good and just have to persevere with the drilling. It will (eventually) go through.

 

[Ffejs]

I would have thought the pinch pressure of the pinch bolts on the clamshell whould be enough. Next step to thread the existing hole edson give you so you may thread another pressure point onto the tiller post. Feels like drilling hole through the tiller post will be a failure point in the future. But if thats what all the below deck auto pilots require i must do it.
Thanks for the help.