SS corrosion ?

Sven

Sven

Seglare
Looking through the pictures from last weekend I found some that show corrosion in the steering linkage.

It is a major effort to get in there (I held the camera at arm's length and shot in the blind) so I don't want to dive in there right away unless it is necessary.

It looks to me like there might be two cracks in the threaded part and they are seeping rust due to crevice corrosion ?

Thoughts ?


-Sven
 

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E

Emerald

Moderator
I wouldn't mess around with those. I had a large SS lag bolt break off threading it in by hand into a stringer, and it didn't even begin to look that bad. Glyn passed on to me a neat upgrade on the orginal eyes, and a way to preserve your cable ends (assuming your cables are OK - I'd check it all while you're in there). Instead of the original eyes, go to a toggle t-bolt like this:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|118|297400|312090&id=212794

and install them like so:
 

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u079721

u079721

Contributing Partner
Not so sure about the crevice corrosion cause, as that normally happens in the absence of oxygen - which should not be a problem here. But unless I could convince myself that the visible rust came from something above that eye bolt dripping down on it, then yes, I would bite the bullet and replace the eye bolt ASAP. And while you are at it, I would replace both.
 
treilley

treilley

Sustaining Partner
That is a relatively easy fix. those are machine screw eyebolts that are held in place with nuts(one on each side). Although I would add another to lock the one in the picture. You can probably buy these at McMaster. The cable is clearly secured with a cable clamp which are very easy to use. Your biggest challenge will be getting in there to do the work.
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Crevice corrosion.

Sven, David said it all, almost. One of the two 3/8” stainless steel eyes that fasten to the steering quadrant broke as a result of granular corrosion in the weld. I tested the other one and it virtually fell apart in my hands. I might add that there was no outward sign of corrosion whatsoever on the weldments of either eye. I was faced with replacing the entire cable because the eyes on the cable were swaged through the welded stainless eyes. I got around this by buying two C. Sherman Johnson Co. (Johnson Marine) turnbuckle jaws. A turnbuckle jaw is the threaded half of the turnbuckle that fastens to a chainplate or shroud. The 3/8”-24 R.H. threaded jaw, P/N 33-609 and two fine thread stainless steel standard nuts fit perfectly, replacing the old eyes. This fix obviated my having to replace the entire cable.
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Crevice corrosion: Oops, hit the send button too soon.

Sven, Anyhow I had no idea the eyes were no good in our 1979 E31 until applying a screwdriver to an eye to counter the tightening of a jam nut. The eye fell off into my hands as if the eye was soldered, not welded. I realize that you have an access problem with your quadrant but I would HIGHLY suggest checking those eyes by whatever means. Is it possible to fit a deck plate or small hatch adjacent to the quadrant such as to allow you access in there? The beauty of the turnbuckle jaws, available at West Marine, is that if they fail, it's a simple matter of pulling the clevis pin, etc and replacing it with another. I'd be tempted to move that one up near the top of the to do list, Glyn
 
Sven

Sven

Seglare
Thanks, you convinced me :-(

Since we're pretty much dock bound anyway, I'll try to replace them next weekend when the local Icon (Port Supply vendor) is open.

I was about to ask if our pedestal base was mounted backwards because it has the emergency tiller access port facing aft (as would the emergency tiller) but I'd rather not find out the hard way and I'll make that a separate topic :)


Thanks !



-Sven
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Replacing steering eyes.

Sven, The biggest problem I had was holding the broken eye(s) with a pair of vice-grips in one hand and a hack saw in the other. You have the advantage of the eye(s) still remaining intact and can therefore cut through them using only your sawing hand. Glyn
 
E

Emerald

Moderator
Glyn/Sven,

as Tim pointed out, there are cable clamps on Sven's cables. If you can get a wrench/socket on the cable clamps, they're not frozen etc., it should be easy to get it apart. The fun might be bending the cable back around the thimble and getting the clamps back on with everything nice and snug around the thimble. Can you get both hands to clamps at the same time?
 
Sven

Sven

Seglare
Glyn,

Rather than trying to fit a cockpit sole access plate I think I'll try removing the plywood "bulkhead" that separates the aft lazarette from the rest of the under-sole area. This is the same "bulkhead" I was going to temporarily remove to get the huge old autopilot drive out and also to gain quadrant access for the Cape Horn installation. I think I'll take your idea and see about making it a more easily removable bulkhead for future access, rather than a bulkhead that has to be disassembled. Even with that removed it will be a contortionists dream to probably lie head-down with feet sticking out of the aft lazarette to get at everything (how come there is no upside-down smiley ?).



-Sven
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Where's the upside down smiley?

Sven, There is an upside down smiley, you'll see it on Nancy's face when SHE gets elected to squirm in back there to remove the old auto pilot and replace the eye bolts and looks back at you in delight. Heck, with her in the mood, have her first remove the bulkhead too. Glyn
 
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