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E38-200 Rudder removal / bushing replacement

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
When you drop the rudder you will see two shiny (hopefully) stainless areas on the rudder post. One at the top and one at the bottom. Inside the rudder tube are 2 bronze bearings (bushings really) one at the top and bootom that coorespond to the shiny areas on the rudder post. I wrapped the shim stock around the rudder post at the lower bearing area. When I measured my rudder the upper bearing was not out of spec very much. If your upper bearing is out of spec by a lot say 3/16"-1/4" you will want to address that. I am not sure how easily it would be to get shim stock into that upper bearing but I suppose it could be done. Another option is to try and replace the bronze bushings inside the rudder tube but that would require some surgery and is not a job for the weekend warrior. Hopefully you will find what I found and it will be your lower bearing that is out. You need to drop the rudder and see what you got.
 

Brookelise

Member II
Shim stock for rudder

Thanks for all your help, Ted. It looks like the owner of an Ericson 28 at a neighboring job will be doing the same job on his rudder, too. We might be able to share a roll of bronze shim stock. And speaking of E28s, another owner of one, at our yard, fixed the play in his rudder a few years ago with plastic from a milk container. He's a very capable mechanic, and he said the fix worked great and continues to hold. Nevertheless, we'll shell out for the bronze shim stock.

-- Brooke
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
You can shim out the play with just about any material. I was initially thinking I would use delrin but when I saw the bushing was bronze and that was what had worn away I figured I would just put some new bronze in there... McMaster will sell you a 6' piece which should do a few rudders. If you have to go around more than once to get the thickness dont just wrap it. Make separate pieces that only go around once. Good luck.
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
FWIW, the milk jug trick works great for many types of slippery shims. A more "professional" solution is sheets of UHMW polyethylene plastic. Very slick stuff. I think Teflon/PTFE is also available in sheet form. McMaster is a great source for stuff like this. I like the idea of plastic as it is completely corrosion proof and self lubricating. RT
 

Brookelise

Member II
Teflon PTFE

The thinnest Teflon PTFE stock that McMaster lists at the Web site is 1/32", but they do sell it as thin as .01, according to what they said on the phone (stock no. 8569K18). Like the bronze shim stock, that's in a 6-inch roll. Ted used bronze shim stock that was stock no. 9020K43, and that's .01. Anyway, we'll measure the rudder post and lower bearing and go from there. Maybe we will use Teflon.

-- Brooke
 

stbdtack

Member III
I replaced my lower bushing with UHMW. REsleeved the upper bushing in bronze.
After 2 years seems to be holding up well, no slop at all.
 

Attachments

  • rudder bushing.jpg
    rudder bushing.jpg
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stbdtack

Member III
Was pretty easy. Upper bearing holder comes off with 4 bolts. Lower bearing is held in place with a couple of set screws in the rudder tube. Once these were out I just used a heavy piece of pipe and big hammer to pound it down from the top. Be careful to pound evenly around the bearing. It slid out after some very firm tapping.
 

Ralph Hewitt

Member III
Rudder Bearing for E 38-200

Jorge,
In reading your post I realized that you must have a different boat. I looked and see you have an E-32. I dont have any of the symptoms you mention. The stuffing box packing does need replacing but my rudder does not have the 4 bearing surfaces your seems to have. I just have an upper and a lower bearing. Both are bronze about 3/16 thick and maybe 4 inches long. They are glued (?) to the inside of the shaft tube. One at the bottom and one near the top. I measured both with a caliper and found the bottom one to be about .25" out. I have ordered bronze shim stock from mcmaster carr (awesome site) in the .10" size. This will leave me with .05" clearance which with grease should work nicely. I will be regreasing all of the Edson gear and possibly replacing the cables too. I 'll try a take some photos next time I'm at the boat. I was considering the delrin route myself until I discussed with a buddy in the business. His shop and all others he has seen use bronze shim stock in these applications. The rudder post is stainless and the bearing bronze so it made sense to me. He did mention that on newer boats with actual nylon or delrin bearings they remove and replace. Something that could be done in this case but it looks like a PITA to get the old bushing out without buggering up the shaft log. I guess you would remove it like an old cutlass bearing by carefully cutting it and collapsing it in, but I dont think I'm ready to go that far...
What size is the rudder post?
 
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