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Rudder Post Shims

adavid

Member II
I just purchased a 1986 Ericson 28. I think that I am going to need to add shims to the rudder post, but I am not sure of the procedure. How do I know that this is needed? I can feel the rudder clunking from side to side in wind and waves. Also when sailing downwind in breeze there is lots of pressure on the wheel, and it is rough when turning. I have lubed the chain in the pedastal, and lubed the turning blocks under the cockpit sole, along with greasing the 1 zerk fitting the rudder post. Also, when the boat was out of the water I could move it side to side easily without actually turning the rudder. It moved about a half-inch in each direction. I asked the surveyor about that, and he said they are all like that. But I did not really believe him.

What is involved in dropping the rudder and adding the shims?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Andy<!-- / message -->
 

Greg Ross

Not the newest member
Shimming/ Re-bushing the Rudder

Not quite sure what configuration the rudder on the Ericson 28 takes but it sonds like my experience on my Ericson I-31. The Independence 31 has a transom hung rudder with a pintle near the top of the transom and a gudgeon at the bottom. "Clunk" was the complaint so I lifted the rudder last month before launch and found;
The pin in the bottom of the rudder blade was worn to an oval shape,
The hole in the gudgeon was also ovaled out.
The minimum dimension I measured on the rudder pin was .950 inch.
The maximum dimension I guessed in the Gudgeon was something around 1-1/8" There was a lip left at the opening of the hole so it was a guess only.
Started by taking a file to the pin on the rudder. Used the caliper as the go-no go guage set at .950 inch and filed away at the pin until I had it restored to round.
The Gudgeon was another matter. I figured first I would order a set of hole saws, 1", 1-1/16", 1-1/8" and 1-3/16" so I would progressively drill the opening out until I got 100% cleanup. The fellow I contacted to supply these said he would have to order them in. I couldn't wait so I bought a good quality 1-1/8" hole saw and went at it. With no pilot to guide the cutter it danced around quite a bit until I got it started in. The I-31 has a bit of a skeg and a half round recess the leading edge of the rudder runs in. Using that as my guide I drilled down to the bottom of the existing (original 1") hole.
Initial plan was to get a bushing machined to suit whatever "oversize" I ended up with. Once the hole was drilled I went to the barn in search of bushing candidate material. First thing I spied was black PVC water hose. Took a couple of pieces of that out to the boat and trial fitted an end. Felt like it was going to be a nice interference fit.
Squared off an end, trimmed/ cut the burr off around the OD to give it a chance of sliding in. Cut a piece about 2" long and hammered it in, cut it off flush with the top of the gudgeon and trial fitted the rudder. Still just a minor bit of movement so lifted the rudder back out, went and got an icecream container. Cut a 1" wide ribbon and fitted it in the bore. Dropped the rudder back in and had what I considered a perfect fit.
At the end of the season, if theres' not huge slop again I will find some teflon sheet to replace the softer plastic I used for the final fit bushing.
Logic told me the PVC material would be easy to remove if necessary and the longer wearing teflon directly in contact with the rudder pin should be a good fix.
This is a DIY fix instead of having a machinist set up to do this.
 

adavid

Member II
Thanks for the info. The E-28, however, is an inboard rudder, so a completely different configuration.

Andy
 

jkenan

Member III
Andy-

I've got an E29 which also has an inboard rudder. If yours is like mine, you have two bronze rudder post bushings, one at the top of the rudder tube just under the bronze plate where the quadrant sits, and one at the bottom of the tube at the hull. The post OD is 2.375" as are the ID of each bushing. For a 1986 boat, I think it would have to have seen an awful lot of use to wear down the lower bushing to allow 1/2" of slop. Mine is a 1977, and the rudder tube is very snug in the bushings (have to use a liberal amount of lithium grease to get it to slide in). Could a PO have swapped the original rudder on your boat trying to maximize performance, while unknowingly (ie, carelessly) installing a rudder tube of smaller diameter?

Regardless, I'm afraid your best method of inspection is to remove the rudder which necessitates removing the quadrant (which can be a whole thread on this board in and of itself) and then inspect both bushings and rudder post. Use calipers - determine if one or both bushings are oblong or inconsistent in size. If they are relatively perfect circles and of the same size, and the OD of your rudder post is smaller by say, oh, 1/2" and does not show any any significant scoring around areas that make contact with bushings, then you have an improperly sized rudder post.

Might be a project best done when the boat is out of the water. No real risk of sinking, but managing getting the rudder out, measuring bushings, ect, is much easier with the boat out of water, not to mention any repairs to bushings if they are necessary.

Let us know what you find.
 

Gary G

Member II
E28 Rudder Shims

Andy,

I have a 1983 E28+ and had shims put in over the winter to eliminate excessive play. I did not do the work myself but had the yard guys take care of it. They did not need to disturb the quadrant or wheel steering components at all. They simply dropped the rudder (with post attached) and installed the shims. Everything is now tight and no clunks. This was part of a bigger job involving strut work, cutlass bearing replacement, and some alignment work so I'm not sure what the cost just to do the rudder would be.

Gary
 

EGregerson

Member III
rudder shims

Hi Andy; I don't know what you have done so far; these posts are a little old. I replaced the shims on my 86 e28. I still have bronze shim stock left over if you would like some; i have 2 sizes (didn't know which to buy); The E28 was easy as it was tiller steering; my E34 with wheel steering was more complicated. had to loosen the steering apparatus; (loosen nuts to the end of the thread but don't remove them) ; remove 1/2" nut on bolt thru the rudder shaft. (be sure to support rudder from below). For the heavy feel in your steering; i found that lubing the needle bearings in the cylinder that supports the chain did the trick; there are 2 small holes for graphite grease. One on either side of the chain (assuming u have an edson wheel). I can spin the wheel with my pinky finger now. Good luck.

ps; the broker helped me do the E28; he suggested leaving a half inch or so of shim hanging out so the shim didn't work itself up into the log.
 
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