Rudder Post Wobble

[kapnkd]

After properly (tightly) securing the four upper Rudder Bearing Plate screws by adding a 1/2" aluminum plate to the underside of the cockpit sole of our '73 E-32, we still noticed a wobble in the rudder post itself.

After 48 years the upper bearing plate had worn from side to side creating about 1/8 inch play on each side. We dropped the rudder and found about 1/16" of play in the lower rudder tube bearing sides as well.




Our solution was to first hone both the top and bottom bearing surfaces round again (above) as well as insure the rudder post itself was perfectly round using a pipe polishing/sander (below).


We (I say "we" but it was my son who did ALL of this) Mixed up West System epoxy adding #423 graphite powder per West's recommendations.


Both top and bottom bearing tubes insides were coated and the rudder post reinserted after coating it WELL with a mold release agent (LOTS OF IT!!). Before the graphite filler epoxy cured completely, the rudder was removed...which shook the whole boat getting it free.

After fully curing, the rudder tubes were slightly re-honed to a smoother finish being careful to maintain the new tighter tolerances created by the graphite filler epoxy.

Using our old axiom of "While we are at it" - we also used left over epoxy to fill in and repair areas above and around the rudder and skeg area.

The rudder is now back in place and the fit is PERFECT!! We greased it really well using generous amounts of Lucas "Red & Tacky" lube as a water sealant and friction reducer.

TIME TO BOTTOM PAINT ...AND LAUNCH!!!

 

[Dave G.]

Very nice job indeed. That should last another 30 yrs at least !

 

[kapnkd]

Very nice job indeed. That should last another 30 yrs at least !

Thanks! ...Besides being an engineer, my son is a bit of a perfectionist as well. We first talked about metal sleeving it as is done with engine block cylinders but that seemed like a monstrous and impossible task.

He spoke with West Systems and the epoxy/filler combination they recommended should be plenty hard and durable to last for many years.

...We think the excessive wear was mostly due to exaggerated play in the top plate from the four screws loosening under lateral loads and then water seepage in making the wood underneath then impossible to ever get a good tight fit. The 1/2” aluminum plate underneath goes almost from the fuel fill to back by the bridge deck and is held by multiple through deck nuts & bolts. ...That upper plate hasn’t budged a fraction at all now!!


(The cockpit sole was covered with EvaTeak so the countersunk screws don’t show.)

 

[Christian Williams]

exaggerated play in the top plate from the four screws loosening under lateral loads

This is an underappreciated inspection for most of us, since the play is not visible from the cockpit. A simple test is to try to turn the screws in the top plate. If they do turn, that means the nuts underneath are loose, and a dive under to tighten them is required.

Superb fix.

 

[kapnkd]

exaggerated play in the top plate from the four screws loosening under lateral loads

This is an underappreciated inspection for most of us, since the play is not visible from the cockpit. A simple test is to try to turn the screws in the top plate. If they do turn, that means the nuts underneath are loose, and a dive under to tighten them is required.

Superb fix.

A “Dive Under” is an accurate description of getting to those four nuts for sure Christian.

“While we were at it” when the fuel tank was out for a cleaning is when we had better access to everything we did. In spite of that, we still encountered many “boat bites” from having to reach into awkward to get to areas. (Mainly under our bridge deck.)

 

[cdh4088]

Looking again at my worn out lower bushing, I doubt that I can drive it out for replacement without damaging the tube and the hull around it. I just ordered the west system graphite and will go this route instead.
Is there a specific mixture ratio that you used for this? I havent used the graphite before and I would like to get it right the first time.
Also your steering quadrant is completely different than mine, which surprises me since our boats are only a few years apart. Did Ericson spec different steering equipment during the same production run? Mine is one piece metal frame that bolts to the underside of the cockpit floor, and the "steering arm" that bolts to the rudder stock faces aft. Completely different.

 

[kapnkd]

Looking again at my worn out lower bushing, I doubt that I can drive it out for replacement without damaging the tube and the hull around it. I just ordered the west system graphite and will go this route instead.
Is there a specific mixture ratio that you used for this? I havent used the graphite before and I would like to get it right the first time.
Also your steering quadrant is completely different than mine, which surprises me since our boats are only a few years apart. Did Ericson spec different steering equipment during the same production run? Mine is one piece metal frame that bolts to the underside of the cockpit floor, and the "steering arm" that bolts to the rudder stock faces aft. Completely different.

I’m going to be racing with my son Sunday and will ask him for you about the mixing ratio he used and anything else he feels you need to know/do.

Our pulleys have steel pieces glassed into the hull, attached plate and a crossbar connecting the two. My guess is they had issues occurring with this design and made changes on your model year?? (Good question for Martin King to ask his dad about.)

 

[Loren Beach]

Also your steering quadrant is completely different than mine, which surprises me since our boats are only a few years apart. Did Ericson spec different steering equipment during the same production run? Mine is one piece metal frame that bolts to the underside of the cockpit floor, and the "

There is an older thread here about the rudder "stops" in the YS wheel steering systems. From some photos posted it shows that the whole aluminum casting was changed several times by the supplier, Yacht Services, later Merriman Yacht Services. I suspect either the engineering evolved from the 70's to the 80's, or there were different designs for different sizes of boat. Likely, it was both.
Yacht Services was supplying these parts to a large number of builders, not just EY.

And Ericson, foreseeing changes in the market, started using a compact version of this hardware in their redesigned cockpit in the E-27, in the 70's. Fortunately for the owners, then and now, Ericson kept designing and building boats with a total commitment to sailing performance, and then only adding marketing tools like wheel steering to expand on their basic market.

 

[Mark David]

I’m going to be racing with my son Sunday and will ask him for you about the mixing ratio he used and anything else he feels you need to know/do.

any additional information from that race back in August? Thanks!

 

[kapnkd]

any additional information from that race back in August? Thanks!

Hi Mark,

I texted him just now and he is writing an article on the complete process. I explained to him you’ve been waiting since August for more info. (I’ll keep reminding him going forward for you.)