source for additional nylon spacer for rudder post
- Thread starter oldfauser
- Start date
tenders
Innocent Bystander
McMaster.com
This company is stunning not only for the incredible speed with which you can find arcane hardware but also for its amazing service, no minimum orders, and reasonable shipping costs.
If not the exact washer diameter, you might find rectangular nylon stock that you can easily cut to suit.
This company is stunning not only for the incredible speed with which you can find arcane hardware but also for its amazing service, no minimum orders, and reasonable shipping costs.
If not the exact washer diameter, you might find rectangular nylon stock that you can easily cut to suit.
tenders
Innocent Bystander
It isn't crazy, but I'd guess the PVC is much harder than the nylon and will grind down stuff it comes in contact with...like the hull, shaft, and rudder. What's the worst that could happen?
Tube with 3" ID - just cut a slice (lots of extra, but no further machining necessary):
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-nylon-hollow-tubing/=1coajhn
Sheet - buy a 6"x6" piece and use two sizes of hole saw.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#nylon/=1coakg1
Tube with 3" ID - just cut a slice (lots of extra, but no further machining necessary):
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-nylon-hollow-tubing/=1coajhn
Sheet - buy a 6"x6" piece and use two sizes of hole saw.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#nylon/=1coakg1
I think you want Delrin- https://www.mcmaster.com/#delrin-(made-with-acetal-resin)/=1cobqnn
I just did this with two hole saws and it worked perfectly. I put one shim between the rudder stuffing box and quadrant. This reduced the gap between hull and rudder, but moved the quadrant up even more (the stuffing box had been moved up higher when it had been re-glassed in place by a PO).
You might want to check to see how this wire angle would change with additional shims. In my case the shim has increased the misalignment between the quadrant and the steering sheaves, leading to the wire rubbing on the quadrant when the wheel is turned. I am going to live with this for now and grease the heck out of it. Eventually I may need to go with smaller sheaves, but that would probably require re-terminating the steering cables. I'll check for wear frequently.
I also understand that the factory originally put a shim between the rudder and hull. I tried this but it bound up and prevented the rudder from turning more than 45 degrees, so I removed it. I think the top of the rudder post hits the upper bearing cap so it should not ride up and contact the hull. Hopefully this will not cause too much binding when the boat is splashed and the rudder floats up. We'll see.
Good luck with the project.
I just did this with two hole saws and it worked perfectly. I put one shim between the rudder stuffing box and quadrant. This reduced the gap between hull and rudder, but moved the quadrant up even more (the stuffing box had been moved up higher when it had been re-glassed in place by a PO).
You might want to check to see how this wire angle would change with additional shims. In my case the shim has increased the misalignment between the quadrant and the steering sheaves, leading to the wire rubbing on the quadrant when the wheel is turned. I am going to live with this for now and grease the heck out of it. Eventually I may need to go with smaller sheaves, but that would probably require re-terminating the steering cables. I'll check for wear frequently.
I also understand that the factory originally put a shim between the rudder and hull. I tried this but it bound up and prevented the rudder from turning more than 45 degrees, so I removed it. I think the top of the rudder post hits the upper bearing cap so it should not ride up and contact the hull. Hopefully this will not cause too much binding when the boat is splashed and the rudder floats up. We'll see.
Good luck with the project.
Over the decades I have seen those Delrin discs between the top of the rudder blade and the hull on Ericson's and a host of other makes. If there has been little or no water intrusion into the rudder, most any spade rudder will float up against the hull and the slippery Delrin limits that rise, and then lets it rotate without friction against the hull surface.
BTW, helpful link to the McMaster-Carr page.
BTW, helpful link to the McMaster-Carr page.
oldfauser
Member III
thanks!!!!
Rudder spacer
Don't use PVC pipe, it is basically a hard outer shell with a foam core. It has lots of friction and a very small bearing surface.
Like other people have said, Delrin is the stuff to use. You can get whatever size you need from a local plastics supplier and fab it to fit, easy to work with and super durrable for marine applications. McMaster Carr is also a great source for lots of cool stuff.
Don't use PVC pipe, it is basically a hard outer shell with a foam core. It has lots of friction and a very small bearing surface.
Like other people have said, Delrin is the stuff to use. You can get whatever size you need from a local plastics supplier and fab it to fit, easy to work with and super durrable for marine applications. McMaster Carr is also a great source for lots of cool stuff.