Rudder Stock Spacer Movement

[Harry Brown]

Next on the agenda is there appears to be a lot of movement in the rudder spacer setup.
The rudder it self, will not move up and down at all, and there is hardly any play in the bearing.
Steering moves nice, not hard to turn, no play. All seems nice apart from this gap?
Any ideas how to cure and what is causing this?

Thank you again in advance.

[Impavidus]

Harry.

The rudder will try to float when your boats in the water. The spacer works like a thrust bearing as you steer and the rudder is pushed upwards.
If the steering is free and the gap not excessive I would leave well alone. If the rudder knocks in swells or running in a following sea you can adjust the free play or gap down to 0.75 - 0.50mm buy adjusting the upper rudder bearing at your emergency steering point. (5 inch round access cover above the top of the rudder towards the transom) To do this you will need to get some shims or feeler gauges between the spacer and the upper bearing that is bonded to the boat. Unscrew the access cover and release the 6mm countersunk machine screw in the outer ring of the bearing head.
Some of these are Torx head bolts or Allen bolts. I have even seen cross head bolts on some boats. This will release the tension in the split nut. The split nut can then be turned using a pin key (or two punches in to the holes and a big screw driver) do not over tighten!! Righty tighty lefty loosy!!  When the shims are just binding retighten the locking bolt (M6) remove the shims and check the free play/steering.

Hope this helps.

Ant     

[Harry Brown]

Thanks very much Ant,
Will I be OK to lift the rudder and support it and then tighten the nut?
The gap is about 6mm. Will the rudder in the new position (up 6mm), upset any of the mechanisms, seal, rigging etc?
I.e tightening should not impact anything else on the steering system?

Many thanks

[Impavidus]

Harry. Yes, you can lift the rudder with a bottle jack and some blocks. But keep the shims in place and keep checking the friction. It should be able to pull the shims out with your thumb and forefinger, just like doing tappet clearance on your car (if your old as me LOL) A scrap piece of metal at 0.50 - 0.75mm  is best, if you have not got metal most hobby shops do sheets or strips of plastic to make up the shims. It can take 2 or 3 goes to get it just right. BTW the bearings are made of a plastic that is hydroscopic ie. It absorbs water so eventually in time the bearing will start to bind on the rudder post. You will need to change the lower bearing then. Its an easy job but you will need a spade and strong armed youngster to did a hole under the rudder to get it out the hull. Best to wait for bob-a-job week. 
Hope this helps.

Ant 

[Harry Brown]

Great.
I know exactly what you mean. I've done tappets on my cars before so know what your getting at.
Would you happen to know why there are 2 different sized spacers in place?
Were these fitted originally to give a certain amount of thread protrusion?
I assume the rudder must have been removed before and not fitted correctly, hence the gap..
I'm just wondering if they are both needed and/or the correct size?

Cheers.

[Impavidus]

I have no idea why there are two spacers. Perhaps they have set sizes at he factory and use a combination to get the rudder to hull gap right? It could be to get the right thread length as you say...  My 2003/32 only had one, at one point in the 12 years we had her the lower rudder bearing had to be re bedded as it was turning in the hull. I got the setting method from Clipper who were quite helpful.

Ant