Bavaria ocean 38, stiff steering

[sy_imagine]

Good morning, on my Bavaria Ocean 38 is the steering getting stiffer and stiffer. I already grease the chain comming from the wheel in the engine compartment but there was after that not a real improvement. Any other ideas what can I do in the water bevor thinking of replacement of bearings? Thank you

[geoff]

If it is the same system as the 40 ocean , then under the emergency steering point is the upper bearing adjuster plate . It is a screwed collar with two holes and a machine screw through the outer part to lock it. On my boat the locking screw loosened and the plate slackened off allowing the rudder steering quadrant to rub on the fixed steering gear,lots of friction. I gently jacked up the quadrant and retightened the collar then the locking screw with locktight. End of stiffness. Geoff

[sy_imagine]

Thank you Geoff, I could not discover any issues with this subject you described.

[geoff]

In your picture the place where my system rubbed is behind the rudder shaft where the quadrant passes between the cable guide arms. Geoff

[Yngmar]

Looks similar to ours (40 Ocean), except our quandrant is mounted flipped upside down compared to yours, and we don't have those spacer tubes at the cable end fittings. And a feather key instead of a bolt. On ours the stiffness was from the lower rudder bearing and it needed replacing along with some corrosion repair on the bearing housing.

If you disconnect the two cables from the quadrant, you can isolate if the problem is on the rudder/quadrant/shaft/bearing side or on the wheel/cables side (stick in your emergency tiller to move the rudder - it should turn easily).

In your photo hidden behind the rudder post is a bolt in the center of the mounting frame that goes through the slot in the quadrant. Check if that bolt is rubbing against the quadrant. As the top washer wears from use, the rudder can hang a few mm lower and rub on the bottom of the frame or on that bolt. Either replacing the top washer or moving the quadrant up a small bit will resolve this. So stick your head in there and have someone else slowly turn the rudder while you observe

[geoff]

If you have an autopilot with a rotary drive the clutch may be dragging. Geoff

[sy_imagine]

I discovered that I can't move the ruder with the emergency tiller. After I disconnected the two cables from the quadrant it turns much easier but still with some resistance (it is difficult to say, maybe it is the usual way).
The quadrant is very close to the bottom of the frame but I can't hear anything, when I move the rudder, so I'm not sure if the quadrant is rubbing on it (see picture).
I've got also the suggestion to put oil into the cables (just any oil, motor oil f.e.). I also thought of putting WD40 between quadrant and frame.

[Yngmar]

If the quadrant is rubbing on the bottom of the frame, it will have taken the black paint off the quadrant. Can't see from your photo as it's too dark. Get some light in there!

You definitely do not want to pour engine oil into the steering cable conduits. The Lewmar recommendation is PTFE grease, I've had good success with Super-Lube, which is a silicone grease with PTFE and sure not to attack the plastic of the conduit (unlike motor oil or WD-40).

The quadrant shouldn't be touching the frame, so there is no need to grease there - if it is rubbing, adjust quadrant height (top nut/washer or quadrant height) until it's not touching anymore.

As it sounds like your rudder is at least somewhat difficult to move without the cables connected, you'll have to investigate that direction. Some people on here had success with pouring vegetable oils down the rudder tube to lubricate the bottom bearing

[paulemeier1]

i just had installed new Rudder bearings up and down.
both jefe roller bearings.
i can confirm that there is absolut no resistant with new bearings.
up into the water ein kann lay rudder to port, give an impact in the direction of starboard and it will roll total till STB.
And that is with installed Wheel and AP.
Bevor it was stiff with deinstalled wheel an AP.
I Have bought this ship 10 years ago, the rudder was stiff all the time. So now I head to learn to have totally new ship. No possiblyti to take hands of rudder between I drive backwards