rudder feels stiff

[tony from dorset]

bav 36 rudder feels stiff this year was fine last year, suppose its the old usual nylon bearing thing on rudder
Can  idrop the rudder clean it and refit or am i liable to damage the old nylon bearing when removing the rudder, trying to avoid £230 odd quid for new nylon bearing, failing that is there a cheaper supplier to supply these nylon inserts so called bearings.
Anybody stripped and refitted the old one.

Regards Tony

[nornie lees]

Hi Tony, lots on this search rudder bearings, i read a tip about poring oil down. So when i had similar problem did just that and bingo, sorted! i loosened the clips around shaft rubber sleeve  and used sewing machine type oil (very thin).

good luck.

[tony from dorset]

hi  i will give that a try its an easy option,  does it have far to travel down as i think the first bearing is ok its the lower bearing i need to get to.

[MIA]

Tony
I had this problem last year and I poured 3in1 oil down the outside of the shaft and worked the wheel and it loosened off to a workable level, but I could move the rudder when I used the emergency tiller. I lifted the boat out in Feb and dropped the rudder out and removed the bearing and discovered the bearing housing had corrosion on it. used a brass wire brush with a battery drill and cleaned all the corrosion off, cleaned the nylon bearing with fine wet and dry. I used WD40 dry grease and sprayed inside the housing and inserted the bearing. Replaced the rudder shaft and everything is operating very smoothly, wheel spins excellently. The tiller operates freely as well.

Stevie

[tony from dorset]

hi Mia  when you droped the rudder was it dificult to remove, i assume i have to disconnect auto pilot and rubber gator how easy was it to drop the rudder did it take much persuation to remove

regards Tony

[MIA]

Tony

When I had the boat on the cradle you couldn't move the rubber by hand,even after the autopilot and steering mechanism were removed. I put two wooden wedges at either side of the top of the rudder (stern to bow direction)and chapped them in until it dropped slightly didn't take much hitting, go easy there as you using the hull to prise the top of rudder, I didn't take the top fastening nut off completely just slackened it left about 3 turns of thread, this is to stop the rudder dropping and hitting the concrete surface, I also built wood up (scaffold board cuttings) to about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the rudder to prevent and drop after I removed the top fastening nut. The gator sleeve inside the transom was just loosened with the jubilee clip. I had a 3 foot length of brass bar about 30mm diameter and remove the wood below the rudder at 2 inches at a time and knocked the to of the shaft down, two good hit was enough and the rudder was completely free. Theres a good weight in the complete rudder and shaft so be ready for it, the boat was then raised until clear.

If you require any more info just let me know

Stevie

[nornie lees]

When removing the rudder, just hang a builders 1ton type sand bag underneath supported with rope around the winches to support it, and its easy to lower down to the hard.

rgds Ray

[MarkTheBike]

Ray

That is a really good idea - just done my bearing, why didn't I think of that. 10/10

Mark

[stardust]

Just had needle bearings fitted to my BAV38. quite a difference. The bearings are from Jefa Marine ,Denmark www.jefa.com