I am unable to free my rudder after a sand bar collision that pushed the rudder up to starboard...it slid down about two inches when the tiller was removed but will not drop free. I have exhausted many efforts at wedging but still no luck. Anyone?
The rudder shaft . Slides through a tube most likley brass tube.there are more than likely its . Debre whether broken up bushing , old globs of dried out grease. So these things make the rudder post bind. Atwell of not dropping straight down and not at an angle.
I'd pushing back up the two inche. See if you free up and of the items wedging rudder against the brass tube. Ivevjear of some owners will grease up rudder shaft while its hanging in the will the squirt tube fill with 5200? An epoxy filler.. .. in a couple days this material hardens creating a bushing...
Yiu may be dealing with this , is your issue.
I dropped my rudder recently csme right out . Well there was som sticking to the brass tube. Globs of old dried grease..
For my ericson 38 there is a bushing at the top. Just in the flange..and one bolt to secure it in place. Now I was very concerned about he 1/8 play on either side of my stainless steel rudder shaft... not to worry thats how it is designed. The design Allows water to enter keeping the rudder moving smoothly. Any and all play or jiggling is protected by the water that enters... now when this startedme being smarter than every one... I went and made a bushing for the bottom.. well had made... for the bottom of rudder shagt and bushing would sit on top of rudder ... then luke we do. I asked for a few more opinions. From a group standing there. All captains/owners who have dealt with this.. two out of the three said flat out. Take the lower bushing out...thereafter is the bushing .it never lnocks or bumps. Neber squirlly... theyvt9ldvmecwere I can read it on line. Sure enough.
So push i back upb2 inches. Squirt wd40 grease what evervyou can
Pull it down.
Get it out. Standoff stainless steel rudder shaft. Get a honing tool from Northern freight. Clean the tube.. and unless your specs call for it? One bushing at top.... dontvfill tube with 5200 or epoxy.. to create one long bushing
With that said..if yiu do pull yiur rudder down. And it is full of some sort of composite?. Id clean out the brass tube, sand the rudder seat to a nice bright shine. The just pushing it up intobtune. Check to see if yiu have 1/8 space or less between rudder shaft and tube wall.. ..yiu shold have your bushing up top of rudder..
Recommend clean itvus . Let the water be yiur lower bushing as it was designed.
I'm pretty sure any where on your rudder shaft that had something pressing against it for 20-30 years. Thats where you will see heavy erosion or rust forming.. same as I found on my shaft.. now myv38 ericson does not have a lower grease box.. this image is of my top bushing setting on ruddershaft just inside deck flange. Mind yiu bolt has not been set. Nor any steering cables. Rudder still on a car jack.
38 ericson
