h27 steering maintenance

[amcmahon]

OK, so yesterday I openned up the rudder packing gland and literally dug out the old packing and after careful cleaning, repacked with new flax. Will take out and test for leaks today, but no real problems. (Pic 2. shows packing gland that I had tried to seal temporarilly with silacone - not a good idea.) In a few months, I plan to pull the boat for its 3 year bottom paint. I also plan to remove the rudder and replace the rudder hose, just below the packing gland (see photo). The one area I still don't understand is what it will take to remove the steering radius wheel. It appears to be made of 2 halves held together by 4 ss bolts. There are 2 questions I need help on. First is there any sort of sealant or adhesive helping to hold the two halves together as they squeeze the rudder shaft? Will they separate easilly after removing the cables and 4 bolts? and second, there is a round hold on the side of the hub of the radius wheel, is/was there a set pin or bolt in this hole? See the photo, I can't determine what was in there. This wheel looks really fragile and I am concerned about breaking it. Thanks for any help. Tony

 

[kloudie1]

Two bolts on the edges (may be one in a partial wheel like yours), two bolts in the hub.. Those are stainless in aluminum so they are going to be a real booger to get out unless someone put an anti-seize on 'em last time they were out.. Once those are out, the wheel is two halves, squeezes the rudder post and there should be no sealant under the hub. There is normally an anti rotation pin or thru-bolt that goes through the hub hole into the rudder shaft and out the other side with a nut on the end.

 

[amcmahon]

Thing is, there is no nut or hole or anything on the opposite side of the hub. If it was a bolt, the head is gone. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! If I break one of those bolts while trying to remove, I'll create a nightmare. The 30 year old rubber hose which is the target of my work here is not leaking and is in a dark, temperature stable part of the boat, so degradation is likely to be slow. Should I leave alone???

 

[Paul F]

It's your boat, you have to determine if the hose needs to be replaced. The shaft it is protecting is above the water line at rest. It is only when moving that it may be underwater. Then likely only a slow leak will occur. It is a lot of trouble to replace as the wheel must come off along with dropping the rudder. Doing a routine check for leaks maybe a better option than replacing it at this time.

 

[Nelsonhow]

In addition to the as bolts that hold the halves of the radial quadrant together there is supposed to be a bolt that goes thought the hub of the quadrant and the through the rudder shaft to "pin" the quadrant to to shaft.