Just had my '83 h34 hauled, removed the rudder and I'd like to replace the bushing while it's apart. Called Hunter and they have no parts, no prints, no clue. Anyone ever changed one of these? Appears to be nylon. I suspect I may break it during removal and I'd sure like to have a new one in my hand before I try that. Barry
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Clyde Lichtenwalner
Where is it?
Where is this bushing? I have never been present when my rudder has been removed, and I have no idea how much play is acceptable. Mine has a little play, but it is nothing that ever alarmed me. I notice a seal(?) of some sort at the top of the rudder tube. Is it beneath that seal? Sorry I can't help, but inquiring minds want to know.
Where is this bushing? I have never been present when my rudder has been removed, and I have no idea how much play is acceptable. Mine has a little play, but it is nothing that ever alarmed me. I notice a seal(?) of some sort at the top of the rudder tube. Is it beneath that seal? Sorry I can't help, but inquiring minds want to know.
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Barry Olsen
Clyde, it's at the botttom of the rudder tube
I'm told they used epoxy to hold this bushing in the tube. Since it's apart I wanted to tighten up the free play. Heard of other using teflon sheet as shimming material but only with fiberglass tubes, not with this type of bushing. Having one made will be hard if I destroy the old one during removal. Barry
I'm told they used epoxy to hold this bushing in the tube. Since it's apart I wanted to tighten up the free play. Heard of other using teflon sheet as shimming material but only with fiberglass tubes, not with this type of bushing. Having one made will be hard if I destroy the old one during removal. Barry
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PJ
Did Mine Last Year
On a H34, 84. The Nylon yellow or cream colored bushing at the top of the rudder post is found in the cammel hump lazzerette. That bushing is usually not worn and is rarely a problem to remove. Just a bolt through the rudder post and then the second bushing beneath the top one is easy to get at as it is bolted to the cockpit sole that extends into the, and is, the floor of the lazzerette. What is probably worn is the lower bushing. The lower bushing takes all the pressure/stress as you heel and steer the boat. Go into the aft cabin, remove the cushions to get at the bottom of the rudder post tube. As it comes up from the hull it narrows down and then maintains its smaller diameter all the way up to the top. At the bottom where it is the widest is the point where there is some kind of bushing. Hunter has no idea what was installed in this location. It is not any kind of bearing assembly. Hunter nor most manufacturers do not spend the $$ for true bearings. So you have a choice of tearing open the rudder tube, take out whatever is in there, (it is fiberglassed into poition) then figure out what it is & see if you can find a replacement. Then try to fiberglass a new nylon collar or whatever into the exact same position. And it must be or your upper bearing will wear uneven and/or your rudder may now be out of alignment for/aft and/or port/starboard. Then reassemble the rudder post tube and glass it in. OR Call West System the Epoxy people and ask for their fact sheet on recreating a lower rudder post bearing using their epoxy. After you get the fact sheet, read it over so you understand what it is all about, then call the West people and talk to someone in the tech department and he will explain some tricks of the trade that are not in the literature. My crew helped lower the rudder down but not out as the boat was on its cradle and there was not enough room to totally drop it out. We did that on a Saturday AM, I prepped the post, tube, etc. mixed and poured in the epoxy late in the afternoon. It set up by Sunday noon (note temperature range and timing), 'broke' it loose about Sunday noon, & the crew showed up to lift the rudder back into poition while I affixed the collars at the top of the shaft. Best, cheapest way to fix a loose rudder post. Need more info, e-mail me with a phone # & we'll talk. Good luck, Paul
On a H34, 84. The Nylon yellow or cream colored bushing at the top of the rudder post is found in the cammel hump lazzerette. That bushing is usually not worn and is rarely a problem to remove. Just a bolt through the rudder post and then the second bushing beneath the top one is easy to get at as it is bolted to the cockpit sole that extends into the, and is, the floor of the lazzerette. What is probably worn is the lower bushing. The lower bushing takes all the pressure/stress as you heel and steer the boat. Go into the aft cabin, remove the cushions to get at the bottom of the rudder post tube. As it comes up from the hull it narrows down and then maintains its smaller diameter all the way up to the top. At the bottom where it is the widest is the point where there is some kind of bushing. Hunter has no idea what was installed in this location. It is not any kind of bearing assembly. Hunter nor most manufacturers do not spend the $$ for true bearings. So you have a choice of tearing open the rudder tube, take out whatever is in there, (it is fiberglassed into poition) then figure out what it is & see if you can find a replacement. Then try to fiberglass a new nylon collar or whatever into the exact same position. And it must be or your upper bearing will wear uneven and/or your rudder may now be out of alignment for/aft and/or port/starboard. Then reassemble the rudder post tube and glass it in. OR Call West System the Epoxy people and ask for their fact sheet on recreating a lower rudder post bearing using their epoxy. After you get the fact sheet, read it over so you understand what it is all about, then call the West people and talk to someone in the tech department and he will explain some tricks of the trade that are not in the literature. My crew helped lower the rudder down but not out as the boat was on its cradle and there was not enough room to totally drop it out. We did that on a Saturday AM, I prepped the post, tube, etc. mixed and poured in the epoxy late in the afternoon. It set up by Sunday noon (note temperature range and timing), 'broke' it loose about Sunday noon, & the crew showed up to lift the rudder back into poition while I affixed the collars at the top of the shaft. Best, cheapest way to fix a loose rudder post. Need more info, e-mail me with a phone # & we'll talk. Good luck, Paul
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Capt Bob Russo AMS
Rudder Bushing
The rudder busings are really a Teflon/nylon type of bushing for the rudder to ride on - not much more, I suspect you'll have fabricate one locally
The rudder busings are really a Teflon/nylon type of bushing for the rudder to ride on - not much more, I suspect you'll have fabricate one locally
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Don Alexander
Nylon in Wet Locations
If proposing to make a lower rudder bearing from Nylon beware as it absorbs 2% water and so will expand by this amount and seize your rudder a week or so after installation. Either make allowance for this - not good as the bearing may be wet some times or dry others. Better to use an impervious material like PET - this is what the large coke bottles are made from.
If proposing to make a lower rudder bearing from Nylon beware as it absorbs 2% water and so will expand by this amount and seize your rudder a week or so after installation. Either make allowance for this - not good as the bearing may be wet some times or dry others. Better to use an impervious material like PET - this is what the large coke bottles are made from.
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