O'Day 27 Steering Problem

[Terry Lee Sjoberg]

O'Day 272 Steering Problem

Please help. My boat's rudder will deflect 45 degrees to port, but only 20 to starboard. I checked the cable linkage and the quadrant lever is hitting the cockpit sole. Is there a way to adjust this? If I re-center everything, then the travel will only be about 30 degrees either way...

 

[Sunbird22358]

I'd suggest contacting EDSON for advice on your RLA steerer. They built it, they know what to adjust. There are no adjustments on hte quadrant, the cables are just clamped in place. The tension on the cables is adjusted using the hexnuts at the ends of the conduits. If the rudder swings farther to one side than hte other, I would check the chain inside the pedestal (remove compass to access top of pedestal) Chain should be centered when rudder is straight ahead.

You might also edit the title of your posting, since you might otherwise get advice that it great for the 27 but useless on the 272.

 

[Terry Lee Sjoberg]

Thank you. Edited title.
My friend dove the locker and found that the quadrant at the transom will hit the hull at full travel either direction and that the problem is not the steering pedestal or cables, but the actual length of the linkage from th lever to the rudder. He says it needs to be shortened 1/2" to center rudder when steering lever is center. He did say that this will reduce the deflection to port, but it will be even on both sides. As there is no adjustment there, he is going to remove the lever-end clevis, move the wheel while holding rudder steady at center, mark the new position on the linkage and drill a new clevis pin hole. He says that if it were a turn buckle, we could just adjust it out. It must have been like this for a very long time.
As for the amount of deflection, he came up with an idea that would move the quadrant an inch away from the transom so the cable attachment (bellcrank? half moon curvy bit) won't hit the transom acting as the mechanical stop. He wants to add a 1" base plate to stand it off IF we need it for more deflection after the clevis pin trick.
Do you have any thoughts on this? I'd appreciate hearing them before possibly screwing things up.
Thanks!

 

[Sunbird22358]

I was going to say that the link between the RLA and the rudder seemed too long, but figured being a 272LE it wasn't a DYI install by a previous owner and the link should be correct length. Must have been a "Friday or Monday or day before/after a holiday" boat.... ie: someone in production "goofed" on installing the RLA or cutting the link. Also check to see if the arm on the RLE points straight aft when centered, the RLA housing should have been mounted using a wedge between the inside of the transom and the housing to be sure that the arm is parallel to the rudder when centered. Then link would be cut to fit between. As I say, factory installation should have done this correct.....but??
The "Half-Moon" thing is the quadrant. I think EDSON recommended adding hard rubber bumper/stops at each end of the swing, these would be bonded to the inside of the transom and the ends of the quadrant would hit those if the helm were put hard over, reducing damage to hull and steering equipment.

 

[Terry Lee Sjoberg]

Thank you. There is no wedge....no rubber stops! I have to agree with you about your summation of the day she had factory install! Your response supported what we found. Do you know off hand how thick the wedge should have been? Wooden or plastic or rubber?