Rudder Quadrant

[JACKHEAPE]

I am having to drop my rudder on a Hinter 34. So far I have the four bolts on the quadrant removed and there appears to be one through bolt above those four that goes through the rudder and the two halves of the quadrant. There is a nut on the bolt with threads visible. I have removed the nut no problem but the bolt will not turn. My question is, is the bolt threaded all the through? Is there weight bearing on it? It also appears to me that the final step to dropping the rudder (after the quadrant is removed) is the through bolt on the bearing at the top of the rudder post in the lazarette?
Any advice, information appreciated.

 

[kloudie1]

The thru-bolt on the quadrant only keeps the quadrant in place. It is frozen to the quadrant casting due to some galvanic corrosion.. you may have to re-tighten the quadrant pinch bolts then try to turn it to break it free put the nut on the bolt and spin it on so that the bolt end is flush with the nut face. tap that with a hammer and that may break it free.. If ya can't, then an impact wrench or driver will be necessary. maybe some very carefully applied heat to the casting. Yes, the thrust bearing in the lazarette is holding the rudder weight. jack the rudder slightly to unload the bearing before trying to pull it.

 

[JACKHEAPE]

Ok, many, many thanks. Just what I needed to know. I didn't want to start banging on that bolt without knowing for sure how the quadrant was constructed.

 

[geek_guy]

Another method is to get some PB Blaster. Soak the joint let it sit. Heat. PB BLaster. Sit. Tap. Repeat till positive results.

 

[JACKHEAPE]

Thanks I have been using PB blaster. Thats how I got the pinch bolts off. I used heat as well on one of them that just would, not, move.

 

[Franklin]

I just had to do mine a couple months ago. Took about 4 hours with heat, PB, hammering and of course socket but what really seemed to do the trick was prying the two halves apart with screw drivers. Once I got one popped off, I was able to knock the bolt out.

The bolt didn't want to come out until I took the attitude: if I can't get the bolt out I am going to have to break the quadrant, so it is time to get nasty with this thing and not worry about breaking the quadrant. That is when I started prying them apart with serious force. I even drilled little holes in the quadrant just over the bolts so I could get PB spray onto the bolts inside the quadrant. I think that helped a lot.

I made sure when I put everything back together that I used Corrosion Block on everything but next time I have to drop it (I figure in about 5 years the rudder bearings will need replacing) I may just go ahead and replace my quadrant. It is a real pain to steer the boat with the emergency tiller in protected waters with just the engine running. Not so sure it would work offshore under sail.

 

[JACKHEAPE]

Hey thanks Franklin, that really helps. I started prying the quadrant halves apart too but then I thought, "what if that damn bolt is actually threaded through the quadrant itself"? So I put the pinch bolts back in and came on here for some advice. Now that I know for sure what I am facing I will get the thing apart. That bolt is really in there. I twisted off the tip of a socket reducer I was putting so much torque on it.

 

[JACKHEAPE]

Got the steering quadrant off finally. Thanks Franklin. Then it took several hours to get the collar bolt out. Now the collar will not come off, so I am cutting the son of a gun. I tried everything, PB, banging, heat, pressure on the top of the rudder post (suitably protected). Let me tell you this collar is a bitch to cut.

 

[SailormanDan]

Mine broke off on the process and had to be taken to a machine shop to be drilled out and then they put SS inserts in to combat the corrosion on the bolts and drilled & tapped those. Hopefully you won't have an issue with yours.