Beneteau 760 steering and rudder problems

burty5

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Hi all just bought a beneteau 760 after having a merry fisher for 20yrs and when put in water steering is very tight any advice or recommendations for parts would be really appreciated.
 

Plum

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Hi all just bought a beneteau 760 after having a merry fisher for 20yrs and when put in water steering is very tight any advice or recommendations for parts would be really appreciated.
If it was definitely ok on sea trials then something happened between then and now. Recommend you disconnect the cable from the rudder stock steering arm (very easy to do) and turn the wheel to see if the cable and wheel end are ok. Let us know. If they are ok, did the rudder stock or skeg bearing get damaged when putting it in the water? While the cable is disconnected, install the emergency steering tiller and see how easy it is to move the rudder.

Edit: underneath the hub of the steering wheel is a clamp screw with a black plastic knob, check nobody has tightened it!

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

burty5

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If it was definitely ok on sea trials then something happened between then and now. Recommend you disconnect the cable from the rudder stock steering arm (very easy to do) and turn the wheel to see if the cable and wheel end are ok. Let us know. If they are ok, did the rudder stock or skeg bearing get damaged when putting it in the water? While the cable is disconnected, install the emergency steering tiller and see how easy it is to move the rudder.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
thankyou for reply yes disconnected cable etc and wheel was free so went on to remove skeg, rudder and 1 plastic top bush/bearing cannot get bottom one out failed as seems to be fixed tight and cant seem to find where to buy replacements.
 

Plum

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thankyou for reply yes disconnected cable etc and wheel was free so went on to remove skeg, rudder and 1 plastic top bush/bearing cannot get bottom one out failed as seems to be fixed tight and cant seem to find where to buy replacements.
So you are obviously out of the water again. With the cable disconnected how stiff is the rudder to move by hand?

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

burty5

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just trying to find replacement parts and the other bearing is suck on so wondered if anyone had tackled this job, found an easy option or trick and got parts.
 

Plum

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just trying to find replacement parts and the other bearing is suck on so wondered if anyone had tackled this job, found an easy option or trick and got parts.
Which bearing is stuck on? I have had the top bearing out, the one you access from inside the boat, to replace the lip seal. Just remove the stainless screws and prize out the plastic bush which is probably attached with some mastic.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

Plum

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Which bearing is stuck on? I have had the top bearing out, the one you access from inside the boat, to replace the lip seal. Just remove the stainless screws and prize out the plastic bush which is probably attached with some mastic.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
The lip seal in that top bearing was £4 from a bearing shop 40x52x7mm with Stainless Steel garter spring. What is not obvious is that seal is held into the plastic bearing by a plastic ring that snaps out. It is the same material as the bearing and you have to look really close to see that it is a separate part.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

burty5

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The lip seal in that top bearing was £4 from a bearing shop 40x52x7mm with Stainless Steel garter spring. What is not obvious is that seal is held into the plastic bearing by a plastic ring that snaps out. It is the same material as the bearing and you have to look really close to see that it is a separate part.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Thanks for this it is the bottom one that is stuck on and cant get it off to replace all bearings
 

Paul1962

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Hi - I dropped the rudder on my Antares7 because the steering on mine was stupidly stiff and tight. My set up was exactly as Plum describes with the plastic ring. The bottom rudder seal bearing housing on my Antares was an inverted top hat arrangement that was screwed into the hull by 2 short but wide self tapping screws. The reason my steering was tight was because the garter spring of one of the top lip seals has become displaced and had become lodged between the rudder shaft and the plastic ring. I replaced all 4 of my lip seals with Viton stainless steel garter spring items, mine were also 40 x 52 x 7mm.
I also obtained some stainless steel circlips - cannot recall the size, sorry.
It sounds as if you have your rudder dropped - I could not release the screws on my Vetus 40 Tiller arm so had to break it off and buy a new one which was replaced with copious amounts of grease etc.
 

Rodney J

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Hi, Guy's Does anybody know what size the nylon washer should be on the bottom of the rudder to the skeg. mine is just flapping around and not doing anything. I've taken the rudder out and I usually Greece it every year. I didn't know there was a bearing in the bottom of the skeg I must look at mine. my 760 is a 2007
 

Plum

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Hi, Guy's Does anybody know what size the nylon washer should be on the bottom of the rudder to the skeg. mine is just flapping around and not doing anything. I've taken the rudder out and I usually Greece it every year. I didn't know there was a bearing in the bottom of the skeg I must look at mine. my 760 is a 2007
Sorry, don't know but surprised. Mine is 1999 ad has never been touched and I have never greased it in the last 7 years. Can you post a link to a picture? Just in case you are not aware, when you slide the rudder stock back up into the hull bearing there is a lip seal in the top that is likely to get damaged. Best to remove the top bearing that contains the lip seal then slide this back over the stock once the rudder is in.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

Rodney J

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Thanks for that plum. I usually do take the top bearing out thanks again. It says the Picture is too big to download so I cant get a photograph up. Sorry I will try again. I take my rudder out and Greece it every couple of years. Never had a problem with the robbers yet
 

broomfield

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Hi - I dropped the rudder on my Antares7 because the steering on mine was stupidly stiff and tight. My set up was exactly as Plum describes with the plastic ring. The bottom rudder seal bearing housing on my Antares was an inverted top hat arrangement that was screwed into the hull by 2 short but wide self tapping screws. The reason my steering was tight was because the garter spring of one of the top lip seals has become displaced and had become lodged between the rudder shaft and the plastic ring. I replaced all 4 of my lip seals with Viton stainless steel garter spring items, mine were also 40 x 52 x 7mm.
I also obtained some stainless steel circlips - cannot recall the size, sorry.
It sounds as if you have your rudder dropped - I could not release the screws on my Vetus 40 Tiller arm so had to break it off and buy a new one which was replaced with copious amounts of grease etc.
Hi - I dropped the rudder on my Antares7 because the steering on mine was stupidly stiff and tight. My set up was exactly as Plum describes with the plastic ring. The bottom rudder seal bearing housing on my Antares was an inverted top hat arrangement that was screwed into the hull by 2 short but wide self tapping screws. The reason my steering was tight was because the garter spring of one of the top lip seals has become displaced and had become lodged between the rudder shaft and the plastic ring. I replaced all 4 of my lip seals with Viton stainless steel garter spring items, mine were also 40 x 52 x 7mm.
I also obtained some stainless steel circlips - cannot recall the size, sorry.
It sounds as if you have your rudder dropped - I could not release the screws on my Vetus 40 Tiller arm so had to break it off and buy a new one which was replaced with copious amounts of grease etc.
[/QUOTe
Paul can you tell me how you broke off your Vetus 40 tiller arm please as l need to break mine of.
 

Paul1962

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Hi Broomfield - sheer brute force I'm afraid - I did renew it but I got the old one welded up by a local ship repair business for use as a spare but never had to use it.

You are welcome to it for the price of the postage if that helps - I am in UK on the South Coast
 
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