Any cures for my drooping tiller?

[Burnham Bob]

My trapper 500 has a tiller that goes to a rudder boss at the rear of the cockpit. It rests on a small support that screws into the boss with a single screw. The screw works loose, the support sags and the tiller droops so badly the autopilot jumps off. Cures so far tried are sikaflex hoping that an adhesive bond might help followed by medium strength loctite. Both failed. I have not tried permanent loctite as one day I might have to remove it. Is permanent loctite really permanent? Any other suggestions? I am about to resort to keeping a screwdriver handy and tightening the screw every time we sail.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

Viagra?

 

[30boat]

Pictures?

 

[bluerm166]

Have you tried filling the hole for the screw with e.g.resin for wood or something appropriate if its metal and then redrilling and also building up the spigot /key to it's original profile if it is worn.

 

[sailorman]

lock not ?????>

 

[Daydream believer]

There are many grades of locktite you just need the correct one.
Can you not put a lock nut on the projecting part of the bolt. .
A picture would help
However, it sounds like you need a new thread in the female part. Can you drill and tap to a larger bolt?

 

[wooslehunter]

Mine has an inverted U section stainless fitting bother to the end of the tiller. There's a bolt through the fitting & the rudder post on the floor of the cockpit. Even if I tighten the bolt, the tiller droops. So, I put a small lump of wood inside the U section that limits how far the tiller can droop. Simples........

Anything like yours?

 

[VicS]

Viagra?

Pictures?

+1 for a lock nut!

 

[ianat182]

My tiller has fabricated stainless fitting that pivots vertically and a bronze block with a 1" square recess that fits onto the stock; bolts to clamp to it. There is a triangular block of Tufnol,flat topped, fitted to this bronze block .Two arms of the stainless fabrication have a recess at the end of the wood tiller when fitted, and the Tufnol block slots into this aperture to prevent the tiller dropping lower than required,being wedge shaped toalso prevent it jamming in the recess.
So much easier to draw a sketch if I could get it on here!

My boat is a Westerly so it is possibly a common fitting for these tilers.

ianat182

 

[VicS]

My tiller has fabricated stainless fitting

So much easier to draw a sketch if I could get it on here!



ianat182

Sketch it. Scan it or photograph it

upload it to Photobucket and the use the IMG code to post it on here.

 

[tobermoryphil]

Had that problem on the last boat- in my case cured by a rubber door stop.