Loose Woodruff key

[jimali]

Hi

I am servicing my steering over the winter (Edson wheel) and have two loose Woodruff keys.

I have read that there is a Loctite product that can be used to 'tighten' them up. Does anyone know if it works or shouid I just get some new ones made up.

The boat is out of the water in Portsmouth Harbour - Trafalgar Wharf - if I need them made up any recommendations where to go


All help appreciated

Jim

Moondance

 

[Lakesailor]

Go to any agricultural merchant who has an engineering dept. They'll have boxes of various sizes for pennies each.

They seem a bit pricey online, but are post free and you'll get them in a couple of days http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TBW-Fasteners/Woodruff-Keys-/_i.html?_fsub=2221822017

 

[john_morris_uk]

We have an Edson steering system and the wheel used to work itself loose. I had two new woodruff keys machined oversize in bronze or S/S (can't remember which) and spent an hour or two with some emery paper and a flat surface making one a perfect fit. It's helped and the wheel now stays stuck and I'm not always checking the knurled nut is tight! I used a digital calliper to measure the size required.

 

[MASH]

You don't say why the keys are loose. Two possibilities; wrong size key fitted originally (unlikely, I'd have thought) or wear which sods law says will be in the keyway itself, not the key. Woodruff keys tend tend to last forever unless they develop a bit of looseness which then develops quickly.

Check the keyways (both in the shaft and in the gear). are they clean-cut, straight and true or worn and splayed open? Sadly any significant movement will almost certainly have damaged both keyways making any chance of attaining a good fit with a replacement key iffy.

You could try modifying an oversized key as suggested above, or you could have new keyways cut which shouldn't be costly and would, imo, be the sounder long-term option.

Padding wobbly keys out with poxy has not been successful for me. I've seen bodges using shimstock and that doesn't work either. A keyway only lasts if it is completely rigid and free of movement.

When a key sheared in the steering of GBII (then United Friendly) just after the start of the '82 Tall Ship's Race we took the shaft and gear below, drilled a 1/4 inch hole into them using the wrecked keyway as a guide, drifted a cut-off 1/4 dia bolt shank into the hole, cleaned it up and centre-punched the join to peen the edges together to prevent it working out - tho it was so tight it could not have done. It was utterly solid and probably far stronger than the original. Took an hour if that. DIY repairs can work too! Unless they've changed the steering system I bet it's still there tho it would have been a sod to dismantle. We used nothing more technical than a hand drill, hacksaw, hammer, file and centre-punch.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Alternatively they're not difficult to make from a piece of round bar the correct diameter. Saw a disc off, saw the half moon and file to fit.

 

[Heckler]

Alternatively they're not difficult to make from a piece of round bar the correct diameter. Saw a disc off, saw the half moon and file to fit.

and if necessary, file one half, as applicable, a different thickness!
Stu