Replacing Rudder Bearings

[joprst@gmail.com]

Ray/Andrew. Here are pics as promised.

Prior to rotating

After rotating ... don't worry that it looks as though the leading edge is now in deeper ... it's just the angle that I took the photos

The spacer that you mention is obvious. I guess that the bearing is the white disc above it ???

There is a small amount of rudder shaft play evident if you grab hold of the bottom of the rudder and give it a good shake. As I have said it seems comparable to other boats in the yard. When you shake the rudder the bearing can be rotated on the rudder shaft (obviously) but also within the tube that it sits in. It doesn't actually seem loose as such .... it only just turns, but I don't think it should.

What actually holds it in place? I presume that the rudder shaft gets wider at the bottom so that when you slide a new bearing on it can only go so far and that the bearing and tube are tapered so that as the ring at the top of the shaft is tightened, the bearing face mates up to the tube face. Does that make sense?

Just to re-iteratate:

There is no problem with my steering when the boat is in the water. It's certainly not stiff and there's no noise suggesting it's slack either. It's possible that any bouyancy in the rudder is pushing the shaft up into the tube making a good seat for the bearing, hence no obvious problem ... in the water!!

Would be happy to have have your thoughts /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

The pictures seem to have gone. Can you please repost?

R.

 

[Tranona]

Welcome to the forum.

This thread is 13 years old and the pictures will have disappeared long ago, probably when the forum moved to a new platform.

Bav 34 no longer has his boat, but if you question is about replacing bearings then start a separate thread either here of if it is for a Bavaria then this forum bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php has covered the subject many times.