Stainless steel M10 eye bolts for Quadrant?

[aidancoughlan]

Looking to replace an eye bolt on my Whitlock steering system at the quadrant end. The old one on the left (eye formed by bending) , the new one in the right (A4, ring welded on).

Is the new one as strong as the old one, or dies the weld weaken it considerably... Does it seem suitable for a 35ft boat. M10 is the max that will fit, it's the design if the head I am wondering about, if the replacement is Ok.

Not expecting a definitive answer, but any opinions/knowledge to throw in the pot?

 

[aidancoughlan]

Sorry, can't upload photo from phone , too large :-(

 

[C08]

I know what you mean about the eyes on eyebolts, some are quite flimsy . You can get M10 eyebolts with forged heads and smaller eyes that will be much stronger, but more expensive.

 

[roaringgirl]

I know what you mean about the eyes on eyebolts, some are quite flimsy . You can get M10 eyebolts with forged heads and smaller eyes that will be much stronger, but more expensive.

If you don't like the welded rings, what about using an eye-nut on some threaded dowel instead?

 

[LadyInBed]

This is mine (heavy 10mtr boat). Adjustable hooks as tensioners

 

[aidancoughlan]

Thanks for the replies folks. Trying to make some progress today, so these are the ones ones I finally went with as a compromise....

You can get M10 eyebolts with forged heads and smaller eyes that will be much stronger, but more expensive.

I don't mind the expense on these - they will be critical to the steering. Hard to find them in stainless, at the right length to allow adjustment on the quadrant, and with a "hook" on them (like in the photo @LadyInBed posted above). I've looked everywhere - they don't exist on the internet !

If you don't like the welded rings, what about using an eye-nut on some threaded dowel instead?

That is a really good idea, and would have given me much more flexibility in the length. Never heard of an eye-nut, but see them now. So some plain threaded rod cut to length, and some eye nuts, tack welded to stop them moving. Actually - maybe that is what my new ones are which came from here Eye Bolt (I wondered what the "nut" at the end was).

This is mine (heavy 10mtr boat). Adjustable hooks as tensioners

These are exactly what my old ones were - almost exactly the same as yours. Mine is on a Moody 35. The "hook" bolts look identical, except mine have a longer thread. More of an eye "Hook" than a full eye. This allows the wire loop/thimbal to pass through the hook easily. The new ones I have (with a full circle eye) are a PITA - I have to bend the thimbals to get them in there, and it makes the whole process more fiddly since you can't really prepare the wire rope loop without the eye bolt in place.

I really, really wish the old ones were still available - much more sensible.
Anyways, I hope these new ones are strong enough.

 

[penfold]

Mauripro have Edson eyebolts?

 

[aidancoughlan]

@Mauripro - They look good & sturdy OK. I did see some examples like that online, but I was trying to find an "open" hook version at the time. I would have preferred these (and would have considered angle grinding a groove out to turn them into a hook) but, I went with the other one which I could source locally quicker.
As an aside, I saw an american video on how to "bend" the thimbals to get them into these rings (two pliers). It looked easy, but 30 minutes later I am still there with pliers slipping in all directions ! Easier said than done - at least with the small, sturdy thimbals I have.

 

[DownWest]

Have a look here: Threaded Fittings and Bodies - Stainless Steel Rigging and elsewhere on the site.

 

[aidancoughlan]

Thanks @DownWest - That www.s3i.co.uk/ looks like a really good source for rigging. I didn't know most of those existed.

I reckon the 10mm 5/8" Fork here might be a good replacement for the type of hook that seems to have typically been used on whitlock constellation quadrants & on @LadyInBed's quadrant photo above.


It's quite tricky to find something the right 10mm threaded bar dimension, and an open end (hook or rigging pin fitting as per above), and enough thread length to allow adjustment of the steering cables, and looks sturdy enough to do the job.

This is the best option I've seen so far - and obviously intended as a rigging component. Too bad I've already done mine with the closed ring option I posted earlier, think I'll leave it there unless I have problems with it or someone has good reason to suggest it's not up to the job. I know it' not a complicated job, but its feckin fiddly bent over in a small space !