Tiller stuck to rudder post

[Iluka82]

So Iluka is out of the water at the moment and I have decided I should check the rudder, the problem is I can't get the tiller attachment that holds the tiller to the rudder post of the shaft, the fitting is bronze and fits to the shaft with a key way pin. I've tried wd40 and a gear puller. I was thinking to try a blow torch next. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Cheers Nick

[bearmcnally]

Hi Nick
That's how I got Egret II off years ago after 30 years . I heated it with one of those Primas torches and made 18mm plywood base 18 inches square with some folding timber wedges and with a little persuasion it popped off , My rudder stock is key the same but has a thread and nut to hold the head on. Did the same to remove Egret's prop last slipping

Cheers Bear

[Iluka82]

Thanks Bear, today I tried again with a better gear puller and some special penetrating oil I was just about to fire up the blow torch when it finally popped off! The rudder and shaft look like they are in good condition, but I think I will replace the top bearing as the rudder has a slight wobble in it.

[Phillip]

Nick,

If the top bearing is gone the bottom one will be to.

Do both. You will have to drop the rudder out anyway.

[Iluka82]

Good advice Philip! I ended up replacing both bearings with vesconite bearings.

[Troppo]

How do you get the bearings out?

Where do you get the replacements?

troppo

[Iluka82]

Hi Troppo, I brought them over the phone from vesco plastics www.vesco.com.au, they had a standard size that had the right internal diameter, for about $16 each. I had to take about 1.5 mm off the outside to fit them in the rudder tube, I then epoxied them into place. Hopefully they will last 20+ years. Now I'm in the middle of replacing the standing rig, this is causing me some grief as my boat has a double spreader rig, with no adjustment on the intermediate diagonal wires, when I put everything back into place the cap shrouds were too loose, so now I need to add adjusters to the intermediate diagonals.

Cheers
Nick