I was able to stop my rudder chirping by flushing out the under side of the quadrant with fresh water and then shooting in some saillube. But is sounds like you have a more significant issue that some crud between the plate and the bearings.
It’s could be a result of the below deck install not reinforcing the rudder shaft causing the rudder type to flex thereby creating extra resistance. Josh has some great pictures of his install and the reinforcement of the rudder post is substantial. I plan on going below deck with mine since the new and improved Raymarine pilot does not like an under power drive, at all. Good luck! Tom Buscaglia S/V Alera 1990 C&C 37+/40 Vashon WA P 206.463.9200 C 305.409.3660 > On Aug 19, 2019, at 1:12 PM, cnc-list-requ...@cnc-list.com wrote: > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2019 16:11:24 -0400 (EDT) > From: CHARLES SCHEAFFER <cscheaf...@comcast.net> > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Rudder maintenance > Message-ID: <2002435062.234192.1566245484...@connect.xfinity.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Charlie, > > I will send a more detailed email later but grease fittings would make a nice > upgrade since our boats' rudders have a stainless shaft riding in delrin > bearings glassed in a fiberglass tube. Something is wearing; the delrin or > the stainless. Grease can fill the gap and provide great relief reducing all > friction and wearing. A temporary fix would be any lubricant that works with > plastic bearings and stainless: Harkin MacLube. > > At a minimum; schedule the yard to drop the rudder to check for wear at the > shaft and bearings. Seal the joint where the SS shaft enters the fiberglass > rudder with a flexible waterproof epoxy. Drill the bearings to add grease > fittings that can be used to pump grease into the wearing surfaces. Your > Edson pulley plate under the pedestal is probably close to the end of it's > service life and needing to be replaced. The newer Edson design doesn't fit > our boats but Garhauer c an probably build a better one. The steering chain > and cable is due also. > > Chuck S > > >> On August 19, 2019 at 1:56 PM Charlie Nelson via CnC-List >> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> >> Hello all; >> >> The rudder on my 1995 C&C XL/kcb has started 'squeaking' a little and my >> recently installed hydraulic auto-pilot motor has sent motor overload >> messages via the controller. Many years ago, I had a wheel pilot (since >> deceased) that worked well but I have hand-steered for the last 15 years or >> so. >> >> While these issues may not be related, I figure I should have the rudder >> 'serviced' by the yard--I prefer to have pros do any work that involves >> really important stuff--rigging, rudder, etc. >> >> My rudder seems to ride on at least a pair of bearings that rotate with >> the rudder on top of a plate of some kind--whatever else is involved is >> unknown to me. >> >> My questions for the list: >> >> Is there something specific that I should point the yard to look for >> other than inspect the rudder mechanism and replace/repair/grease as >> necessary? I'd prefer not to send them on an fishing expedition looking for >> problems that don't exist! OTOH while she is on the hard, now is the time to >> do anything required. >> >> Should I have them install zerc grease fittings somewhere assuming there >> are none there currently so that it can be greased regularly in the future? >> >> AFAIK the mechanics of the rudder have never been serviced, aside from >> ensuring that when the boat is on the hard rotating the rudder by hand to >> confirm that the wheel turns is possible nor have I ever had any problems >> with it. >> >> Any suggestions would be welcome--this is probably the only 'system' on >> the boat that has not (obviously) needed any work since she was new. >> >> Thanks, >> >> Charlie Nelson >> Water Phantom >> 1995 C&C XL/kcb >> _______________________________________________
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