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 Post subject: Rudder Rebuild ??
PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:12 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:01 pm
Posts: 337
Location: little Washington, NC
I have been reworking the rudders on my '85 HC16 and have some questions (in red throughout).

I removed everything from the transoms except the drains. I was able to remove all gudgeon screws without breaking any. :D

I installed new one-piece die cast gudgeons. I had to englarge the mounting holes in the gudgeons because of the known alignment problems. I used the new style locking gudgeon screws. I also had to grind a little off the lower rudder castings since the gudgeon mounting screws interfere with rudder swing. First questions: Is it necessary to install screws in the two bottom holes of the gudgeons? And if so, then I assume holes need to be drilled and tapped in the hull/aluminum backing plate(none exist there now)?

I replaced the aluminum rudder pins with new stainless steel ones. I still have a little play between the rudder castings and the pins so will likely also install rudder casting bushings. It sure would have been nice if Hobie had made the bearings easily replacable. Question: Without taking them to a machine shop, how do you accurately drill out the rudder casting so you can insert the new bushings? I'm a little concerned about alignment

I drilled out the cam rivets and will install the new cams with sister screws. I drilled out the brittle old rudder locking screws using the method mentioned on this forum- I used a woodworking spade bit to remove most of the plastic then cleaned the threads with a 3/4" bolt. I made length-wise relief cuts in a 3/4" X 6" machine bolt to make it like a tap and used that to clean the threads. It worked well. I lubricated and installed new plungers, springs, and delrin screws- what a difference!

I also had to drill out the screws and clean the threads of the 3/8" rudder rake adjusting screws. Until I get the delrin replacements I am using some SS set screws. Questions: Any problem with just using a stainless steel adjusting screw? Do you think it will damage the rudders?

Except as noted, this work is going well and should hopefully result in much smoother and tighter rudder operation.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:53 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 24, 2004 10:33 am
Posts: 686
Location: Clinton, Mississippi
I put the one-piece gudgeons on my '85, and never used the extra holes...sailed it for years with no problems. If you only have a little slop in the castings, I'd ignore it. Just an opinion, but I don't believe the tolerances in the various rudder system components were ever meant to be that tight. In fact, I've seen folks have difficulty assembling the components and/or raising/lowering the rudders when all the slop was removed with shims, bushings, etc. Finally, I think the concensus of the experts in an earlier thread was just to remove the rudder rake set screws (and I agree). They don't do much while you're underway, anyhow. Personally, I just rake the rudder as far forward as it will go and still engage the cam to lock down properly (I run a lot of mast rake).

My theory is that, unless the rudders are so sloppy they're acting independently of one another, it's more of a "feel" problem than a performance problem. If you're willing to spend some money on the rudder system, your best bet for the performance problem is a set of EPOs (assuming you don't have them already). For the "feel" problem, the Hobie 20 tiller connector upgrade is SWEET.

Hope you find this useful.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi


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