Replacing the Steering Cross-Wire Idlers

Cross-Wire Idlers

While working on the steering system, some rusting was noticed on the steering idler backing plate.  It looked mostly like surface rust, and so it was cleaned with a wire wheel,  painted with some rust neutralizer spray, and then painted with white Rustolium spray paint.  

old wire idler

painted old wire idler

Soon after, a message from one of the CnC listers described his challenges and mechanical problems he encountered during the "Isla Mujeras Regata al Sol", a biannual race from Pensacola sailing 545nm to Isla Mujeras in Mexico.   In short, he had steering issue due to the idler backing plate corroding and giving away allowing the steering cables to go slack.

He added this statement in his message:

"I hope to share this experience with everyone in that it's not enough to inspect your steering cables and sheves - mine looked fine prior to race.  Advise removing binnacle to get a very clear view of backing plate and how well sheves are attached.  If your going off shore this is a must. No matter how much you prepare - AIS, radar, all safety gear, rig inspection etc etc. there is always more to consider prior to going off shore."

The Regata Al Sol is on my bucket list (and possible within the next few years too as Pensacola is in the neighborhood).   So at this point I had to drop the wire idlers, and holly crap look at what I found, my own disaster waiting.  At the same time, I pulled the steering pedestal (recovered one of those brake pad washers I had dropped), checked all the pedestal steering components, over drilled, epoxy filled, and re-drilled holes for the steering system and pedestal mount.     

Thanks to Steve for the motivation.

corroded wire idler support plate 

New Cross-Wire Idlers

New cross wire idlers were purchased from Sailnet at a good price, and they were shipped directly from Edson Marine.  The new idler feature an anodized aluminum base rather than a steel base of the old design.  In order to fit the LF38 fuel tank which sit right under the steering system, the wire idlers were modified by removing the small downward extending tabs (compare pictures below).

Edson 776Al-4AL

new wire idler purchased from Sailnet

new wire idler installed and adjusted with fuel tank in place

Rudder, Radial Drive, and Steering Cable Repairs

Cockpit sole aft of helm: The rudder is held in place by a large circular threaded
collar.  Between the bottom of the collar and the thrust bearing bushing is a flat
1/8" thick thrust bearing made of Ultra-Wear-Resistant PTFE-Filled Delrin
Acetal Resin. The collarhas two locking set screws.  The top of the rudder stock
protrudes for easy connection of an emergency rudder control arm.  Also shown
 is an access port used to grease the rudder post.

Steering System

This job started off small and grew into a major project.  I noticed the steering seemed stiff and when the wheel was turn quickly the rudder would chatter and vibrate a bit.  I was concerned that the rudder stock may have been bent, so I decided to drop the rudder to explore.  After removing the steering cables, I noticed a few meat hooks so these had to be replaced.  Next, the radial drive was to come off before the rudder could be dropped. That was good challenge.  After dropping the rudder, I found lots of old dry-hard and crusty grease, this was cleaned out with Naphtha and upon installed lubed with SuperLube.  The rudder movement now is nice and smooth.  In the end, the whole steering system (including pedestal and idlers) was completely removed and renovated in the process.


Removing the Radial Drive Wheel

Four stainless steel bolts are threaded into the Aluminum radial drive holding the two halves of the radial drive onto the rudder stock.  Normally, there is very little access to the steering system, but with the engine, fuel tank, and steering cables removed,  there was somewhat easy access.   The bolts holding the radial drive would not budge.  I tried using a breaker bar. I tried PB Blaster.  I tried Kroil.  I tried heating with a Bernzomatic torch.  I tried combinations of penetrating oil and heat.  Nothing worked.     I decided to cut the bolt heads off and separate the two halves of the radial drive.  Using a Dremel, I cut the bolt heads off.  I pounded. I got a bigger hammer and pounded.  Still the radial drive would not budge!  Finally, I used a sawzall and a thin metal cutting blade to cut along the two halves of the radial drive, cutting through the bolts, and at last, the radial drive was off.

radial drive with bolt heads cut off 

cutting the towards the bolts with a sawzall

cutting the bolts with a sawzall

rudder stock with radial drive removed,

Dropping the Rudder

Compared to the radial drive work, lowering the rudder, even single-handed, was an easy task.  First a hole was dug deep enough for the rudder shaft to completely exit the tube.  Then the rudder was propped up to release the top screw-on rudder collar.  To control gravity, two lines were wrapped around the rudder and lead back to the genoa winches.  These lines were used to slowly lower the rudder.  Installing the rudder later on was just reversing this process.   The photo below was taken during installation of the rudder.

dropping and raising the rudder single-handed

Rudder Tube and Thrust Bearing

The rudder shaft turned out, thankfully,  to be fine.  The problem with the steering was the result of old hardened grease in the rudder tube and on the rudder stock.  The tube and stock were cleaned using  Naphtha soaked rag, a rod, and rope in a manor like cleaning the barrel of a rifle.  Super Lube synthetic grease was used for re-lubricating the rudder.   The rudder thrust bearing backing plate was badly corroded and needed to be replaced.  A new backing plate was made out of G10 structural fiberglass board.   With the thrust bearing removed, the deck core material was reamed back at the hole in the cockpit sole,  and the area filled with epoxy thickened with colloidal silica.  The bearing and backing plates were sealed using Bostik 940FS sealant during reinstallation.

old hardened grease in the rudder tube

top of rudder tube

new thrust bearing backing plate

replacing the thrust bearing backing plate

Thrust Bearing Bushing & Limber Holes

The thrust bearing bushing was replaced with new one made from 1/8"  Ultra-Wear-Resistant PTFE-Filled Delrin Acetal Resin obtained from McMaster-Carr.    The new bushing was cut out of the material using a sabre saw and then trimmed using a Dremel sanding drum.   Only the planar surfaces are important for the thrust bearing.

Another of Wally Bryant's brilliant ideas is the PVC epoxied limber hole.  I first installed these in my C&C 29 with great success, and I have now installed them in here by the rudder tube and forward of it in engine/fuel tank stringer.  

epoxied limber holes around rudder tube

new thrust bearing bushing 

Restoring the Radial Drive

The stainless steel bolts were galled solid in the Aluminum radial drive and the only way to remove them was by drilling them out. This meant over drilling the internal threads and using external stainless steel locking nuts with new stainless steel bolts (and plenty of Tef-Gel during the installation) .  After stripping the surface clean of dirt and corrosion, the radial drive was painted with several coats of black VHT epoxy paint making the radial look like new.

drilling out galled stainless steel bolt
from the Aluminum radial drive

radial drive after cleaning up
and epoxy painting

                 

test fitting the radial drive without the fuel tank installed

Steering Cables

New 1/4" 7x19 stainless steel aircraft cable was purchased from Web Rigging Supply online.  At $1.10/ft  it was a great price and much more than initially required was purchased, so one thought.  A great deal was found on Ebay for a Swag-It  #3 tool which covers swages from 1/8" to 1/4".    After practice of using the swage, two beautifully swaged eyes were made onto the ends of the two 1/4" cables.  It was later realized that the Edson chain-eye connector had a closed loop and should have been included in first set of eyes during swaging.  After cutting off the ends and correctly swaging, the steering cable lengths were just the right amount.

When ordering I thought I was purchasing much more than I needed and almost reduced the amount.  Next time, I'll add 25% to the already "much more than I need amount".

beautifully, but incorrect,  swaged eyes on the
ends of two 1/4" cables

correctly swaged cable for Edson steering chain

• See posts on steering idler replacement.