How to Strengthen the Steering Quadrant?

[Shanaly]

Hi I have a single hydraulic ram to a bronze quadrant on a 1 3/4 in diameter rudder stock. Quad is secured by 4 large ss bolts into the rudder post, which sit in 4 drilled recesses. The rudder is not balanced and is large. The forces on the poor old quad are huge, and after 2 days at anchor the 'play' in the lashed rudder had worn the recesses and the quadrant was slipping. The post is very hard so drilling is a near impossible task!

I have thought of a few solutions, but I have had trouble finding the parts for each:

1 grinding the tips of the ss bolts to improve seating - surely there is a harder stock bolt available, with a pin at the end?

2 grinding the stock square and machining a ss quad to fit

3 lathing a substantial round ss collar quad, and grinding key steel recesses, and also welding onto stock

4 creating an 'over' clamp to reinforce the pressure on the quad on the stock

you get the idea!

Ideas welcome - I wouldn't wants to take the current arrangement into heavy weather at all

J

[Blue Stocking]

A quadrant that size should have a 5/16 square key with the matching face machined into the quadrant side, and the key projecting above and below the aligned position to allow for vertical slippage. Locking screws are not sufficient to withstand large rudder forces. Should only be there to hold quad at correct alignment height.

[Shoalcove]

I just drilled a rudder stock to pin a tiller arm for an autopilot. It is doable BUT do yourself a favour and use a cobalt drill bit. Cobalt worked much better than my high quality HSS drills.

[RunningLemur]

I agree with Blue Stocking, a keyway should be milled in the shaft and quadrant.