I have an
Autopilot ST5000 that works very well, but at the end of my
circumnavigation of
Vancouver Island last summer I noticed a small amount of play in the bracket mounting the
linear drive unit to the
boat. I took it apart and I can see that there's a circular retaining clip on the end of the stainless shaft that goes through the bracket.
The area I'm talking about is in the underside of the bracket where I have drawn the arrow. I've also included an overview of the bracket as installed.
There seems to be a manufactured (not worn) recess in there between the retaining clip and the casting of the bracket body where some type of washer would fit. I'm wonderiung what material of washer/spacer would be appropriate. It has to be soft enough that it is the object that wears and not the retaining clip, nor the braket body. But it will have to deal with the linear drive's up to 550 lbs of thrust, so maybe nylon is too soft? Brass?
Any suggestions? Anyone know what the OEM arrangement was?
Thanks,
Craig