Beneteau First 435 Loose Rudder?

[libbymr]

Hello,

I've got some symptoms of possible a loose rudder post but I'm unsure. It's on a 1985 Beneteau First 435 The rudder moves very smoothly and no point along the post does it leak. However sometimes in when moving forward under power the helm will vibrate and shake back and forth. I haven't noticed this same issue under sail. I can't tell if that's a loose rudder or slop in the steering system.

I'm also unsure what sort of rudder post since the top only has two bolts on either side (and threads on top, assuming that's for a emergency tiller). Underneath this it appears to only be the steering system and rubber boots to seal water, going directly into a fiberglass post.

Any help in the direction I should look is appreciated!

[donradcliffe]

What you are looking at is the top of the rudder post, with a square to put the emergency tiller on. The threaded hole is simply to put an eyebolt into if you want to drop or pull up the rudder. The two bolts hold the horizontal pin in place that keeps the rudder from falling down. Remove the bolts and tap out the pin, and the top collar will slide off and the rudder will slide down. Be gentle with your tapping, because the pin is a very close fit. It may only come one one direction, and will not start back in if you round the ends at all.

The 4 bolts hold the top bearing in place. If you see movement in the square plate, take it off, clean it up, and put back together with 5200.

For a 1985 boat, your slop is most likely due to wear in the delrin bushings in both the top and bottom bearing. Verify that by watching the rudder shaft movement from inside the boat when in a seaway. You may aso get leakage from the bottom bearing when at hull speed, because the o-rings in the bearing no longer make a good seal as the shaft wanders around. The fix is to drop the rudder and get new bushings made. Be careful when machining new bushings to account for hole size shrinkage when you press the bushing into its holder--don't ask me how I know that.

[libbymr]

That's really good information! I'll do that evaluation next time I'm under way. I haven't noticed any movement in that square plate being secured by four bolts, it has a similar square plate on the bottom side of this which doesn't seem to move. But if the bushings themselves are worn down your saying this square plate might move?

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by libbymr

That's really good information! I'll do that evaluation next time I'm under way. I haven't noticed any movement in that square plate being secured by four bolts, it has a similar square plate on the bottom side of this which doesn't seem to move. But if the bushings themselves are worn down your saying this square plate might move?

The square plate moving is a separate issue for my First 456, but was resolved with the 5200.