How to stop my rudder arm from rattling

[Privilege]

The arm that connects my two rudders is a plate which just sits on a bolt. It sometimes rattles quite noisily. I could tighten down on the bolt but that would just make turning the rudder more difficult. Is there any sort of bearing which might do the trick? I can't see how a roller bearing would work. Thanks.

[markwesti]

I would make a nylon washer to go in there . But you have to come up with a way that you can tighten up without putting to much pressure on the washer .

[Privilege]

O.K I might have answered my own question. A flange bearing.

[DeepFrz]

It's impossible to tell what you have there with all the grease around it. Is there a bronze bushing through the plate that the bolt goes through? I would make sure that the bolt is down as far as it will go without clamping the plate/bushing. A bolt with a shoulder that will bottom out just before it clamps down on the plate would work.

I would clean up that area, take another picture and send it to Privilege asking for their advice. You could also post that picture here as well.

[SeaSon]

That appears to be a shouldered bolt with no threads at the top. There appears to be a bushing in the arm hole siting proud of the hole. The bolt should not be sitting proud, that looks dangerous . Tighten it up and see what how she looks. If it won't tighten down to remove rattle, consider stacking stainless and nylon washers above and below, or a shorter shouldered bolt. Reassemble with locktite on threads.

[shawndear]

are you sure that the vibration is being caused because of worn rudder bearings. That was my problem, not the arm connections.

[Privilege]

It's definitely the arm. I addressed the rudder bearings a while ago so I've done the hard part. The bolt sticking up has no bushings or anything; it just goes through the plate.

[bsurvey]

delrin washer

[a64pilot]

I'd make an new, adjustable tie rod with Heim joints, or at least fit Heim joints the the existing one

[Cheechako]

Maybe you need a Thrust washer, they come with bearing inserts or all kinds of variations.

[zstine]

Assuming the noise is due to play/space between the ID of the hole in the plate and the OD of the bolt, then a washer on top or bottom will not stop the noise for long as you would be relying on friction to stop the play. As soon as the washers wear from movement, the noise will be back. The correct way is to drill out the ID of the plate and put a proper fitted bushing in. I would recommend Delrin as the bushing.

[a64pilot]

A bushing will work as a temporary measure, temporary may be years though, but I would use bronze as I'm afraid Delrin would be beaten out, depends on the forces involved of course.
But a Heim joint, ought to last forever

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by zstine

Assuming the noise is due to play/space between the ID of the hole in the plate and the OD of the bolt, then a washer on top or bottom will not stop the noise for long as you would be relying on friction to stop the play. As soon as the washers wear from movement, the noise will be back. The correct way is to drill out the ID of the plate and put a proper fitted bushing in. I would recommend Delrin as the bushing.

Good point if that's the problem. If that is SS a bronze flanged bushing would be nice.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Privilege

The arm that connects my two rudders is a plate which just sits on a bolt. It sometimes rattles quite noisily. I could tighten down on the bolt but that would just make turning the rudder more difficult. Is there any sort of bearing which might do the trick? I can't see how a roller bearing would work. Thanks.

Put a Delron washer on each side of the plate an just snug it and back off a bit.

[emcmia]

Originally Posted by Privilege

It's definitely the arm. I addressed the rudder bearings a while ago so I've done the hard part. The bolt sticking up has no bushings or anything; it just goes through the plate.

I currently have a 1993 P43, which I purchased new. My rudders vibrated and made noise when the rudder shaft bearings became worn. Replacement of all four bearings (upper and lower on both shafts) eliminated the noise. As for the cross bar connection, mine is a schedule 80 aluminum pipe, about 50mm OD, open on both ends (i.e. no flat welded end tabs/plates). However the stainless bolts connecting the aluminum quadrants to the aluminum cross bar (pipe) pass thru a non-metallic bushing that extends thru the pipe and is flush on both outside surfaces, thus electrically and mechanically isolating the stainless bolts from the aluminum cross bar. Non-metallic bushing is about 30mm OD.
Let me know if you need/want a photo.