Rudder Packing Gland to Steering Quadrant Leak

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Erica,
Before you resort to flaming torches, liquid nitrogen, sawzalls, and other exotic methods, try an impact wrench. They really work wonders on frozen fasteners. Electric ones are not that expensive (and you may be able to borrow one) and they are quite safe to use on the hard in a dry space.
Z.

Take this advice before trying anything else - and certainly before taking a torch, grinder, or sawzall to it. Buy or borrow a portable electric impact driver and I think you will be amazed at how easy your problem is solved.

I would buy one, because the one I got as a freebie is turning out to be the best tool on the boat. Whenever I lend it to someone, they return it saying it will be the very next thing they buy.

Try an electric impact wrench.

Mark

[Ocean Girl]

I love the electric impact wrench idea! But We are going to get the haul out yard to fix this. It's got me beat. I let you know how it goes with the yard.

[bob_77903]

Erica,

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but is a trick we used in the oil patch when drilling. Called soft line. But in your case, fat string like the butcher uses to tie your package.

It looked like you could move the top plate enough to get a gap, then wrap the string around the rudder post between the packing and top plate. When you tighten the bolts back down on the plate it will compress the string down creating a seal. It is sealing mine now till haul out..good luck..

[Ocean Girl]

Ooo, love that idea Bob, will try it.
Thanks
E

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

I love the electric impact wrench idea! But We are going to get the haul out yard to fix this. It's got me beat. I let you know how it goes with the yard.

Nooo!!!

We were so looking forward to seeing a pic of OG "hunting trophy style" all ruffed up from the fight, but victorious.... on one knee next to the slain quadrant....

Or at least I was...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

I love the electric impact wrench idea! But We are going to get the haul out yard to fix this. It's got me beat. I let you know how it goes with the yard.

Most quality cordless drill motors these days have an impact setting. You don't need to buy a dedicated impact wrench, just a 3/8" drive (socket adaptor) for your cordless, which should already do impact. Dedicated impact drivers often put out more torque, however.


http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page...cket%20adapter

[colemj]

Originally Posted by minaret

Most quality cordless drill motors these days have an impact setting. You don't need to buy a dedicated impact wrench, just a 3/8" drive (socket adaptor) for your cordless, which should already do impact. Dedicated impact drivers often put out more torque, however.

This is what I was describing in my suggestion above to buy one. Although I haven't seen most cordless drill motors having an impact setting, I do see lots of cordless drill 2-for-1 packages that throw in an impact drill for free. That is how I ended up with one, and quickly found it to be one of the most useful tools on board - even though I thought I would never use it.

Even if you are not using one on your quadrant now, I highly recommend buying one anyhow.

Mark

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Nooo!!!

We were so looking forward to seeing a pic of OG "hunting trophy style" all ruffed up from the fight, but victorious.... on one knee next to the slain quadrant....

Or at least I was...

I fought the quadrant, and the quadrant won
But I will be with the repair guy every step of they way, gotta see how they fix this, and in a way that I can repack the gland in the future without the saga.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by colemj

This is what I was describing in my suggestion above to buy one. Although I haven't seen most cordless drill motors having an impact setting, I do see lots of cordless drill 2-for-1 packages that throw in an impact drill for free. That is how I ended up with one, and quickly found it to be one of the most useful tools on board - even though I thought I would never use it.

Even if you are not using one on your quadrant now, I highly recommend buying one anyhow.

Mark

Amazon.com: DEWALT DCD970KL 18-Volt XRP Lithium-Ion 1/2-Inch Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver Kit: Home Improvement


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DPBOIW/..._t2_B002CW6WGA



Here are just a couple of examples. Note the ring inside the clutch ring. This adjusts to drill setting (no clutch), driver setting (clutch), or hammer drill (impact driver).

[Saltyhog]

I sure don't like to disagree with minaret, but I'm pretty sure a hammer drill is a different beast than an impact driver. The examples I own are very different in any case. I agree that an impact driver is *very* useful for many jobs on the boat. I also got it as a freebee with the drill.


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[deblen]

Canadian Tire - Mastercraft 7.5A Impact Wrench customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

An impact DRIVER is a drill with 1/4" hex collet chuck-for driving screws,w/o pilot holes.

An electric impact WRENCH is a 1/2" sq. drive-for use with 1/2" sockets,& is used to remove/install nuts & bolts. It's also available air driven,as used in every tire shop. Very useful on boat for rusty stuff,as long as you use 6 point sockets.

Cheers / Len

[minaret]

Originally Posted by deblen

Canadian Tire - Mastercraft 7.5A Impact Wrench customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

An impact DRIVER is a drill with 1/4" hex collet chuck-for driving screws,w/o pilot holes.

An electric impact WRENCH is a 1/2" sq. drive-for use with 1/2" sockets,& is used to remove/install nuts & bolts. It's also available air driven,as used in every tire shop. Very useful on boat for rusty stuff,as long as you use 6 point sockets.

Cheers / Len

You must have missed the point. If you put the socket adaptor I linked to above into an impact driver, it turns it into an impact wrench. Two tools in one, for less money. Though, as I stated, a dedicated impact wrench will have more torque. My M18 often surprises me though. And I have a pneumatic model sitting right there in the tool bag, but pretty often it's faster to use the cordless and it does the job fine.

[deblen]

Apologies Minaret I have never used a driver as a wrench,as I have an impact wrench.Good idea though-would have less torque,as you say,but that is not all bad,especially on smaller fasteners.
Cheers / Len

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Saltyhog

I sure don't like to disagree with minaret, but I'm pretty sure a hammer drill is a different beast than an impact driver. The examples I own are very different in any case. I agree that an impact driver is *very* useful for many jobs on the boat. I also got it as a freebee with the drill.

Yes, I have both a hammer drill and an impact driver. They operate in different modes. The hammer drill "hammer" is down on the substrate (in line with the drill bit), while the impact driver "impact" provides torque perpendicular to the bit.

I wouldn't use the hammer drill on a stuck bolt, nor the impact driver to drill concrete.

Mark

[deblen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wovVmdNvxE

Some good points in this video. Be very careful heating aluminum with anything hotter than a propane torch.Not sure about Mapp-may be ok. Aluminum melts with no warning indication.It expands & contracts much faster than SS & that is why you have to be patient-turning the bolt a little at a time,as the alum.cools so fast & re-jams.
I would be hesitant to cut the bolt at the seam,unless all else fails.You will be left with a "threaded Stud" in one half.You would then have to weld a nut on this threaded portion-ok in a machine shop.
Use lots of Neverseize,or other aluminum based anti-seize compound when re-assembling.Also,drill out the threaded section & use a thru bolt & nylock nut.
Also,I found that drilling the bolt holes 1/64 larger will help in future disassembly.
I can't tell from photos-does the rudder stock continue up above the quadrant to a support bearing/bushing.If not,it should.
Even if the rudder is well supported under water,the top of rudder stock will flex some,inside the boat,due the strain applied to the quadrant/tiller when steering.
Without an upper bearing,this flex ends up being against the stuffing box/packing/f-glass tube,causing it to leak/crack/break.
Good luck & cheers / Len