I'll have to find them in my jumble. But I know I kept a few sets.
Let's make sure that you only need the O-rings.
Bill, got most of them from me when he got the cache of sleeve bearings made for the Association. I'm almost certain that the bearing is offered at cost to members. And just as certain the inside and outside O-rings come with it.
If you still have an old sleeve bearing in the rudder tube, there isn't a single argument against installing a slick new one that I can think of.
If you are sure you just need the O-ring(s) of course I'll see if I can locate them. Offer stands.
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Top of rudder tube repair idea.
If I remember correct, the chromed cap is held on to the top of the rudder tube with set screws - and the top of the tube in 338 had a ragged history of failures of screws failing to hold. One of the problems of driving metal into fiberglass.
To make the top of the tube under the cap like new again you can take the new sleeve bearing WITHOUT the O-rings in place and push it into the tube with a few layers of seranwrap gathered over the bearing. Plug it in wrapped in enough layers of film so it is snug. Then mix up a putty of epoxy, milled glass powder and fumed silica to smooth over the damage and remake the top of the tube.
The plastic wrapped bearing is completely protected and should make a nice form to work the epoxy against and keep the inside of the tube smooth if holes go through. When the epoxy is hard, the sleeve pulls out (you have a ponytail of seranwrap) and the plastic peels off like magic.
When ready to put the cap back on, mark the set-screw holes thru the cap with the cap in place using an awl (or 1/8" Vix bit) and then predrill a set-screw sized hole in the rudder tube for the screws to mate with. The cap is supposed to stay on when you screw them in. The holes should not go through the rudder tube, and should probably be less than an 1/8" deep. Careful!
Then you have to remember next time that the set screws are there. Could get slightly longer ones that poke out a bit so you don't miss them. Should use stainless steel screws with Tef-gel.
imco as always
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Rico, I found the box. I saved two sets of O-rings for the boat. Maybe Bill will let a set go to you?
Also found the chromed cap and see that it has three set screws on its circumference. My rudder tube top has been repaired and I would go with the 1/4" size s.s screws 1/4" long. 5/16s would be better if available - the cap is not very thick (3/32") so we'll probably be sticking out just to make sure they have some thread. Somewhere around here I mentioned that you can find set-screws with heads. They would prevent over screwing into the softer fiberglass of the tube that the headless variety is guilty of. Maybe there is a nice 1/4" short stainless round-head machine-screw that would look good there? 3 of them.
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LATER POST ADDITION:
I'll finish the loop here. WM is not your source for fastenings, as you know. Their catalog lists no machine 316L screws or m. bronze screws (they do have 1/4" set screws). Neither does Hamilton. And it looks like Jamestown is following the crowd. (Jamestown makes a big deal of saying that 304 stainless is marine fastening metal. This is a blatant untruth. A three letter word. WM offering only 18-8* fastenings is the same thing They are NOT marine quality. Neither WM or the screws. You might like rust, so go for it.
I've decided to have shortened round-head machine screws intead of set screws. Set screws often have pointy noses and I like the idea of a flat bottom in a tight fitting hole - less possibility of the cap loosening up imco.
Set screws are tiny and get lost. Headed fastenings are not as neat but I won't be able to turn them in too far - and if one falls out I'll probably see it!
Or feel it!
BoltDepot.com does have silicon bronze round head machine screws in 1/4-20.
You can buy them by the piece. The shortest is 1/2". You might think about including a split washer just in case the thread-lock doesn't hold.
A way to get the exact length needed.
Could drill a hole in some thin metal plate, insert the screw and cinch it up with a regular steel nut and washers - or not - for spacers. Then grind the screw down to the nut - hopefully the length we want - with the right-angle grinder. The length of the round-head machine set-screw is a total of what you have buried in the rudder tube - plus the cap thickness - plus the split washer - it'll probably take a few fittings - start long! I'll soften that part of the threads that are run into the fiberglass tube, like with a small file, less possible cutting of the plastic by the threads. I like bronze because it is a softer fastening and matches the cap material. And it's real salty.
Yup, Basta, good luck.
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*18-8 is a 'bag' term. It is meant to cover the 300 series of stainless which might include 316 but also includes non-marine alloy WM is walmarting China for their stock. There are no controls over alloy formulations or practices or sources in China. You should read the invective they have garnered on some cruising forum sites over bad shackles from WM. I won't buy from them on principle. They are not looking out for me.
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