Play in Tiller

[ebb]

Myself bought the Edson tiller head
and it requires the key way on the ruddershaft
to be on the exact opposite side.
You probably can take the whole rudder to a machine shop, and
have them cut in a new keyway.

My ruddershaft has a 1/4" keyway on both sides front and back.
Just in case I have to use the Edson.
But it is a chromed lighter duty fitting,
the one I got, consider it only a backup.

DEWOBBLING THE ORIGINAL TILLERHEAD FITTING
Bronze is relatively easy to weld and work.
A decent weldshop will be able to add material to eggshapped
holes that will allow them to be redrilled to new condition.
Don't remember seeing your tillerheard fitting here.

Don't believe the keyway in the head piece can be in too bad shape.
Mine looks truncated, looks a little wider on top than in the bottom
of the slot. I'm not using any filler, just a key that completely fills
the slot, about a full inch. I've added two 10-24 set screws and
2 corresponding dimples in the key, to make sure the key won't
move down the corresponding keyway in the rudder shaft. Used
no shim material in the cavity. Slathered everything with Lanocote.

Remove the 5/16" machine screw when assembling. Carefully use
a small C clamp, attempt to nudge the crack very little to snug, and
return the screw tight to hold, not to try to bend the unbendable.
Might help to be able to talk about it.

Juts get the welder to fill the 3/8" holes and redrill exactly where they
still are in the heads fitting and the tiller fitting if needed. Important.

Set screws to hold the key in the keyway. Also
slightly larger set screws or small hexhead machine screws tapped
into the sides of the head, into 1/8" deep and slightly wider holes in
the shaft. These extra sets really tighten up the head on the shaft.
Hold or lock the tiller head assembly onto the shaft.
They are easy to back out when pulling maintenance.
You really want to have easy access to your sleeve bearing. It stops
wobble and keeps water in the rudder tube from squirting into the
fitting..
Tefgel or Marelube can also be used to isolate metals and keep salt
out of close quarters, but it's expensive. Lanocote everything
including the sleeve bearing. DO NOT USE PETROLEUM GREASE.

Make sure the 3/8" bronze hinge bolt has a smooth shank through
both 'ears' on the head. TopNotchFasteners may be able to help.
Have to buy a longer USmade hexhead bolt with a smooth shank to
go all the way thru the head. Cut off most of threaded portion.
End up with very little thread, just enough for a crown nut and a
couple washers.


TILLER AS A LEVER ARM
If you stand and steer, or have a bunch of knees in the cockpit, and
have a fairly straight tiller... you will be lifting the tiller fork off the
head. Higher you lift the more leverage you transfer to the hinge
bolt. Turning rudder in tiller's down position, the flat sides of the
head cancel any leverage produced. Tiller lifted above the tiller
head puts all the strain on the bolt. Hole egging, wear, and bending.
Bought a laminated tiller with a pronounced S curve, making it
almost possible to stand and steer with the tiller down. Tiller curve
is above most knees now also. Less lethal if moved suddenly.