Trojan Boat Forum

I've got a 1975 32' flybridge with one rudder not hooked up to the linkage. The setup on my boat currently is rubber hose hooked to the heim and to the linkage bar that is torn. I was wondering if this is factory made or some easy fix to another problem by the previous owner. (I just bought the boat last summer). Any help would be greatly appreciated as I plan on replacing what is on the boat currently.

Thanks,

Happy waters,

Adam

First welcome to the forum. what your saying is Not making much sense sound like your talking about 2 issues . So I will ask a few questions.

Are you say only one rudder is hooked up at the back of the boat ? And that someone has also used a peace of rubber hose at the helm ?

Or is only one helm working ?

Upper or lower helm ? Do you have Hydraulic steering ? Some did ,some did not and may have been changed over the years

Do you have any photos ? you can post or email them to me ?

I agree - hard to follow where your problem is. If you don't have a picture : typically (if an F32) the power steering pumps are built in to the wheel hub & base. Then you would have hydraulic lines back to a ram fastened at the transom. The moving arm of the ram would be connected to one rudder post, then a tie rod would be used to connect the two rudder posts together.

Given that description, what part(s) is(are) missing or broken? If hydraulic lines or the ram are the problem, you are replacing steering system parts (and you probably have a discontinued Teleflex Syten system, and may have to replace more than just the buggered stuff). If it is just the tie rod between the rudder posts, you can probably get one fabbed somewhere (but would need to get it made 'adjustable' or very precisely - the rudders should be roughly parallel to each other but 'toe out' just a touch). There has been another post in the last couple of days about rudder alignment that talks to this and includes a picture.

I am only talking about the tie-rod in between both rudders, one is hooked up and the other is not. The heim/rod end (not helm) is what connects the tie rod to the rudder - but there is a piece of rubber hose inbetween the rod end and tie-rod. My boat is mechanical steering if that matters at all and I did read the other post about the other problem.

Thanks in advance,

Adam Nuetzel

Ok now starting to get a better picture Heim as in heim joint not helm , thought it was a typo

heim joint
http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit214

2 ways this can be hooked up , in most cases the linkage from the helm hooks to the tie bar ( w/ a heim joint) that goes from one rudder arm to the other. It normal hooks to the tie bar near center but can be off set ( on mine it is) most likey this you set up.


In some case the linkabe can hook up to one rudder arm and then a tie bar goes to the other arm.

Sounds like some one use a hose to do a repair a poor repair at best .

I broke a tie bar on mine and had to make up one .

Again a phot will be a big help

Yes - photo please - you lost me.

I have the same setup on my 1974 F32, but can'tt picture what you're saying.

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you all for your help, next time I get out to my boat I will post a photo. It's only 12 degrees today here so I'll go later on. If this is not a stock setup then I actually like the repair the way it is as the rubber hose actually acts as a buffer if you run aground and hit the rudders because then they just break away instead of tear up a lot of equipment. Thanks for all your input.

Adam

That makes no sense at all , Having a hose holding the linkage together will not stop you from bending rudders or anything. . You need to fix it right , It is a safety issue

Ok, after further review I found that the rubber hose was just a cover to help keep all the hiem joints holding grease and not get grease over everything else. Does anyone know what thread and pitch the heim that goes into the shaft is? I know it is fine pitch and it is not 5/8 or 16mm or 18 mm took the heim to a fastener company and they didn't even have a jam nut.

If the hiem joints are on the bar between the rudders they are not factory if they are on the hydraulic cylinder then you can get the info from the maker of the cylinder .

A fastener store or a good hardware store should be able to measure this .Also this could be left hand threads on one of the joints

Photos on the set up would be a big help

Changing props on my F32 requires pulling the rudders, because my shafts are about 1/2" too long. Arghhh.

Anyway, the steering linkages clamps to the rudder post, and then a split sleeve pin runs through the lingage and the rudder post. A copper wire then runs through, to keep the split pin from coming out.

Does anyone know why a split pin is used, instead of a solid pin? Is it supposed to act like a shear pin? The split pin nan be a pain to remove.

Are you talking about "roll pin" ? With a slit up the length of the pin? If so, it keeps tension in place. A solid pin, would vibrate and wear...then fall out.

Yep, it is a roll pin. I didn't know what it was called, until you posted.

Your answer makes total sense. Thank you.