Rudder pivot bolt

Technical discussion of ARC products
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gahamby
Professional
Posts: 252
Joined: July 24th, 2012, 7:02 am
Boat Make/Model: SuperCat 15#315
Location: Falls Church VA 22042

Rudder pivot bolt

Post by gahamby »

I just had to worry out that 5/16 pivot bolt in my rudder casting. Not wringing it off was a near run thing. Is there a new and improved hardware spec. for this part? If not what is the preferred anti seize compound?
fjviola
Professional
Posts: 90
Joined: April 21st, 2011, 7:06 am
Boat Make/Model: ARC 21 and Supercat 17
Location: Seabrook, TX
Contact:

Re: Rudder pivot bolt

Post by fjviola »

Gahamby
Working parttime at an outboard motor repair shop, I was introduced to Quicksilver (Mercury) 2-4-C Lubricant.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/mercury-m ... 80_009_502

I now put it on everything that I may want to take apart someday, including my ARC 21 crossbars bolts and rudder casting bolts.
2-4-C works great!

Franklin Viola
ARC 2101
Bill Roberts
Expert
Posts: 515
Joined: November 17th, 2003, 9:13 pm
Location: Stuart, Florida

Re: Rudder pivot bolt

Post by Bill Roberts »

Hey Gahamby,
LUBRICATE,LUBRICATE,LUBRICARE!!!
Anywhere you have metal to metal contact on a sailboat lubricate it, especially if there is relative motion between parts. It is no different than your car.
White lithium grease is a good one and it is available at most hardware stores. The rudder thru bolt should be cleaned and lubricated once or twice a year. The vertical slot in the rudder head that the follower pin moves up and down in should be cleaned and lubricated 2 or 3 times a sailing season. The mast step ball and cup on the mast base should be cleaned and lubricated regularly. Harken ball bearing anythings acould be washed out with soapy water and rinsed. No oil or grease here. It just makes the sand and dirt stick and accumulate in the tracks the balls run in.
On boats with dolphin stricker posts that move up and down through the main beam, LUBRICATE THEM a couple of times a sailing season. Take care of the metal parts on your boat like they are part of a machine. Keep them clean and well lubricated. Lubrication also fights corrosion.
Bill
fjviola
Professional
Posts: 90
Joined: April 21st, 2011, 7:06 am
Boat Make/Model: ARC 21 and Supercat 17
Location: Seabrook, TX
Contact:

LUBRICATE,LUBRICATE,LUBRICARE!!!

Post by fjviola »

Postby Bill Roberts » May 14th, 2015, 9:43 am
LUBRICATE,LUBRICATE,LUBRICARE!!!

I have been using Liquid Wrench RV Dry Lube on all of my ARC21 components (from blocks to spinnaker snuffer) with much success as it leaves no oily residue to pick up sand and grit. And it is a fraction of the price of Sailkote.
http://tinyurl.com/npb6ty2

Thanks!
franklin Viola
ARC 21.01
gahamby
Professional
Posts: 252
Joined: July 24th, 2012, 7:02 am
Boat Make/Model: SuperCat 15#315
Location: Falls Church VA 22042

Re: Rudder pivot bolt

Post by gahamby »

I found myself with jammed rudder kick ups when I had the boat in the ocean at Kitty Hawk. There was a fine, silky green seaweed in the water that clogged up the rudders causing them to only kick up partway. The waves were small so beaching was no problem. I had to unship the rudders and take them up to the rental house and hose them out for quite a while to clear them. It was a real nice ocean sail. GH
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