Rudder Posts

[Artzco]

At the top of my rudder posts where it comes through the hull, there are two threaded studs and a nut on each to tighten down the housing. My surveyor recommended that the nuts be tightened down to stop a very slow seepage of water. One nut moves fine and the other seems frozen to the stud. any recommendations on a good product to unfreeze the nut. I don't want to take a chance of snapping the stud. I plan to drop the posts when it is hauled in the fall. Thanks.

 

[fissioneng]

PB Blaster and use a small wire brush to clean up the threads on both sides of the nut.

Make sure to let the PB soak, then spray again, then wait, then spray again. Slowly move the nut in both directions.

 

[Boatsb]

What he said and you can also use a smoke wrench if needed.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Try a mixture of acetone and ATF, half and half. Seems to work as well as any of the commercial products and costs less. Blaster is pretty good, but not as effective. You'll have to soak it for a few days.

 

[fissioneng]

One other thought, check to see if there are 2 nuts on the studs. I have one on the back side of the packing housing in order to push the housing off the packing when changing the packing. If you have one of these, it could be snugged up preventing you from tightening the one on top. If you do have one, just loosen that first.

 

[Artzco]

i checked again and only have the nut on top. I appreciate the various remedies and will give it a try. Will simply tightening the housing stop the water seepage?

 

[saltshaker]

i checked again and only have the nut on top. I appreciate the various remedies and will give it a try. Will simply tightening the housing stop the water seepage?

Most likely. If not it's no big deal to change the packing. Don't over tighten. Unless they're leaking badly, a 1/4 turn will usually do it.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

I had one post repacked by Allied when I left the boat for a month, on return I asked the mechanic did he have any problems, he stated that he could only get one new ring on top of the old, I queried why he did not remove the old stuff first, he retorted,,not necessary..I would have thought the old stuff should be removed as it still drips even though fully tightened down. ??????

 

[Maynard Rupp]

That's a real tough area to work in. I am not sure how you would gain enough access to get the removing tool in there. Ours were both leaking and I just cranked them down until it stopped. I will never turn the wheel fast enough to heat the packing up. I would like to re-pack them but I can't figure out how to get enough clearence between the hull and the rudder shelf to get the thing apart.

 

[Artzco]

i agree that there is very little room. I'm lying down and even then, i need to be a contortionist to reach under the mounting platform. Maybe I need to get a very small person.

 

[ron6785]

At the top of my rudder posts where it comes through the hull, there are two threaded studs and a nut on each to tighten down the housing. My surveyor recommended that the nuts be tightened down to stop a very slow seepage of water. One nut moves fine and the other seems frozen to the stud. any recommendations on a good product to unfreeze the nut. I don't want to take a chance of snapping the stud. I plan to drop the posts when it is hauled in the fall. Thanks.

Depending on how bad it is you may have to use Muratic Acid. I have a 53MY and there was an access cover in the transom so I could put the Muratic acid on and close the cover. I did it twice and the whole coupling cleaned up nicely and it was easy to move the jam nut. Applying heat with a heat gun may also do the trick, although I had to resort to the above after all manor of lubricants and heat were applied.