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Hi All, I'm looking to clean up the base of the tiller and grease properly as it squeaks when moving it. Looking at the pic what's the best way to separate this - anxious bits don't drop off into the canal ... big nut on the top or the four allen bolts?  I've tried greasing via the nipple but its not working as it should.......  thanks all!!!

 

20200801_122715.jpg

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Loosen Big Nut (which is actually a bolt)  at the top first by 3 or 5 turns. Then ENTHUSIASTICALLY waggle the ram's head and tiller till they come  loose on the rudder post.  You may need wedges or a scissor jack under the boss to encourage it.  Remove Big Nut(bolt). Lift off Ram's head.

Undo four socket cap screws holding the bearing housing. Undo the grub screw(s) that clamp  the bearing to the rudder post  (I think I can see one at the front, in line with the grease nipple, there may be others.).  Pull bearing and square housing off the rudder post.  You may well have to strip the paint off  and/or resort to violence to get it moving.

 

Clean bearing and housing,  with diesel or paraffin, renew bearing if needed.  Remove grease nipple and check the passage is not full of rust.  Refill the bearing  with grease.  Refit as reverse of removal. Grease all the bolts well when refitting.

N

 

Edited by BEngo
Speelkne
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The gap between the bearing and shaft looks like replacement could be a better bet.

They arent expensive.....this is an example ... http://www.wychbearings.co.uk/ucf208-24_housed_bearing_ldk.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyJn5BRDrARIsADZ9ykFEEkJP921PNscLhk4aWXv6giC6c6EvxuEUotMLpDuZFYFt18ueeRsaAlG0EALw_wcB

and the above post tells you how it should be done. 

You need to measure the rudder shaft diameter to make sure you get the right one

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19 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The gap between the bearing and shaft looks like replacement could be a better bet.

They arent expensive.....this is an example ... http://www.wychbearings.co.uk/ucf208-24_housed_bearing_ldk.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyJn5BRDrARIsADZ9ykFEEkJP921PNscLhk4aWXv6giC6c6EvxuEUotMLpDuZFYFt18ueeRsaAlG0EALw_wcB

and the above post tells you how it should be done. 

You need to measure the rudder shaft diameter to make sure you get the right one

 

But as the shaft probably sits at an angle the grease groove in the new bearing may not line up with the nipple if refitted a sit is now. Turn the base through 90 degrees so the nipple points to the side.

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54 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Loosen Big Nut (which is actually a bolt)  at the top first by 3 or 5 turns. Then ENTHUSIASTICALLY waggle the ram's head and tiller till they come  loose on the rudder post.  You may need wedges or a scissor jack under the boss to encourage it.  Remove Big Nut(bolt). Lift off Ram's head.

Undo four socket cap screws holding the bearing housing. Undo the grub screw(s) that clamp  the bearing to the rudder post  (I think I can see one at the front, in line with the grease nipple, there may be others.).  Pull bearing and square housing off the rudder post.  You may well have to strip the paint off  and/or resort to violence to get it moving.

 

Clean bearing and housing,  with diesel or paraffin, renew bearing if needed.  Remove grease nipple and check the passage is not full of rust.  Refill the bearing  with grease.  Refit as reverse of removal. Grease all the bolts well when refitting.

N

 

Before doing that tie a rope on the rudder incase you lift it out of the cup while trying to pull the bearing up so that if it does come out of the cup you dont lose it

14 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

But as the shaft probably sits at an angle the grease groove in the new bearing may not line up with the nipple if refitted a sit is now. Turn the base through 90 degrees so the nipple points to the side.

99% of the time they are like that, it looks neater.

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2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Before doing that tie a rope on the rudder incase you lift it out of the cup while trying to pull the bearing up so that if it does come out of the cup you dont lose it

99% of the time they are like that, it looks neater.

Yes, but when I replaced mine doing it as per the photo blocked the nipple. I think the casting did not have a large enough hole to allow grease into the groove with the shaft at  angle.

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1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

Yes, but when I replaced mine doing it as per the photo blocked the nipple. I think the casting did not have a large enough hole to allow grease into the groove with the shaft at  angle.

I think you are right, I may have worded it badley 

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11 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Before doing that tie a rope on the rudder incase you lift it out of the cup while trying to pull the bearing up so that if it does come out of the cup you dont lose it

A lot of narrowboat rudders have a convenient hole at the top outside end for this purpose. 

Jen

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I don't think you will gain much by removing it unless you want to replace the bearing. I would just stick a grease gun on the nipple and swing the tiller / z iron whatever you call it back an forth a few times shoving more grease in at different positions.

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As explained by Tony, it is probably worth rotating the bearing housing 90 deg. before replacing. It's a quick job and in my case allowed the bearing to be greased for the first time in X years! 

Edited by PaulD
Typo
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12 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

But as the shaft probably sits at an angle the grease groove in the new bearing may not line up with the nipple if refitted a sit is now. Turn the base through 90 degrees so the nipple points to the side.

I've replaced mine a couple of times over the years and no matter where I position the the nipple the grease groove doesn't line up with the nipple. I just have to accept the fact. Interestingly while on my bearing grease has always squirted out somewhere the OPs bearing is remarkably  grease free. Could the problem be with the grease gun (even my trusty Wanner 315 blocks up) or the nipple. If the swan neck has to be  removed I used a hefty bearing puller (not a 3 leg as the swan neck gets in the way). Removing the top bolt and washer beforehand and repeated squirts of Plusgas helps. Midland Chandlers have the bearing and casting for £17.45. As a short term measure aerosol bike chain grease might help. 

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On our share boat the balls had gone AWOL no amount of grease helped. When I changed the bearing on this boat, once I had the swan neck off I unbolted the bearing, lifted everything by about 15mm and put some wood between the bearing housing and the counter, then a lump of wood on top of the rudder shaft and a few blows with a big hamer to move the bearing on the shaft, this required repeating with more packing. Don't lift the shaft out of the bottom cup.

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