[C38] Mother of all steering quadrant battles!

[tdtron at earthlink.net]

I propose we have a perpetual trophy for the owner who has done the most impossible mechanical repair during the year, like a craftsman's equivalent to the Nationals of the racers.

Removing the steering quadrant on Max's boat sounds like very strong competition for this year's first winner.

Tom T.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Max Soto 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Sent: 9/8/2011 9:27:05 PM 
Subject: [C38] Mother of all steering quadrant battles!


For all of you that are planning to remove the rudder for the first time, hopefully, this will help a little bit:


Taking down the rudder was the mos painful job I've ever performed on Estancia... The quadrant on the rudder shaft is located a few inched from the packing gland, and after 29 years of getting wet with salt water, all the stainless bolts were welded to the quadrant except for the two small ones on the sides. 
After heating, massaging and applying wd40, two of the four bolts on the sides gave up and I was able to take them out, one broke in the threads so It wasn't a problem, the other one , plus the one that goes on the middle from side to side broke their heads.....
Before taking David's approach and get the grinder, I decided to keep trying, and after lots of ours, and four days, I was  finally able to take it apart.... If I was able to take out the center pin, I would have been able to loosen the quadrant a little bit and slide the rudder shaft down, and take out the quadrant in one piece, but that bolt was stubborn.. I took the nut on the back side and kept tighten it and adding a stack of washers every once in a while so it will come out, until the corroded bolt got stuck and the hull angle didn't let me apply leverage.... At least I was able to move  the bolt about two inches, so the front halve of the quadrant wasn't touching the bolt. The one on the side stood against every trick in my hat, but when anger, pain and desperation took over me, I grabbed a drill and  started drilling on the side, perpendicular to the remaining bolt... Somehow I drilled exactly through the bolt and cut it in two...  I put a screw driver on the side, hit it gentle with a hammer and the two halves became apart from each other... I heard some angels singing  next to me!!
The good thing is that a shop took the bolts out without any damage to the halves.  I also requested not to weld the hole that I drilled.. Is not going to affect, and it will be easier to lubricate the bolt in the near future, in case that it seizes again....
I'm 36, and I have never had such back pains as the ones that this quadrant did.... Not worth it to fight for days.. If having same problems, don't waste time, get the drill, get it done, and let the shop take care of the rest...
The pics shows the corroded and twisted bolt on the middle, the bolts with broken heads, and the lateral hole that I drilled...
Hope this helps to avoid someones back pains!!!!!


Regards,

Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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