[C38] Mother of all steering quadrant battles!

[Max Soto]

Hey  Tom,  Be aware that I removed it while performing a full peeling and
blister job on Estancia just by myself!!! LOL
Cheers

MAx

2011/9/8 tdtron at earthlink.net <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 <maxsoto at gmail.com>
> *To: *Catalina 38 Listserve <Listserve at catalina38.org>
> *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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Listserve mailing list
> Listserve at catalina38.org
> http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
>


-- 
Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://catalina38.org/pipermail/listserve_catalina38.org/attachments/20110909/81fda032/attachment-0001.htm>