So...
Because of damage that occurred while boat was on hard -> bent rudder shaft...
...it was necessary to remove it for repair / replacement at a local machine shop.
Extraction was deceptively easy.
- Remove 3 cotter pins. (1 on shaft's top, 1 which tied to packing gland plastic nuts sections together, 1 on "Y" yoke's (ties starboard and port rudders together) clevis pin <removal for ease of access into aft bilge area to work>)
- Hit all parts with PB Blaster a couple of times.
- Easy to then work square headed retaining bolt from bronze tiller yoke.
- Remove brass 9/16" bolt from brass tiller yoke.
- Drive flat tipped screwdriver into split of yoke's split drawtite section. (only enough to effect a loosening of tiller yoke from rudder shaft. Will need to be tightened slightly with screw clamp to ensure alignment of holes when bolt inserted < 1/2 of split section is threaded [in addition to having a 9/16" brass nut as well] so the alignment is correct when starting to thread in bolt.>)
- When tiller yoke's retaining bolt and split was loosened, it was easy to tap the yoke upwards off of shaft - WHICH FELL THRU SHAFT LOG WITHOUT ANY EFFORT onto the ground. This tells me the cutlass bearing's worn out.
- Loosened all 4 screw clamps from isolation hose.
- Pulled plastic "isolator" packing gland assembly.
The brass "tiller yoke" which connects the rudder to the connection rod between the starboard and port rudders rides on top of the packing gland / top plastic ring.
- Took apart packing gland:
Dis-assembly would be left to right - AND THIS IS WHERE I NEED HELP!!!
I know there're non-metallic cutlass bearing sections still in the shaft log that need to be removed. That I believe I've got a handle on.
--> What I don't know about is the packing gland material to be used in the packing gland.
- Those are the 2 pieces - 2nd from left & 4th from left (or the 2 items between the metal ring).
Anyone know the appropriate material to use? Or would the same material used in the prop shaft log packing gland be used?
Thx,
Bill