|
|
Post by sailbleu on May 15, 2019 8:23:46 GMT
I guess most of us have had our rudder make that sound , especially when sailing in cold waters , because it is my experience that warm and cold have an effect on the sound a rudder makes . I crossed the golf of Biscay 3 times from North-sea channel to the Mediterranean and back and each had the squeaking/creaking sound at the start of the journey going down and at the end of it going up . The warmer South European & Med-water always had a therapeutic effect . So for me it’s temperature related . But the sound has an more disturbing connotation to it , a bearing that sighs is eventually a bearing that dies . Again , most of us know that greasing the rudder stock makes and end to the groaning . However , the stock and top bearing are such a tight fit ( should be) that a lot of the sprayed on lubricant or silicone is lost and doesn’t creep in where it should be . So for several years I’ve been playing with the idea of installing a dam of some sort around the rudder-stock housing so a lubricant , be it oil or anything else stays in there and drips through . A few days ago I addressed the challenge , because a challenge it is to get a precision job done in such small and confined space . I believe I succeeded , but I yet have to test it once we set off for the season . Would like to share some photos to give a solution that obviously worked for me and this kind of boat . The material used us just ordinary pvc glued on with sikaflex . I had to work with two separate parts as it was virtually impossible to get an integrated one piece item in position . Good luck Regards    |
|
|
|
Post by MalcolmP on May 15, 2019 8:33:12 GMT
Clever indeed, your inventiveness knows no bounds  Will be interesting how it works out long term |
|
|
|
Post by uli057 on May 16, 2019 7:53:57 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by debenbar on May 16, 2019 19:22:03 GMT
The Jeanneau owners manual for my 39ds says that only WD40 should be used to lubricate the rudder bearings. One time I ignored this and routinely applied a silicon based spray to the rudder bearings which were not squeaking, within a day or two the bearings were squeaking due to the nylon (?) swelling, it took several days repeated flooding with WD40 to cure the squeaking.
|
|
|
|
Post by sailbleu on May 17, 2019 6:45:41 GMT
The Jeanneau owners manual for my 39ds says that only WD40 should be used to lubricate the rudder bearings. One time I ignored this and routinely applied a silicon based spray to the rudder bearings which were not squeaking, within a day or two the bearings were squeaking due to the nylon (?) swelling, it took several days repeated flooding with WD40 to cure the squeaking. This is a real valuable post . In the past I used several sprays ( mostly silicone ) and as many different things to lubricate the bearing because I had no clue what kind of lubricant would be compatible with the material used for the bearing. However , filling the reservoir I have now with WD40 will not be easy to say the least . I had my mind set on a synthetic low viscosity oil that could gradually work it’s way through , I’m sure the rotation of the rudder will allow ‘ the thicker than WD40 ‘ to also get down to the lower bearing . Very curious though on the consumption of lubricant , not sure if it will disappear via the bottom bearing . The bottom bearing being under water all the time , submerged up to a certain level in other words , and the oil/lubricant being lighter than water , it will take an oil column higher than that of the sea water before the oil seeps through the bottom bearing in to the sea . I suppose it wouldn’t harm to also lubricate that bearing , sandy salt water is after all very abrasive . Regards Ps: thanks for the compliment Malcolm , will report further details on the application |
|
|
|
Post by uli057 on May 17, 2019 20:43:45 GMT
Hi, WD 40 is nothing for oiling any bearing. wd 40 is a graet liquid for claer all what are dirty. or for clear fresh sikaflex from any material..  . but Not for bearings. i prefer for that bearing only oil for v4a bearings. the bottom Nylon bearing, this nylon bearing in water does not oil for better work. regards ULI |
|
Will be interesting how it works out long term
. but Not for bearings.