Rudder tie-bar

[micky]

Last weekend while scrubbing the bottom I saw that my rudder's were not straight, If I placed the stbd rudder straight, the port would be looking out towards port. I went into the bilge and the tie bar is too short, its only screwed in 3 threads on each end into the fittings that hold the rudders. Its a bronze pipe, 1 1/8" or 1 1/4" and I think its schedule 80. I need to replace it with one around 6"-7" longer.

Where can I buy one? I can make the threads.

[Tony Meola]

Mine are stainless steel.. try McMaster Carr. The should have Bronze and stainless pipe and rods you could use.

[pschauss]

Your rudderless are supposed to have a slight toe-in or toe-out. If your boat steers properly leave them alone.

[Carl]

Plumbing supply house may carry.

SS is also a good option.

Another option is to cut your rod, thread ends and put in a coupling…just be sure to assemble with jam nuts.


Rudders should run slightly toed in, or out, not perfectly straight back. Straight back they are prone to vibrating so a Lille toe adds a little pre-load.
How much toe, 3/8- 1/2” is about right.

In or out…now I have heard both angles (pun intended) with reasons to back it up. On the boats I have played on in or out made no noticeable difference aside from stopping vibration and on some stopped the rudders from leaking. Boats I’ve played on are in the 26-40’ range cruising to mid 20 knots.

[micky]

After Labor day weekend I'll remove the tie bar to take measurements and see what I need to buy. Maybe cut it in half and make an insert so I can set them in place and thru bolt them.

[micky]

Went to the boat, removed the tiebar and cut it in half, then screwed both ends completely in and unscrewed them 4 turns back. Installed everything back and used a SS pipe as a sleeve. This pipe I had it from when I did the swim platform brackets in 2018-2019. The tiebar fit perfectly inside the SS pipe. Put 2 bolts on each side. Need to make the final adjustment but need to get in the water for that.

[Carl]

I was looking for the LIKE button or a thumbs up, but since I could not find one, I moved on.

[Tony Meola]

Micky

It always pays off to wait, look around, sleep on it, then for some reason, we always find something laying around that makes it all work. That is just perfect. Glad to hear you are all set.

[bob lico]

my post are normally radical so in keeping tradition i take the entire rudder tie bar and throw it in the garbage!. step one try to find someone upgrading power and take one of his old shafts 1' ,1 1/4' all good , purchase two hind (sp??) joint studded 1/2" 16 thread /roller bearing one left hand and one right hand available from MSC. take everything and go to Carl on this site and he will mount on the lathe and bore and internal thread one right thread and one end left hand thread you have created a high class turn buckle. when you mount the HIND joints you use a 1/2" jam nut. the center of the roller bearing ends is 1/2" so you stick a 1/2" SS bolt thru the bering into the 1/2" holes at the ends of the bronze rudder drag links with washers and jam nuts on to and bottom. you now have unlimited adjustment for toe-in and ZERO slack you are driving a corvette on the water and good for a thousand years -------trust me

[Carl]

Bob- R U talking about using ball joint rod ends?

https://www.mcmaster.com/4444T831


https://www.mcmaster.com/4444T831



That or the regular marine ball joint linkage works well. I’m still a fan of dirt simple pinned Clovis links…but I dislike anything more complicated than it needs to be. But that’s me.

[Sammie-B]

Heim joint your referring to?

[PeterPalmieri]

For the record I have two shafts and a tie bar laying on the side of my garage that I feel guilty scrapping. If you need anything

[micky]

Peter, whats the lenght of the tiebar?

[PeterPalmieri]

I will take out my tape measure and let you know when I get one this afternoon.

[Tony Meola]

For the record I have two shafts and a tie bar laying on the side of my garage that I feel guilty scrapping. If you need anything

Peter

After 13 years I got tired of moving those shafts around, so I just got rid of them. Trust me I don't miss them. By the way, they are only scrap metal. A magnet sticks to them.

[bob lico]

roller bering Helm joint in 316 SS., that's the one and the spelling correction. zero play in the steering and good for a thousand years

[Carl]

After 13 years I got tired of moving those shafts around, so I just got rid of them. Trust me I don't miss them. By the way, they are only scrap metal. A magnet sticks to them.

Tie bar is not worth much as the configuration changes alot from boat to boat...the material is normally just regular tube, bar stock or an old bent boat shaft. The money is in the machining to fit.

Boat shafts can be a different story, if monel, A 22 or even A19 the straightened n true material is very expensive, the prop end taper, n angled keyway cost a bit to machine. So a used shaft can make a good inexpensive option for someone looking for a spare shaft or needing to replace one or two. Our 31 shafts are long, so if the diameter is right many boat owners can just have the coupling end cut off and rekeyed for short money.
I did just that for a friend at the club who was adding a reduction box needing to up the shaft size.


Selling for scrap as Tony said, some boat shaft alloys will hold a magnet so you won't get the .25 a pound for them as they may be scrapped for steel at a couple of cents a pound. A good portion of the money in shafting is the straightening process, and machine work.

[PeterPalmieri]

Sorry I forgot to measure. I’ll get on it this weekend.