J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Stainless steel J/30 parts

So OK ...
a. we are pretty sure the pins in most cases are not bronze... perhaps in all cases?
b. do we have any confirmation that the gudgeon hole size built to was really to .005in.? say to +- .001? always have to have a +-?

AND that two holes drilled or punched in that stock and placed 2 inches apart and welded together could also have a combined specification of .005in in alignment with the same, same hardware placed 2-3 feet apart?

I'm having a problem with .005in.

this boat was first worked out ~ 34 years ago????

Vic - the tolerances and material comments came from Rod Johnstone. I can't think of a better source. I'm sure that not all hardware out there is per the original spec tolerances or material.

roger, roger ... as a member of that 70+ crowd ... duh .... I am fully aware of my great memory of details from 40 years ago.

But the question remains: Can working to a .005in. clearance gap be practical in the alignment in two fittings with two 1.005 in. holes spaced 2 in. apart with those fittings ~2 feet apart be workable?

When we rebuilt the transom on 526 and had to redrill the holes for the grudgeon brackets ... it was beyond the ability of the staff available to align adequately enough to keep the rudder from binding when hard over to port. now fixed, but not by working to .005 specs.

A while ago, I think it was Bob Rutsch that suggested using nyliners to reduce slop in the pintle/gudeons. They're essentially thin plastic bushing you can insert around the pintle. I don't have the manufacturer or part number any more.

Perhaps we can easily resolve this question of hole size if someone has a digital caliper available such as Digital Caliper from Harbor Freight.

I'm thinking if someone measured the four holes fore and aft and beam to beam ... that would give us an indication of a range to guess what they were originally cut to. And then also measure the hole in the rudder hardware as another confirmation.

But in any case it would also document the effect of wear on those holes ... I haven't seen a pin with grooves worn into it ... so wear if at all must be at the holes ... although you would think that wear would show somewhat equally and a detectable grove would be present in the pin if we were going to have enough wear to detect a clicking action that wasn't originally built in.

The problem with the design is that stainless on stainless is just bad design due the fact it will gaul

I did a major rebuild on mine about 8 years ago I had them over bored inserted bronze inserts into the rudder and then had new pins made with stops on them Now the pins are fixed an the bronze rotates on them It took all the slop out of the rudder and has worn well

I've got calipers and the rudder is at home. I can measure the rudder holes on wildcat. The pins are on the boat and I won't be to the boat till end of the month.

I think Charlie has the right idea with the bronze bushings

Finally got around to measuring the holes
Boat is 25 yrs old
Top hole = 1.017
Bottom hole = 1.008
With that much wear on the top rudder hole, I'm very curious
to find out what the gudgeon plates on the boat look like

Russ

sounds like its time to take the parts to your local machine shop I'll bet the holes are out of round as well

I brought my bottom pin home
It measures .995 @ pintles to most worn area at gudgeon @ .984
Interesting wear pattern as expected rear side of top of pin and front side at bottom of pin
I have my old prop shaft i will take down and place it to see howw much slop it removes. It measures .999
Mine is 1984-#484
Stated wrong on first posting