Tiller is stiff

[Johny London]

My tiller has become rather stiff to turn (steer), I think after I'd been moored for a couple weeks. I assume that there is a procedure for lubricating? Hopefully without taking it all to bits. (I haven't yet checked to see if the problem could be something wrapped around underneath, I don't want to take the weed hatch of unnecessarily).

If anyone could tell me a procedure I'd be grateful, thanks.

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, Johny London said:

I don't want to take the weed hatch of unnecessarily

Why ?

 

Removal of the hatch and checking of the prop should be part of your daily 'checks' along with oil, filters and belts.

[Johny London]

Nothing gets checked daily - life's too short!

The weed hatch, well when I collected the boat, the guy showed it to me and had a lot of trouble getting it to seal up water tight again - it's not very well fabricated - so I avoid messing with it. Only had the hatch off once, when a bunch of plastic suddenly went in it all.

I know I probably shouldn't have accepted it like that, but I had a schedule to pursue.

[Dave Payne]

I wonder how many do check the weed hatch daily, i dont, last time i opened it was top of smethwick locks, last September.

[Phil Ambrose]

If I'm honest, I only check if I think there is something amiss.

As for the tight tiller, mine has a grease nozzle which I give a few squirts every now and then.

Phil 

 

 

[bizzard]

What kind of top bearing does the rudder stock have. Ball race unit or just a plain bearing? Ball race units usually have a grease nipple.  Might worth jumping overboard to check the rudder for fouling.

[Tony Brooks]

Some but by no means all upper rudder bearings have a grease nipple on the. The procedure is to apply a grease gun while swinging the rudder. This type usually has ball bearings so would not normally  rust up in just a couple of weeks.

On others you MIGHT be able to work some oil between the  stock and tube  while on others you can do nothing apart from swing the ruder in the hope you rub some rust off the stock/tube.

They will stiffen up if you have inadvertently cilled the tip of the rudder and bent the stock.

 

[LEO]

Tiller Stiff - when you find the cause please let me know - is the reason available on the open market?. 

[Johny London]

The grease nozzle - whereabouts is it? Perhaps I have one. I'd like to try some lubricant before getting the weed hatch up as I don't think it is the latter.

[Alan de Enfield]

I realise that IW are very different but 30 years of 'small sea going boats', along with many years as a flying instructor and private pilot tends to teach you that everything needs to be checked on a regular basis, and routine is the key.

Start at the stern and 'work' forward, check everything moves that should do, and everything that shouldn't do, doesn't.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, LEO said:

Tiller Stiff - when you find the cause please let me know - is the reason available on the open market?. 

Maybe you dropped one of those little blue pills ?

[Dave Payne]

My daily checks,

Is it floating

Does the engine start

Does it move

Does it stop

Is the fridge keeping the beer cold.

 

[zenataomm]

Without a photo showing the arrangement you have, everybody is merely guessing and likely to go off topic quickly.

[Dave_P]

When my tiller is stiff, it usually indicates a prop-foul.  Open the weed hatch and check.  If your weedhatch doesn't seal easily then that also needs addressing.  Avoiding a problem doesnt make it go away.

I've had to clear my weedhatch around 15-20 times since saturday morning, but then I've been exploring the lesser travelled routes of the BCN...

 

[Johny London]

This is what I have...

 

[Johny London]

Once long ago the rudder came loose and I tightened the top nut (plus a bit of thread lock).

I wonder if I can get a bit of three in one into the gap by the shaft or if the four nuts can be undone without the assembly in the water dropping off?

Edited May 30, 2017 by Johny London

[Onewheeler]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Removal of the hatch and checking of the prop should be part of your daily 'checks'

I've opened mine three times in twenty years. Once in anger (fishing rod bag around the prop), twice to check prop dimensions. Have been in all sorts of dodgy places (like Birmingham).

[Stilllearning]

1 hour ago, Johny London said:

Once long ago the rudder came loose and I tightened the top nut (plus a bit of thread lock).

I wonder if I can get a bit of three in one into the gap by the shaft or if the four nuts can be undone without the assembly in the water dropping off?

Definitely try 3 in 1 oil round the shaft where it enters the mounting, turn the tiller from one extreme to the other, then if that does not improve the stiffness, it's time to look in the weedhatch. As others have said, you truly do need to be able to open and close the hatch and clear rubbish off the prop. If resealing it is difficult, then that needs fixing too. Boats have been known to sink due to poorly sealed weed hatches.

[Tony Brooks]

I just realised that the OP did not specify if it is stiff when stationary, when moving, or both. I and I assume others took him to mean when stationary but if its when he is moving maybe he has just moved onto a shallow canal and is driving it too hard .

[Johny London]

No not been driving it hard - it's stiff all the time. I can't seem to find my oil can so will try a bit of dw40...

I wonder what happens if I take the 4 nuts off - might be the sort of place where you pack grease in?

thanks

Edited May 30, 2017 by Johny London

[ditchcrawler]

Why dont you just look to see if something is jamming it before you start to pull it to bits.

[john6767]

4 hours ago, Dave Payne said:

I wonder how many do check the weed hatch daily, i dont, last time i opened it was top of smethwick locks, last September.

I have checked and cleared it many times in the last 4 days, but I am on the BCN at the moment!  I don't check it if I don't think there is something on the prop though.

I can not understand having a weedhatch that does not seal properly and you are concerned about removing it.  It is something  to be sorted asap in my books.  

The picture looks very much like ours which is a plastic bush, and having had it replaced twice I can say they seem to wear quickly and there is more of an issue with play than it being stiff, assuming nothing has been touched. I would be checking underwater first before doing anything else, could something have got jammed up the tube perhaps?

[Johny London]

Just thought there might be a greasing procedure before I went delving. Not over keen on taking the weed hatch up if it's not that.

[Rob-M]

Lie on the counter or the bank and have a feel underneath if you don't want to open the weed hatch or use a short shaft with a hook on the end to see if there is anything obstructing the rudder. I would get your weed hatch sorted though so it doesn't leak.

[WotEver]

41 minutes ago, Johny London said:

Not over keen on taking the weed hatch up if it's not that.

You need to get that fixed so that removal and replacement is a simple 5 minute job.