Rudder Lubrication

What's the best way to grease the rudder? Drop the rudder lube and reinstall? There's a nipple on the aft side of the shaft tube probably about 1/2". I envision a mess with grease dripping off my elboes trying to squirt it in there. Anyone rig up something clever to get grease in there? Any recommendatons on cleaning the rudder shaft of the old sticky buildup? Thanks, Woody Cal-34

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Ellwood Jones" <jon1474@...> wrote: > > What's the best way to grease the rudder? Drop the rudder lube and reinstall? > > There's a nipple on the aft side of the shaft tube probably about 1/2". I envision a mess with grease dripping off my elboes trying to squirt it in there. Anyone rig up something clever to get grease in there? Any recommendatons on cleaning the rudder shaft of the old sticky buildup? You could drop it when you haul out. That's a good idea anyway since a Cal 39 lost their rudder to a corroded shaft right out of Hawaii on the delivery home last week. When we went in Transpac, my Choate 40 had grease nipples in the rudder post tube. I greased it about every three days as there was lots of rudder action. I don't think build up is much of a problem as I would think it would squeeze out. If the rudder post fits the tube snugly, that should not be a problem. I had a Cal 34 for 10 years and never noticed the grease nipples but they could have been there. Mine were the right size for a standard grease gun. Mike Kennedy Conquest Cal 40 96 > > Thanks, > > Woody > Cal-34 >

My Cal 33 has a grease fitting installed inthe fibergalls rudder tube. I have not yet tried to use this to grease the rudder shaft, probalby frose up, but I would think you could install a grease fitting in most fiber glass rudder tubes, but you may have to do this when the rudder is removed to insure you do not drill into the shaft when you drill and thread the tube for the fitting. Ron Cal 33 S/V Steallar of Course Ellwood Jones <jo… [at] attg.net> wrote: What's the best way to grease the rudder? Drop the rudder lube and reinstall? There's a nipple on the aft side of the shaft tube probably about 1/2". I envision a mess with grease dripping off my elboes trying to squirt it in there. Anyone rig up something clever to get grease in there? Any recommendatons on cleaning the rudder shaft of the old sticky buildup? Thanks, Woody Cal-34 --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail.