Have noticed that the steering is getting increasingly stiff. Have tried lubricant on the top bearing under the access port and inspected all the steering mechanics but no real cause found.
Figure the rudder must be dropped to get at the lower bearing, but can the top rudder post bearing be inspected/replaced while the boat is in the water???
Appreciate any insight.
Steering issues .....
Moderator: forumadmin
Craig,
I found (while I still had Liberty) that as little as an 1/8 or even a 1/16 of a turn on the set screws in the top plate of the lower bearing could significantly affect how stiff the steering was. Try slightly loosening the screws. Might make a world of difference. Too loose and you''ll get water in thru the lower bearing, to tight and the steering is stiff.
Pete Morrison
ex-owner Liberty (Hull 58)
I found (while I still had Liberty) that as little as an 1/8 or even a 1/16 of a turn on the set screws in the top plate of the lower bearing could significantly affect how stiff the steering was. Try slightly loosening the screws. Might make a world of difference. Too loose and you''ll get water in thru the lower bearing, to tight and the steering is stiff.
Pete Morrison
ex-owner Liberty (Hull 58)
Craig,
On hull #143, I have had exactly the same issue. The problem was definitely the lower bearing. To temporarily ease the steering, I would apply a mixture of dishsoap and water above the retainer ring of the lower bearing. Loosening the retainer plate did not provide any relief from the stiffness. My theory is gasket material holding out the sea water expands with age and causes undue friction on the race.
The final fix was a warranty replacement of the lower bearing. Boy, what a difference. The service technician who replaced the lower bearing believes that initial installation at the factory caused a misalignment of the top and bottom bearing. The Edson bearings are not self-aligning. You may be aware that Pearson has changed the bearing configuration on later builds to eliminate this problem.
On hull #143, I have had exactly the same issue. The problem was definitely the lower bearing. To temporarily ease the steering, I would apply a mixture of dishsoap and water above the retainer ring of the lower bearing. Loosening the retainer plate did not provide any relief from the stiffness. My theory is gasket material holding out the sea water expands with age and causes undue friction on the race.
The final fix was a warranty replacement of the lower bearing. Boy, what a difference. The service technician who replaced the lower bearing believes that initial installation at the factory caused a misalignment of the top and bottom bearing. The Edson bearings are not self-aligning. You may be aware that Pearson has changed the bearing configuration on later builds to eliminate this problem.