screw stuck in tiller

S

sojo

New Member
I have an ACME black diamond tiller and one of the screws in the rudder line cleat snapped off, leaving the screw stuck in the tiller. Any ideas on how to get that screw out?

To clarify, the screw head is gone, and the shaft remains in the tiller (carbon fiber), flush with the surface of the tiller. Do I drill a new hole and move the whole cleat to a new spot? Is it even possible to drill a new hole in a carbon fiber tiller without destroying it?

Thanks for your help!
 
I have the same tiller and exactly the same problem... I blame ACME for not drilling a hole for the tiller retaining pill so the line from the rudder has been putting too much stress on the cleat.

I have now drilled (too big) a hole for the tiller pin but not fixed the head-less screw, I can't undo it with pliers and I'm worried about trying to drill it out....

Let me know how you go!
 
Moving the cleat is an option too, drilling carbon is no different then drilling a hard wood or aluminum. You are now aware that carbon fiber reacts with stainless steel, corroding the ss. When you bed the next screw or bolt, try and get some corrosion inhibitor on the ss or drill the hole oversize, fill with epoxy and redrill the hole for the screw/bolt
 
Alysum said:
I have the same tiller and exactly the same problem... I blame ACME for not drilling a hole for the tiller retaining pill so the line from the rudder has been putting too much stress on the cleat.

I have now drilled (too big) a hole for the tiller pin but not fixed the head-less screw, I can't undo it with pliers and I'm worried about trying to drill it out....

Let me know how you go!
Click to expand...

When I first got my Acme tiller, it was much too wide to fit into the rudder head. I had to sand it down to a custom fit. It now stays pretty snug all by itself. I went ahead and drilled a hole for the retaining pin, but I don't really need it.

I wasn't crazy about having to sand it down, but I figured this was by design to ensure a proper, snug fit.
 
torrid said:
When I first got my Acme tiller, it was much too wide to fit into the rudder head. I had to sand it down to a custom fit. It now stays pretty snug all by itself. I went ahead and drilled a hole for the retaining pin, but I don't really need it.

I wasn't crazy about having to sand it down, but I figured this was by design to ensure a proper, snug fit.
Click to expand...

This is quite common I have found. When i pruchase my new boat the carbon tiller that came with it did not fit. I queried this with LaserPerformance and they advised that the final fitting should be done by the sailor (but there is nothing in their documentation that states this). So now when I am doing a training course and I see tillers that plainly do not fit correctly I pass this on.

The only tiller I have found that fits consistently without any fettling in the Rooster tiller. I have had 2 now (with different boats) and had no problems at all with them fitting in various rudder stocks.
 
Thanks for all the ideas & responses.

The screw extractor didn't work, or perhaps I didn't have one small enough for the screw. Luckily, however, there was just enough threaded screw protruding from the bottom to get a vice grip on -- I then twisted it out from the bottom.

Interesting idea with the epoxy. I'm not familiar with "corrosion inhibitors." Is there a specific kind / brand that people have used?
 
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