Rudder bushings

Mashmaster

Active Member
They seem pricey, any alternatives to the plastic bushings specifically for sunfish? And why would I need 10 of them?
 
In a pinch a flat section of a plastic milk bottle woks fine. The real bushings are nylon and may last longer than the milk bottle. They sell them in batches of 10 to jack up the retail price.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
everyone seems to be out of stock, I checked at the hardware store and didn't see any good substitutes. I guess I will do the milk bottle trick. How thick is the real nylon bushing? maybe I can find sheet nylon that would last longer than the milk bottle.
 
In a pinch a flat section of a plastic milk bottle works fine. The real bushings are nylon and may last longer than the milk bottle. They sell them in batches of 10 to jack up the retail price. Alan Glos Cazenovia, NY
I used two on one side, and one on the other to get the "right" tension. They're pretty durable, and probably still at work on my long-sold Porpoise II. :)

Yesterday, I pulled on the tiller extension in an effort to raise the rudder. (Raising by hand would have made for chilly wading).

With a small piece of ash from the tiller, the extension pulled out from the tiller, and I went for a tumble. :confused: (My second tumble into six inches of lake water in a week!) :oops:

I have a spare, but it's another day—another lesson—and another repair. :rolleyes:

.
 
Sounds familiar L&VW...!
Yeah, but you didn't get soaked! ;)

In a pinch a flat section of a plastic milk bottle woks fine. The real bushings are nylon and may last longer than the milk bottle. They sell them in batches of 10 to jack up the retail price. Alan Glos Cazenovia, NY
Yup.

I had to buy a package of five star-shaped brass-threaded adjusting handles for those rubber 1¼" automotive freeze-plugs. If anyone wants the one or two handles I'll have left over, I'll ask $3 for each—pp.

While they do look like they'll fit, I do need to check first! :confused:

.
 
hi I’m wondering if you’re still selling the Sunfish rubber bushings?
I bought a sunfish and the rudder was all disassembled

it has the wooden blade and the ash tiller. I’m pretty sure there are two types of bushings. There’s a gap between the rudder blade and the cheak plates

I’m pretty sure the thicker bushing goes in between them.

I need both the plastic washers that go on the outside between the tiller and the blade and also the bushings that go between the rotor blade in the middle cheek plates.

thanks,

Elizabeth

[email protected]
 
Elizabeth, is your rudder style the one with the springs? If it happens to be the older original style 1952-1971 with bronze fittings there is a different rudder bolt fitting.

Good luck with your rudder and tiller!
 
Thanks signal Charlie!
I think I’ve gotten connected to the right person with the parts thanks for your help. It’s always nice to know there’s a community helping to restore the Sunfish
 
So…

Do I have the big plastic washer right?

Does the fatter washer go in the gap that you can see between the cheek and the wooden rudder?

annnd

Is the pintle orientation correct with the big end up?

Thanks all!!! it may take a village just for me to put my rudder back together properly,
But that’s the fun part for me!
 

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The big washer goes on the ridder bolt.
A small washer goes on the tiller bolt.

The pintle can go either way, your choice. Some folks like to push down with the thumb to release the rudder, others like to push up with index finger.

Does you pintle have the snap retainer ring or cotter pin or both?

Here's some info:



Make sure to give us a thumbs up and click on the bell for alerts :)

Let's see photos of your boat!
 
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OK!
thanks I had the washers or bushings wrong
i’ll have to do the kinesthetics of pushing the pintle pin and decide which way to orient it.

My pin does not have a hole drilled for the cotter pin so I have to figure out how to hold that spring up but I think there’s some videos out there and possibly you just posted one. Thank you so much thanks for all your help everybody
 

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