When to replace gudgeons

[Cbollo]

I have a small amount of play in my gudgeons, not sure if it's normal or I should be replacing them. Can anyone who's done this let me know? Will new gudgeons have zero play to them?

 

[NickolasG]

I have a small amount of play in my gudgeons, not sure if it's normal or I should be replacing them. Can anyone who's done this let me know? Will new gudgeons have zero play to them?

They can have some "free space"(they shouldn't be too tight)
You have to change them in case if your tiller will start to rub your stern. At other cases I don't see sense in it ( except some marriages/huge cracks)

 

[LaLi]

Laser rudder fittings have some play even when new, and you shouldn't do anything to that. The gudgeons don't wear out much horizontally, but the stainless pintles will "bite" into the plastic from above. It's legal to put spacers between them, but like Nickolas just said, it's best to get altogether new gudgeons if the tiller is already hitting the deck.

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[Cbollo]

Laser rudder fittings have some play even when new, and you shouldn't do anything to that. The gudgeons don't wear out much horizontally, but the stainless pintles will "bite" into the plastic from above. It's legal to put spacers between them, but like Nickolas just said, it's best to get altogether new gudgeons if the tiller is already hitting the deck.

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Thanks for clearing this up for me!

 

[AlanD]

Just note that the tiller hitting the deck is more associated with wear on the tiller where it slips into the rudder head than the gudgeons. A spacer there will raise the tiller up.

 

[NickolasG]

Just note that the tiller hitting the deck is more associated with wear on the tiller where it slips into the rudder head than the gudgeons. A spacer there will raise the tiller up.

If you put it tight it doesn't hit the hull‍. When I had stock tiller I just was putting tiller in r.head and after just tied there 2 knots and left it in cleat. When gudgeons are in good condition tiller will not hit the deck. Never.

 

[LaLi]

the tiller hitting the deck is more associated with wear on the tiller where it slips into the rudder head than the gudgeons. A spacer there will raise the tiller up.

It depends mostly on the vertical location of the gudgeons on the transom. It shouldn't be a problem if the upper gudgeon nearly touches the gunwale, but the fittings may be attached a few mm lower, typically on older hulls. In that case, changing to new ones isn't enough, but you have to relocate them as well, or add spacers.

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