Rudder Pin

[SweetAccord]

Greetings,

I don't know if anyone has ever considered this but I'll share my tip. I find that on rudders the stainless steel pin it way overkill. I decided to find a better solution which is to use a solid graphite rod. If anything it's as strong and lighter easy to cut and install. On my lighter setups like a Minicat rudder, I use a hollow tube that can break away as the rudder does not have a kick up system.

Any thoughts?

[iamandrew]

whats wrong with nylon bolts??

[SweetAccord]

It's not a bolt, it's the pin that holds the rudder that allows it to turn left and right. On rudders that can kick up, sure use a nylon bolt, but the steel pin is what I'm referring. If replace for solid graphite rod it would be just as strong but lighter to save weight for the people who are trying to save weight or find lighter replacements on hardware to break speed records.

[properchopper]

Good thinking Here's my latest race carnage which your idea could have prevented. I have lots of CF rod from my Heli training wheels. Will give it a try - eyeballing it indicates that the o.d. is the same. Good stuff !

[SweetAccord]

Good thinking Here's my latest race carnage which your idea could have prevented. I have lots of CF rod from my Heli training wheels. Will give it a try - eyeballing it indicates that the o.d. is the same. Good stuff !

Ouch! Well at least it's your rudder not your hull! This is exactly they type of rudder I'm referring to. They just don't have a break away method design. A hollow graphite tube may just be the ticket on these, and if breaks the water line tubing would keep the rudder from being lost but may have to be on tight.

[jingalls007]

How did you get the rudder pin out? I'm trying to switch the servo arm to the right side but can't get the pin out..

[SweetAccord]

How did you get the rudder pin out? I'm trying to switch the servo arm to the right side but can't get the pin out..

It's tricky, I hope can verbalize it to make sense. If you remove the set screw, take the rudder and pull on it against itself so it's tight against the pin (either push or pull) and then pull up the rudder under tension on the pin. So the motion would be a forward or back pull , then an up push motion. basically you are using the rudder's small gap at the top and bottom to move the pin up. It's a slow process but that is the way I have always removed them without any tools. If it's in there tight, add some lube like WD-40 to release it.

Hope that makes sense.

[Boaterguy]

or get another one of the same size or smaller and just poke it out. remove the set screw though.