Steering pushrods

[SayMikey]

I want something better than 440,what are you using? I was thinking 1/8 also thr TFL rudders have a huge hole in the tiller arm. Will a 3mm Dubro fit in it? Just trying to stop all the flex

 

[dave weagel]

https://lavignemarine.com/store/product/stainless-steel-push-rods


https://www.dubro.com/products/monster-ball-links?variant=27880435975

 

[Terry Keeley]

https://www.amazon.com/Round-Rod-12-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00D8P5SO2

Re-tap the fittings 6-32...

 

[Brian Spitzer]

I use 5/32” 17-4PH Stainless available from McMaster-Carr. Here’s the part number for 1/8” diameter https://www.mcmaster.com/9095K83

 

[Dennis Somers]

Something you probably don't want to hear, but for your next build, address the disease instead of the symptoms ( flex ). Mount your rudder servo as close to the transom as you can. There are many excellent waterproof servos on the market and engine rail mounting is a good option. Use a rudder horn ( ie; Speedmaster ) that has the rod link on the starboard side to "pull" the rudder through a right turn. A short/stiff pull rod is not going to have to be over-engineered to stop anything.

When you rig a boat, ask yourself WHY you are doing things as you are, before-hand. Be your own builder.

 

[Mike Starrett]

On those TFL's i just take the cone shaped bushing from the ball connector and put the cone in the hole with a washer on the bottom.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I started using ball links, shown in post 2, when I found clevis's tended to be a sloppy fit in rudder arms. I also pull the rudder in a right hand turn, using carbon fiber tubes with short threaded rods in each end. Only thing that causes flutter now is worn bushings.

 

[David Bryant]

what do you do when servo arm is significantly lower than the rudder arm? (my radio box has very nice low-profile fit inside deep-vee bottom)
Would I have to make S-bends in pushrod?
Now I'm contemplating mounting radio box higher?

 

[Jim Allen]

I use 5/32" piano wire. Both ends are drilled for a pressed in & soldered 4-40, threaded, hardened steel piece. There is no flex even when the 5/32" piano wire is a foot long. I also use a metal servo arm at both ends. Misalignment problems are easily solved with the machined aluminum connectors shown in the photo. The connectors make rapid precise adjustment of a rod's length & alignment possible. There are two flat machined areas on the 5/32" rods where two 6-32 set screws make contact. Pulling the rudder rod becomes very difficult with a narrow width rigger because the rod would need to be placed on the outside of the hull for a right turn. Placement of the rudder on the port side also creates problems for a narrow width hull.

 

[Dennis Somers]

This question is being asked in the "GAS" forum and most gas hulls have room for a right pull set up. Port side rudder is another option for right pull.

 

[David Bryant]

I use 5/32" piano wire. Both ends are drilled for a pressed in & soldered 4-40, threaded, hardened steel piece. There is no flex even when the 5/32" piano wire is a foot long. I also use a metal servo arm at both ends. Misalignment problems are easily solved with the machined aluminum connectors shown in the photo. The connectors make rapid precise adjustment of a rod's length & alignment possible. There are two flat machined areas on the 5/32" rods where two 6-32 set screws make contact. Pulling the rudder rod becomes very difficult with a narrow width rigger because the rod would need to be placed on the outside of the hull for a right turn. Placement of the rudder on the starboard side also creates problems for a narrow width hull.

nice, thanks Jim

 

[Joseph Durnya]

I use 5/32" piano wire. Both ends are drilled for a pressed in & soldered 4-40, threaded, hardened steel piece. There is no flex even when the 5/32" piano wire is a foot long. I also use a metal servo arm at both ends. Misalignment problems are easily solved with the machined aluminum connectors shown in the photo. The connectors make rapid precise adjustment of a rod's length & alignment possible. There are two flat machined areas on the 5/32" rods where two 6-32 set screws make contact. Pulling the rudder rod becomes very difficult with a narrow width rigger because the rod would need to be placed on the outside of the hull for a right turn. Placement of the rudder on the starboard side also creates problems for a narrow width hull.

Jim, i like that boat stand !!

Joe

 

[Jim Allen]

It is clearly obvious from looking at the photo of the 5.5" wide transom of a Andy Brown "GAS" rigger that the possibility of moving the rudder mechanism to give a right pulling rudder mechanism would put the rudder's wake in front of the propellers arc. The photo shows a 3.0" center line distance between the rudder & prop shaft. Reducing it to 1.5" would place the rudder's wake in the propellers arc with a very bad situation being created for any left rudder movement.

Jim Allen

 

[Jim Allen]

Jim, i like that boat stand !!

Joe

Thanks Joe, I like my design also. The stands are extremely light in weight & very strong. They are all padded & the padding is covered with white Naugahyde. Notice how the stand's rubber feet set in nylon holding blocks fastened to the carpeted starting tables top surface.

 

[Joseph Durnya]

Thanks Joe, I like my design also. The stands are extremely light in weight & very strong. They are all padded & the padding is covered with white Naugahyde. Notice how the stand's rubber feet set in nylon holding blocks fastened to the carpeted starting tables top surface.

hope you dont mind.. i may have to copy that ! 3 blade prop ? what boat / motor ? been out of the hobby for awhile..

thanks !
Joe

 

[Joseph Durnya]

i remember dragging those huge 3/4 plywood stands around years ago... i kept the boats.. but tossed all the stands.. LOL

 

[Dennis Somers]

Jim, your pic in post 13 is illustrating only one example ( the majority of gassers are not riggers ) of a gas rigger that has been built with a port side offset drive. If the boat is set up for a port rudder from the get-go, there is ample room to do it.

Even the boat pictured; by moving the port side outlets, ect., and rotating the rudder mount 180 degs. on the port side transom, there would still be 2 1/2" rudder to drive clearance. That's a standard amount for most gas boats.

 

[Jim Allen]

Again Dennis, you are running your mouth about about things you know nothing about! Show us "YOUR" rigger, of any type, with "YOUR" mounting system, as you have described it! End of this nonsense!!!!

Jim Allen

 

[Ray Sametz]

Mikey, used what I had on hand. 2 4-40 full size push rods, brass tubing with clearance holes drilled in ends and 2 wheel collars to lock in place.

 

[Jim Allen]

hope you dont mind.. i may have to copy that ! 3 blade prop ? what boat / motor ? been out of the hobby for awhile..

thanks !
Joe

No problem Joe. No BS theories or rocket science ever used, just sound engineering design with a little extra effort. The prop is a full diameter Cobalt Chrome CC1/3 with my bar cut. The boat is an Andy Brown gas rigger. The engine is a highly modified 26 cc rear exhaust QD, stroked to 27 cc, with my tuned pipe, connecting rod, bottom end roller assembly, crankshaft, crankcase seals, flywheel, cable collet, etc., etc.

Jim Allen