I'll go compare when I get back later today, and I'll send pics! Jazz On Feb 12, 2016 6:17 AM, "Bob Eeg" <montgomeryboats@hotmail.com> wrote:
Jazzy 1. The rudder Rod is fixed and doesn't move. The bottom of the rod has a half inch diameter and steps up to 3/4 inch? (Check yours) the bottom Gudgeon has a half in hole instead of a 3/4 inch hole like the top two gudgeons. So looking at your three gudgeons the top one has a 3/4 inch hole. The middle gudgeon has a 3/4 inch hole. The bottom gudgeon has a 1/2 inch hole. The bottom Gudgeon is 1/2 inch so the rod won't slide down. The rod sits in that bottom hole because the end is machined with a 1/2 inch diameter and about an inch up, it's 3/4 inches in diameter. There should be a cotter pin hole on the bottom of your rod (with that 1/2 inch area) and the purpose is to slide the rod down from the top, making sure the 1/2 inch nipple goes thru that bottom Gudgeon and you place a cotter pin thru the rod to prevent the rod from moving UP. The ledge of 3/4 inch sitting on top of the bottom Gudgeon prevents the rod from going DOWN.
So the rod is in place. Can't move up. Can't move down. On some of the older 3 pintle set ups I've seen a rudder rod without the 1/2 inch machined area. The rod is the same 3/4 diameter Along the entire length. These rods have a cotter pin hole above and a bit below the bottom Gudgeon. Just slide the rod thru the top two gudgeons and put a cotter pin in the upper of the two holes and slide the rod thru the bottom hole and the bottom cotter pin gets installed.
A proper install will have the now fixed rod sticking UP past the TOP Gudgeon about two inches. (Or the height of the pintle) so when the rudder is Down all three pintles are engages on the Rod.
When lifting (sliding up) the rudder, after going up about 2 inches, the pintle is Now Off the fixed rod. Now the rudder is only engaging the middle and bottom areas of the rod. That's why we need three pintles.
Here's a photo. I would like to see a photo of your stern.