Rudder bearing and gland packing
by Steve Leonard, July 2017
Jimmy Bloke posted on Facebook on 14 July 2017.
I need some advice please.
While slipping my boat recently, I dropped the rudder out to check the bearing condition and to replace the gland packing.
All seems OK for a boat that's nearly 40 years old. Anyway after putting it back together I noticed there wasn't a locking nut for the gland, there is a nut on the bottom of the thread and I was wondering if this nut should be wound up and be used as the locking nut.
It has been sikaflexed up but perhaps by mistake, you can see it in the photos or is it holding the bearing in place down there against the hull.
Thanks in advance Guru
Steve replied:- Certainly is a locknut, who was the nut that didn't use the locknut as intended ? Funny hey until the gland nut unwinds and comes off and the boat floods ! Then not funny ! But you are right mate ..
Thanks Stephen, your a legend, I'll wind it up, I'm hoping it's not seized down there to hard or creates a leak when I move it
Steve replied:- Should free up OK being brass shouldn't leak either as miles of glass there.