I am reinstalling the rudder on my 25-footer. The rudder post is bronze tube
riding inside a second bronze tube permanently installed in the hull. There
was no evidence of grease on either when it was removed. Should it be
greased before reinstalling?

As a general rule, should metal parts that reside partly or completely
underwater, especially salt, be greased?

Bob Swarts

Greased and cleaned seasonally. PS, in your case, with such a large bearing
surface, use very light grease. Synthetics resist drying out better than
petroleum greases.
Steve

"Robert or Karen Swarts" wrote in message
...
I am reinstalling the rudder on my 25-footer. The rudder post is bronze
tube riding inside a second bronze tube permanently installed in the hull.
There was no evidence of grease on either when it was removed. Should it be
greased before reinstalling?

As a general rule, should metal parts that reside partly or completely
underwater, especially salt, be greased?

Bob Swarts

I'll invite some discussion here, I'm sure. My boat has a stainless rudder
shaft in a bronze tube - I had to remove it last year because .... ( short
version , it HAD to come out. )
I'm certain it had not been out in several decades, and if I don't have to
do it again in my lifetime it will be too soon. There is no provision for a
grease nipple on the stuffing box, and the stuffing box is well above water
line. The new stuffing was pre-lubricated. I can't remember if I greased
the shaft before I installed it, but I probably did.
In this design, the stuffing box is not preventing water entering the boat,
so it does not need to be tight ( in fact, it's probably not required at
all ) and water is the primary lubricant.

For the record, the bottom end of the rudder post sits in a bronze bushing
on a steel bracket which was held in place by bolts into tapped holes in the
pipe which is the bottom portion of the keel - this is a sort of
displacement motor launch. Given the some what rounded nature of the bolt
heads, they were removed with an angle grinder. And since the bracket was
welded in place, it will be removed the same way next time.

Hence the rudder post is not going to be re-greased every season - if ever .
David





"Steve Lusardi" wrote in message
...
Greased and cleaned seasonally. PS, in your case, with such a large
bearing surface, use very light grease. Synthetics resist drying out
better than petroleum greases.
Steve

"Robert or Karen Swarts" wrote in message
...
I am reinstalling the rudder on my 25-footer. The rudder post is bronze
tube riding inside a second bronze tube permanently installed in the hull.
There was no evidence of grease on either when it was removed. Should it
be greased before reinstalling?

As a general rule, should metal parts that reside partly or completely
underwater, especially salt, be greased?

Bob Swarts