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my rudder tab


lxirod

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i posted a topic about this before. but the tab just wont stay in place. i checked the second screw which keeps the tab on the spindle and that one is fine. its the set crew which i cant tighten enough. i tighten to the point where the allen fitting strts to strip. it is very annoying. it will stay put for awhile then the water pressure loosens it up and it flapps freely making the boat track like *&^$$. my dealer is worthless an i refuse to take it there unless i have too..

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i posted a topic about this before. but the tab just wont stay in place. i checked the second screw which keeps the tab on the spindle and that one is fine. its the set crew which i cant tighten enough. i tighten to the point where the allen fitting strts to strip. it is very annoying. it will stay put for awhile then the water pressure loosens it up and it flapps freely making the boat track like *&^$$. my dealer is worthless an i refuse to take it there unless i have too..

I posted this on your thread. When I had a bent rudder, I also had a loose tab. I called the factory and they said that if the tab is loose (won't tighten), you will need a new rudder. It's covered under warranty. I'm sure Belle Aqua has run across this before..... if not tell them to call the factory.

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a new rudder seems like a waste though. just a new set screw that doesnt strip would be easier.. plus i dont want to be down while bell acqua takes there jolly time swapping out the rudder. it took them a week just to let me know if they had order new decals or if they had them in stock.

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if i load it up all the way to the right it will stay , but its way too much.. and it does effect the way tracks.. just lining uop for the cousre wiht the tab loose makes th boat track woobly.

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If the set screw is stripped, replace it. If the threads in the rudder are stripped, you could try retapping them. If that doesn't work, drill out the hole and retap for a slightly larger set screw.

The only other thing I could think to try is to loctite the set screw in. This might at least get you by until the end of the season.

Edited by BlastRlxi
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a new rudder seems like a waste though. just a new set screw that doesnt strip would be easier.. plus i dont want to be down while bell acqua takes there jolly time swapping out the rudder. it took them a week just to let me know if they had order new decals or if they had them in stock.

The tab has a dowel running through it. When you tighten the set screw it tightens the dowel. The problem is the dowel running through the tab has loosened up (press fit so to speak) no amount of set screw tightening will fix that. In other words, the tab is loose on the dowel.......

At least that's what the factory told me when I had the exact same problem.

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no, the tab and the dowel are fine. its the set screw that tightens onto the dowel. i cant seemm to tighten it enough before the allen head starts to strip and the allen wrench just spins.

yeah the boat hunts some with the tab loose. i actuaklly meant that i cant set it all the way left which loads it up. if i do that it will stay, but it too much.

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no, the tab and the dowel are fine. its the set screw that tightens onto the dowel. i cant seemm to tighten it enough before the allen head starts to strip and the allen wrench just spins.

yeah the boat hunts some with the tab loose. i actuaklly meant that i cant set it all the way left which loads it up. if i do that it will stay, but it too much.

And I think Stewart's point was that you shouldn't have to tighten it down that much to get it to stay. And since you are having to, it's a problem with the rudder.

Edited by GoldschlagerVT
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lxi, are you saying you're unhappy that when you let go of the wheel the boat does a right turn? That the boat will turn on its own without a hand on the wheel? With hands on the wheel, but not moving the wheel, the boat turns left and right? Or, that with hands on the wheel it takes pressure to hold the wheel straight?

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lxirod - stainless is extremely soft. You probably stripped it before you knew that there were other set screws. Try a new set screw. Try to get one that either has little teeth on the end or has a concave end. The pointy ones don't hold very well. Take one out of the backside of the tab if you have to. The same screw is used on Goode skis or HO's to adjust the fin. If you just can't find any give me a PM and I will send you some. After tues. the 25th I will be in Canada for 3 weeks and can't send them from there.

Have you been able to try a differant prop. yet???

Dwayne

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ill see what happens today. i tightened it pretty good.. i dont think i can take it off. maybe just a new set screw may do the trick

now which prop were you talking about? i have a brand new 13x12 515 on right now..

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I vote for a new set screw also, maybe you have a "cracked" screw that doesn't let you torque it down as much an required. Sometimes the hex will crack out and it is hard to tell until you put pressure on it.

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i dont know, i cant tell much difference between the 3 boats we use. mc, nautique or my malibu, much less a prop change. they all ski good to me..

the rudder tab is holding so far , 2 nights out and its still holding. i think my problem was that i kept adjusting it every weekend. i would load it for the ski lake and then unload for the public lake.. i think ill just keep it loaded and it will stay put... i guess its not meant to be adjusted all the time.

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lxirod - stainless is extremely soft. ........

Dwayne

Uh Dwayne? I'm usually with ya buddy, but I'm missing it here. Stainless is extremely.....hard....?

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lxirod - stainless is extremely soft. ........

Dwayne

Uh Dwayne? I'm usually with ya buddy, but I'm missing it here. Stainless is extremely.....hard....?

Stainlless is a fairly plyable material. Especially when talking about set screw and fasteners.

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