firstsouthern - removing rudder??

[firstsouthern]

Can anyone give me some tips on how to remove the rudder, 1992 Conbrio?

[87SunSportMikeyD]

fs - welcome! I had to remove my rudder because it was leaking around the rudder shaft. There are a couple different kinds of rudder seals, or so I was told by Supra. There are rubber o-rings, and graphite rings. Mine has two o-rings (one was missing). Also the shaft had formed a shallow groove around the o-ring which I sanded out with very fine sandpaper.

Here are a couple different pics that may help:
http://photos.wakeboarder.com/data/3490/medium/RudderReplaced.jpg
http://photos.wakeboarder.com/data/3490/skilocker.JPG

You usually have to pull the pin and it should drop out. Two person job! You may have to turn the steering wheel, or remove the steering arm bolt, or tap it with something to get it out.

Some people have to pull the gas tank which kinda stinks. I did not. If you have a removable rear ski locker that may help with access.

While you're there you should grease up your steering arm. The auto store should have a grease shelf. They should have a small grease gun with the needed fittings (called zerks, there are large and small, u want small) and a tube of marine grease which they should have too. Pump the zerks full till pumping is a LITTLE hard. Turn the rudder back and forth a few times. Clean up the excess that WILL come back out the zerks or you will have a greasy bilge which is annoying and will get on you and your carpet! :)

[sybrmike]

Depends on what type of rudder you have. I thought that by 92, Supra had gone back to the style with lip seals and grease fittings which should drop out fairly easily. Mine (and Okie's - do a search) are late 80's that used packing seals and a section of all-thread to jam the tiller arm to the rudder shaft. From your other post, sounds like this might be the style you have? Pics would be helpful. Does it look like this?