CD 25 Tiller, Last Sail of the year, and lessons learned

[ronkberg]

Russ, thanks for the response ref H&L. Looks like the salesman got me to buy with a little white lie.

Roy, bolts usually have heads but my Typhoon bronze piece has what appears to be two pins that go through the wood into the other side. My intention was to punch them through but obviously that will not work if they are threaded in place. Without heads, I hope someone with experience replacing their tiller handle can share their solution.

I have all winter to solve this conundrum and finish this with a more robust tiller. Hopefully it will not appear too large for the "delicate" Typhoon cockpit or I'll stay with my glued and wrapped original tiller.

Ron

[John Vigor]

Now, if anyone knows the best way to get the pins out of the brass H shaped tong to get the old tiller piece out, please post it or send me a pm!

Thanks to all, and fair winds!

Russ, on my old CD25D, the tiller was held in its bronze fitting by two bronze pins that were riveted in place. That is, the ends were slightly flared and V-shaped to fit the countersink shape of the holes in the fitting. They were deceptive because there was no evidence of riveting--they were flat and flush with the tiller fitting.

They were simple bronze rod, not bolts. To remove them, you have to drill out the riveted head. I used a countersink bit, being careful not to drill too far in and score the tiller fitting. When you have drilled out the head, you simply knock the pin out the other side with a drift pin of the same size as the rod.

You can replace them by riveting new bronze rod in place with a ball-peen hammer, but I opted to use stainless steel bolts and nuts instead, so I could remove the tiller at any time.

Does this sound like your set-up?

John Vigor

[Roy J.]

On CD-25 #625 the tiller is held in place by two bolts that fit tapped holes on the portside tang of the rudder post fitting. I cannot speak for earlier arrangements, but this one appears to be original to my boat. I supose that a previous owner decided to replace the pins so they tapped the holes and used bolts. I became suspicious that Russ' arrangement was could be different than mine when he said he had smooth sides on the tangs, because the heads of the bolts are quite prominent on the starboard tang on Auburn. If they be pins -- whale away, hammer in hand!

[Sea Owl]

All;

Greatly appreciate your responses! Having done a little more research on what I was calling a 'tong' but in fact is a "Tiller Bracket" [more familiar term to many of you!], I found a past message on the board dating to 2002 where the writer said:

[Quote] The pins you are having trouble with are bronze pins that are pressed into the tiller strap, usually by drilling a slightly undersized hole and forcing the pin into place. the holes usually have a very slight countersink, and the ends of the pin are peened over (beat on with a hammer) to fill the countersink, then ground flat. [Unquote]

Drilling and my favorite Big Hammer technique seem to be in order! Well.....maybe a moderate hammer! It is bronze after all! Will opt for bolts to replace, as I can set up a cheapy not so good looking back up tiller and in a pinch, replace relatively quickly on the water to get home easier than with pins.

Thanks again to all!

[Dick Barthel]

Are you kidding me? Just another example of the value of this Board to reach a level of detail that is essential to tackle a particular problem related to a particular CD and in fact down to a particular part from a particular year. I'm awed by this enormous resource we've all helped to create and maintain through the simple act of collaboration. I ask rhetorically, where else you gonna find answers for this kind of stuff?

[Sea Owl]

All;

I can now report that at least on original CD25's, the pins in the Tiller Bracket are indeed pins. The description I posted earlier is accurate. There is a very slight bevel going into the bracket about 1/8" that can be deceptive. My new and now beloved dremel tool allowed me to remove one side with minimal impact on the Tiller Bracket itself, following which, with a little of our all time favorite, WD40, a hammer, a straight rod, and some reasonable gentle tapping, popped the pins out.

Will be going with Bolts/Nylocks as I am not adept enough to try and duplicate the factory....and will also allow 'at sea' replacement if necessary with tools I normally carry on board.

Again, thanks to all for the advice, the interest, and the concern!

30 days more and the new tiller should arrive!

[bgephart]

Russ -

Thanks for this thread - lots of good info. Please update us when you get the new tiller. I'd like to know how close it comes to the original "look".