Looking for some feedback here .... I took off the cap on my tiller because it developed a small amount of play. After cleaning all the components I noticed that the key which fits into the cap's keyway is indented/deformed slightly at one of the ends. The deformed end is cut square while the other end of the key is rounded.
When inserted into the cap's keyway the rounded end fits snuggly against the keyways, also rounded, end, and the square/deformed end stops half over the set screw built into the assembly. If I tighten the set screw it fits nicely into the deformation in the key.
Here is the question: is the set screw supposed to prevent the key from sliding in the keyway or is it supposed to press against the key holding into the reciprocal keyway in the rudder shaft? This matters because if the set screw is supposed to stop the key from sliding in the keyway then my key is too long, the set screw is simply deforming the end of the key and I need to file it down enough so that the set screw clears the key's end. If on the other hand the set screw is supposed to press the key into the rudder shaft's keyway then I need to make sure that the key slides well over the set screw.
Any thoughts/ advice? Thanks in advance ...
Tiller cap key and set screw position
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