Hi All
Any recommendations on what grease to use in the grease up?
Thanks!
Chip Wilkerson
Moonshadow 33 #14
Barrington, RI
…typo below “…grease to use in the grease cup”
Anything will likely work. A calcium based grease is best in saltwater. Not all greases labeled as marine grease are calcium based.
Ward Woodruff
N33 #8 Margery
Niantic Bay, CT
I use ordinary automobile waterproof grease.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Hi Chip,
Apologies for the delayed input…
If you have an actual grease ‘cup’ still in place, you may want to consider removing it and replacing the cup with a Zerk fitting. The cup can be un-threaded from the rudder post tube, and the Zerk fitting can be threaded in… it is that easy if you get the correct size Zerk.
When I did this years ago I bought the Zerk fitting at NAPA Auto Parts… was very inexpensive - a few $'s for a pack of 4 or 5… only needed 1, but they didn’t have single pieces at the time.
With the Zerk it is much easier to get grease (using a grease gun) to the rudder post, than filling and turning a grease cup. You know you have a sufficent amount of grease surrounding the rudder post when is begins to appear at the top of the rudder post housing. Move the rudder back and forth (stop to stop) while injecting the grease to ensure even distribution.
If you search for Zerk Fitting in the discussion group you may find some additional information/photos to help guide you.
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30U 430
Stamford, CT
Greetings all.
Does anyone know how to remove the cover from the rudder post grease cup? I have a 22 but a review of the manuals on the INA website suggests that all the Nonsuches have the same greasecap. I assume that it is either threaded or just a pressure fit but I cannot tell from looking at it. Before I start cranking with pliers I thought I should ask.
Thanks in advance.
Just to be safe, would you mind posting a picture?
Some people have grease cups, some have them replaced with Zerk fittings.
– Bob
The lid is threaded on and the base is threaded into the shaft tube.
Thank you very much Paul. That is consistent with what I see.
on my 30 Ultra the grease cup is missing from my rudder shaft and there is no zerk fitting, just an open threaded opening. Can anyone tell me what size threaded fitting is needed to for that opening so I can install a zerk fitting
I did not think to post a picture. Silly. I will, but I don’t know when. I’m a 90-minute drive from my boat so it won’t be right away. Thanks Bob!
Hi,
Go to the Google Groups Nonsuch website, look for a post by Peter Grabow, topic steering system, dated Mar 28/21. He posted photos of the zerk fitting he purchased. I replaced mine this past August, but cannot now find the receipt. I’m pretty sure it was the same size as the Peter Grabow used.
Hope that helps,
Don
My grease cup was threaded into fibreglass with a fine thread. It just came out when I tried to tighten the cap. I redrilled and tapped a bigger coarse thread and modified a brass fitting to accommodate the cup. If I ever feel the need to add grease I may revisit this but in the eight years I’ve had the boat I’ve never been able to add grease and never had the slightest stiffness in my rudder.
thanks for the suggestion. I found the post. I think that might solve my problem
Mark Nerenhausen
30U. Cloud Hidden
New Bern, NC
I believe the hole in the shaft is threaded to accept a 1/4” NPT zerk fitting.
Is it possible that there is no grease cup or zerk fitting? I have crawled around in the lazarettes on both sides and I see no indications of either type.
Blake Payette
N33
Vancouver BC
