Graphite for rudder bearings

[feetup]

I read a post in another forum that described the building if a set of rudder bearings from thickened epoxy with west system 423 graphite additive.
I have used this for hatch slides, but with graphite being at the top of most nobility tables I wonder about the sensibility of using it for use with a stainless of even aluminum rudder shaft.
Anyone have any experience with this, or thoughts on the matter?

Feetup

[Summersdawn]

I've heard of people doing this. It is something that seems to need doing every few years. The epoxy/graphite seems to wear out fairly quickly.

What I did on my boat was to shim the stock with a piece of sacrificial plastic, in this case it was a plastic water bottle that I cut into flat sheets, as the plastic (polyethylelene I believe) is slippery (I've also heard drafting mylar works well). This took out all the sloppiness, its galvanically neutral, and was easy to do. I did mine in the water, by suspending a tarp under the rudder, removing the head, forcing the rudder down (no water inside it so it floats ;-)) and wrapping the plastic around the shaft before letting the rudder float back up. It has lasted years, and still feels good.

[feetup]

Rick;

I have had to rebuild my rudder, and I changed out the Aluminum post/frame for 316 stainless, but the OD of the rudder post is smaller than the origional. The origional aluminum one was just 2 1/2" schedule 40 aluminum pipe, but I used heavier wall 2" stainless pipe and machined it down to make it round. (pipe is never perfectly round) Now my O.D. is somewhat smaller, by design since the original bushings are barely 1/16 thick.
If there is a wear issue with cast epoxy bushings I will probably get some 3" OD teflon rod or even UHMW and machine up a set.

Tim

[Summersdawn]

The wear issues are just what I read on the a couple of sailing sites - I have no experience with it. I would think Teflon/UHMW would last longer. But again - just guessing.