Rudder center position drifting

[Hovey Moore]

I need some help figuring this out.  The center position on my steering wheel has drifted 15 degrees? on my J/40.  Happened when someone locked the wheel and we left her for a while like that.

Steering cables where tight, with some meat hooks, but didn't seem that bad overall.  No play in the wheel when sailing.  I did not notice any play when we hauled out last year.  I have removed the steering cables and will clean everything, as there is grease everywhere in the pedestal.  Otherwise everything in the pedestal is mechanically good.  Quadrant looked tight at first glace, but I plan to inspect tonight more thoroughly.

[Larry Romano]

I had that happen to me but only a small offset. “I think” what is happening is the gear that the chain is on rotates on the shaft. 

Good luck 

On Jul 13, 2026, at 10:15 AM, Hovey Moore <hovey...@gmail.com> wrote:



I need some help figuring this out.  The center position on my steering wheel has drifted 15 degrees? on my J/40.  Happened when someone locked the wheel and we left her for a while like that.

Steering cables where tight, with some meat hooks, but didn't seem that bad overall.  No play in the wheel when sailing.  I did not notice any play when we hauled out last year.  I have removed the steering cables and will clean everything, as there is grease everywhere in the pedestal.  Otherwise everything in the pedestal is mechanically good.  Quadrant looked tight at first glace, but I plan to inspect tonight more thoroughly.

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[Hovey Moore]

That was my first guess, but it is pinned and keyed to the shaft.  No way that is shifting.  Chain/cables seem way too tight to likely have skipped on the teeth as well.

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[Larry Romano]

It’s been 9 years already since I did that project and I couldn’t remember. If that cable has a few meat hooks you should change it. Check the plate at the bottom of the pedestal that holds the two pulleys. My was rusted and Edison makes a replacement. Things don’t fail on nice days.

Good luck 

On Jul 13, 2026, at 11:02 AM, Hovey Moore <hovey...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Joseph Ruzzi]

I'm not sure if this is the cause of your problem, but there's an article on the old "J40Sailors" WordPress site about repairing what Edson calls the "idler plate".   Here's the link:  https://j40sailors.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/edson-steering-idler-plate.pdf

And there's also a link to this video by Edson on steering pedestal maintenance:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGP9kVnC24k

Joe

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