There have been a number of rudder failures in our Freedoms that have been documented but not much about the causes and possible prevention. Since the design is so unique in the industry, there is also little to compare to traditional bearing and post design.
I’ve read about at least 3 F28 failures here, and a few concerns about bearing tightness and binding. I’ve noticed some slight binding or resistance under loaded conditions recently on my F28 so am naturally concerned.
I’ve attached some photos of the upper and lower tubes on my boat and there does not appear to be any provision for lubrication. Is there anything that can be done short of dropping the rudder to investigate? Can the lower bearing accept some sort of lubricant via the open post tube?
Thanks for any ideas!
Mark
