PO-15 tiller handle

[Buccaneer]

Was there originally "bushings" in the tiller handle that
the inner tube rode in?
I see no evidence that mine ever had any, and the
inner tube was really sloppy.
Also, the notch in the end of the brass tube (to allow
the wiring to exit) looked like it was cut with
a hack saw, and was full of burrs and rough
edges.
Bushings are now installed, and inner tube deburred.
Just wondering if Johnson’s quality control in 1950
was that lax or had a prior owner messed around?

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Prepare to be boarded!

[Mumbles]

My ’49 tiller had remnants of some kind of bushings but it was seized when I got it and had to be forced apart. After polishing the inner brass shaft and making new bushings with lips on them out of Acetal, it turns freely now and has very little end play. The notch looked OK so I left it alone.

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[Buccaneer]

Mumbles, guess my original bushings must have worn out
and were removed at some point. When I got it the tiller
handle was mounted upside down, and it pointed
straight at the ground when it wasn’t being held in running
position…… not sure why, unless that’s the only way the
replacement, shorter than original appearing, throttle
cable would work.
Your Acetal bushings look nice!
Thanks.

Prepare to be boarded!

[viking66]

Yes there is a bushing just like the one posted. The hole is where the wires exit for the suhut off switch.

[Buccaneer]

Thom, glad to know my PO must have ran long enough to wear out
the old bushings! The tiller handle is back together again and works pretty smooth.
Just awaiting to secure the "plugs" to connect the kill switch wiring
together.

Prepare to be boarded!

[george-emmanuel]

The original bushings probably did not wear out. They were a heavy, micarta type material. Since someone sliced your inner tube for the wire passage I’ll bet they failed to reinstal the bushings when they assembled it.

Like Mumbles, I make new ones out of black delrin (acetal).

George

[Mumbles]

Did I say notch? I meant ‘the hole’. It’s right there in my photo. Duh…

[Buccaneer]

Oh, I guess somebody did do a "hatchet" job on my inner tube.
I didn’t notice that Mumbles had a nice hole, vs. mine
being notched!
If my bronze bushings bind up on the brass tube ever, then
the Delrin look like the way to go!

Prepare to be boarded!

[Author]

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