Autohelm clutch problem

[John Langford]

Here is an interesting little problem that I hadn't run into before despite years of autopilot use. I went to disengage my Autohelm 4000+ recently and it wouldn't. The very small rolled ss pin that connects the clutch handle to the cam had sheared and the handle went back and forth without doing anything. Trying to extract the remains of the pin I split the handle. A Raymarine agent sold me a kit with a new handle, cam and pin for a ridiculously high price. The rolled pin proved impossible to insert without a special tool. Plain ss pins sheared off after a couple of days. So I drilled out the incredibly small hole through the handle and cam to a slightly larger size and I am now happily using a small ordinary nail to connect the handle to the cam. Seems to work fine. The nails cost a dollar a pound!

[Randy and Mary Davison]

John,
Welcome to the sheared pin club.  It's a bad design isn't it?  You can get the pins for a buck each or so if you ask just for them.  I did that for a while but to stop repeated shearing, the whole kit had to be installed.  Probably reduces the overall friction enough to save the pins.  

We used a small drill bit held in with tape to save a vacation but I kind of like your more direct approach to solving the problem. The shearing force is very large so I'd keep a spare nail on hand!

[Stu Jackson]

John

Intriguing solution.  Earlier posts on this that I recall include this one:  http://www.c34.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1744&highlight=st4000.

Seems the pins a real issue.

All the best,

[Ron Hill]

When we went down the ICW, was the first time I was aw here that the Autohelm 4000 was having some problems.  Seems that at each layover,  I found someone that that had their AH4000 in for repair and being forwarded to the next stop on their trip.

Made me happy that I had a belt drive.  The belt finally broke this past season after 17 years, which is the only problem I've ever had!!  

[isabel98]

I tried but couldn't drill the hardened steel to enlarge the hole, very frustrating. Where do you buy new clutch assemblies? I didn't get a satisfactory response from raymarine.

[John Langford]

I would try a local dealer that sells the 4000+. He will be able to order (or will have in stock) a plastic packed kit that has the pin, the handle, the clutch piece that the handle fits over, and a bearing-style ring that slips over the clutch piece. Sorry i don't have the number of the kit. It should cost about US$55.

[John Langford]

Just found the "drive lever" kit #. It is A18057