[capnjim02]

I don''t know for a fact that your 85'' is the same as my 79'' 30, but it sounds as though they''re the same set up. the 31 was the same hull as the 30 except they changed the stern to put a swim platform on it. if it has the fiberglass tube bearing set up, then the up and down movement won''t hurt anything. the trailing upper edge will bump the hull at its extremes of movement. The up and down movement is caused by wear on the top of the tube and the wear plate that is a coller over the the rudder post. the tube should be greased a few times a season to minamize wear on the fiberglass tube. I keep a grease gun in the area right next to the tube so I don''t have to keep bringing one to the boat to lube it. that way its always handy. you don''t even want to think about replacing that tube!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There isn''t any bearing between the top of the rudder and the outside of the hull. even if you put one there you would only change the the point at which the rudder bumped the hull. a worse secanario would be for the rudder to be rubbing all the time at the post.