Stainless bushing for backstay

[RoyB]

Backstay hydraulic cylinder piston has a 5/8" hole at the top. Backstay fitting has a 1/2" hole for a clevis pin. So there is a 1/2" clevis pin running through a 5/8" hole on the cylinder piston. The boat has operated this way for 7 years with no apparent harm. Nonetheless it bothers my sense of proper engineering.

I've considered using a piece of 316 tubing as a bushing so it fits properly but I would then worry about crevice corrosion where the tubing and the clevis pin meet.

As you can probably tell I'm being a bit compulsive about what is probably a non-issue.

Any advice from yon wise riggers?

[osteoderm]

I just had this same discussion with some local riggers... The trouble is that the "bushing" will end up with a bare 1/16" wall thickness; too flimsy to press in, and difficult to drill out of thicker stock in place. After 7 years, I wouldn't be surprised if the cylinder hole is ever-so-slightly elongated from the action of the 1/8" undersize pin working in it.
In theory, you could drill out the cylinder hole to install a beefier bushing, but then you're pressing steel into aluminum, making things weaker in one area to beef up another, etc., all bad news. This offends my own sense of proper engineering, but I'll stand to be corrected...
I'd suggest replacing the wire fitting with one having a 5/8" hole, or find a toggle with a 5/8" male end and 1/2" female end (weird, hard to find, but they do make them) to join the two. Of course, you'd have to make up for the added length by shortening somewhere else.

[Ian McColgin]

I've used a bronze bushing in this situation, as that was easy to file down to outside diameter to fit. The one I had on Goblin never got replaced for wear because I usually lost the fool thing before it wore out and had to make a new one.

G'luck