That is not a peice of mild steel. It is a plastic insert that I assume comes with the original design. The previous owner never took it apart. and the plastic peice even has a small dimple in the side of it that allows it to clip into the u-joint. I tried taking it out but then the rudders are very sloppy and the u-joints flop back and forth loosely. It's put together the way it was from the factory, it just binds up.