Outboard mounting bolts seized

[skunther]

Any suggestions? I've hit it for about a week every day with penetrating oil. First with T9, then with WD40, then with PB Blaster. I've also used a propane torch on the outer member to try to get it to expand. I've had absolutely no luck. The bolts won't budge. I was thinking my next step may be to drill out the grommets attaching the plastic levers, then use a crescent wrench to try to free the bolts, then find another set of metal levers that I could attach and use in the future as the plastic ones seem too weak.

Whatever the outcome, I will be applying antiseize to the bolts once the issue is resolved.

 

[dlochner]

Usually those threads have a little grease on them to prevent this.

The threads look pretty clean and the bracket looks like it was recently painted. You might try using something that will soften paint. I don' think it is necessary to remove the handles, just try using an adjustable wrench.

 

[dmax]

I feel your pain. A couple of other things you can try, Freeze-off spray:

Melting wax into the threads:

 

[justsomeguy]

Any suggestions?

After a dose of penetrant, give the joint a few good taps with a brass/plastic mallet?
Never give up!

 

[Tedd]

I was thinking my next step may be to drill out the grommets attaching the plastic levers, then use a crescent wrench to try to free the bolts...

Could you simply put a crescent wrench on the plastic handle, where the pin goes through? The threads look pretty new and uncorroded, so it seems like you just need a little more leverage.

 

[twalker H260]

I’ve never seen it on an outboard, but any chance there’s a small set screw in the small round opening to the left of your finger?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

any chance there’s a small set screw in the small round opening to the left of your finger?

I was wondering the same thing. Never seen anything like it.

Any chance of getting penetrant in the small hole ?

 

[danooxnard]

This is from a previous post.

Heat and beeswax !! The trick is to heat the screws add some bees wax and then use heat add more wax. That way you don't have to overheat anything. The wax will penetrate much deaper the PB or any petroleum based penetrant. Look up using beeswax to remove rusty bolts on YouTube for more info. This works great on aluminum and stainless hardware.. I used this process on my c-22 mast to remove stuck screws and the Clevis pins in the mast head. It worked great no damage to the mast, masthead or the pins. Pins were original from 1974 and very stuck! A small hammer beeswax and a mapp gas torch was all that was needed. Then use Marelube Tef-45 to keep them from corroding on reassembly. You can find Marelube at west marine or Catalina Direct. You don't use much so a small sysringe goes a long way.


below is a link to using beeswax. It reall is a miracle. If it works for you le us know. Dano

Who has bees wax in their tool box ?

Recently I retired from going to sea for 30 years. I sailed deep sea as an engineer. Every ship had blocks of bees wax in the machine shop. It is for sale in the Mariner's Catalog. Steam engineers, even before the Cival War, melted wax on hot stubborn nuts and bolts. It would seep into any...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Tedd]

I’ve never seen it on an outboard, but any chance there’s a small set screw in the small round opening to the left of your finger

Holy crap, I think you're right! I don't remember ever seeing that on an outboard before, either.

@skunther , can you tell us what brand of motor that is?

 

[skunther]

Could you simply put a crescent wrench on the plastic handle, where the pin goes through? The threads look pretty new and uncorroded, so it seems like you just need a little more leverage.

Yes, as dlochner suggested. I was worried about breaking the handle and having to replace those too. Domino headaches… it will be the last resort. I’ve been cranking fairly hard on the handles but don’t want to overdo it.

 

[skunther]

I’ve never seen it on an outboard, but any chance there’s a small set screw in the small round opening to the left of your finger?

I believe it’s a hole for injecting antiseize or penetrant or who knows what the heck the engineers were thinking when they put that there. Not a set screw.

 

[skunther]

I was wondering the same thing. Never seen anything like it.

View attachment 205908

Any chance of getting penetrant in the small hole ?

Every day…

 

[skunther]

Holy crap, I think you're right! I don't remember ever seeing that on an outboard before, either.

@skunther , can you tell us what brand of motor that is?

It’s a propane powered 2.4hp Lehr.

 

[capta]

To the best of my knowledge all those you mentioned are for steel. Try Deep Creep, it seems to work best on aluminum & bronze.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Is there a set screw in that hole on the side?

50/50 combo of ATF and acetone is far better than any penetrating oil you can buy

I keep a small piece of conduit on board as a cheater bar for this exact purpose. I hammered one end a bit so it would slip over the handle

 

[skunther]

Is there a set screw in that hole on the side?

50/50 combo of ATF and acetone is far better than any penetrating oil you can buy

I keep a small piece of conduit on board as a cheater bar for this exact purpose. I hammered one end a bit so it would slip over the handle

No set screw. I believe it’s for introducing penetrant when the bolts seize.

Actually I have no idea what they’re for.

 

[dlochner]

Those holes are there to generate discussions in forums.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Those holes are there to generate discussions in forums.

But I must disagree.

The holes are there to allow sea water a way into the threads which then corrodes the pieces solidly in place. Next, they serve the purpose of creating a path for a penetrant to be injected into the threads in order to break the corrosion bond between the threaded steel rod and the cast aluminum body which was caused, in the first place, by the sea water which came in through said holes.

So, as you can plainly see, you can't have the one without the other, nor the other without the one. Somewhat similar to the argument of the chicken and the egg. And further to this, if a man is standing alone in a forest, and he says something, and there isn't a woman standing nearby to hear him, is he still wrong? And lastly but not leastly, have you ever noticed that anybody driving faster than you is a maniac, and anyone going slower than you is a moron?
OMG, when is this interminable rain going to stop ? ? ? ? ? ?

 

[skunther]

@Ralph Johnstone you must also be in the Northwest.

 

[ricksoth]

Yes, as dlochner suggested. I was worried about breaking the handle and having to replace those too. Domino headaches… it will be the last resort. I’ve been cranking fairly hard on the handles but don’t want to overdo it.

I had this issue with a Honda this past year and the dealer explained to NOT use the handles at all, but take the biggest crescent wrench I had and place it on the non-handle end and then tighten and loosen after doing the various lubricants, etc. and after some back and forth the screws backed just fine.