Ok, thanks for all the replies guys. I ordered a rod end from McMaster Carr but I'm having significant issues replacing it. Here is what is going on - hoping someone has a great idea.
See the photo. This is the drag end under the pedestal. The nut (not visible, at bottom) is loose but can't be removed because of the lack of clearance to the floor. And it's appararent that once I get the ball loose I need a fairly large hole to get it out and swap the new rod end in. The area underneath doesn't appear to be structural so opening up a large hole is something I'm ok with.
Armed with best laid plans and good intentions I went out to the boat this afternoon. Ten minutes later I'm stuck with a major problem! I have some clearance between the bottom of the ball and the nut but the ball is seized on the pin and won't budge! I've tried heating it up with a torch but this didn't go very well. (A bit of wind today and my torch doesn't like pointing down and kept going out). I can't get a grip on the ball because the floating ring is still in place. I've tried to budge the pin up by levering on the nut from below but I believe it is press fit and very hard to move. I got a wrench in above the ball and tried tapping it down with a mallet, again no joy. I was going to try rotating the pin but I tried this on the other end of the drag arm and it's stuck in solid.
One idea we have is to cut the ring off the ball with a dremel tool and then try and get some vice grips on the ball and and see it we can wiggle it free. This won't be easy because the ball is very hard and the vice grip teeth won't easily grab it. Perhaps some work with a dremel to score the surface might help...
I could take the pedestal out and see if I can remove this assembly so it can be worked on in a shop but that is a big job and perhaps the last resort.
Great idea anyone? Thanks!
