propeller shaft strut
- Thread starter QP Chuck
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Stainless bolts Chuck. Flathead philips on the outside. Nuts and fender washers on the inside. You access them through an 8" access port behind the water heater. The last time that I rebed mine I used new bolts, larger washers, and locknuts. It takes two people, outside you need a large screwdriver with vise grips. I think the bolt size is 1/4" but you will know when you remove one.
Thanks, Ed. You seem always to be Johnnie-on-the-spot! We just discovered our strut is loose (we are not taking any water) and the nearest place I can haul out is about 250 miles away in Acapulco. I sure don't want to chance going that far with a loose strut, so I guess I will have to try to tighten it in the water. Wish me luck!
If you have enough threads above the nut you might be able to tighten from the inside. You will need the right wrench instead of the preferred socket. Use your vise-grips to lock onto the threads to hold the bolt. Then the wrench to tighen. This will booger up the threads but better than a loose strut.
You could first try the wrench from the inside without holding anything. With that luck that you need maybe the bolt is frozen in the strut.
You could first try the wrench from the inside without holding anything. With that luck that you need maybe the bolt is frozen in the strut.
Thanks again, Ed. We have scuba gear plus another guy with scuba to help, so we probably will be able to have someone with a large phillips and vice-grips under the boat. Maybe tomorrow. I'll let you know how it works out.
Just some additional information on the strut bolt replacement I completed this weekend:
* The strut bolts are 5/16", Oval head machine screws. IIRC, the length is 2.5"
* The parts department recommended nyloc nuts.
* There are two screws, Buy extras if you're doing this replacement in the water.
* A Tee handled screw driver works well to provide additional torque on the outside.
* I am 5'10 and could hold the screw driver while my mouth was just above water, but wake was a problem. I had to go under to place the screwdriver.
* A snorkel and diving mask will help.
* A bit of caulk was also useful.
My 13 year old daughter could easily work the inside of the bolts with a 9/16" deep socket. However, starting the nuts was a bit difficult. As the nut was tightened, eventually, there was sufficient resistance so that the head did not need to be held from the outside. She tightened the nuts just beyond this point and I finished torquing them down.
It was challenging for me to get my XL-sized body into the locker to access the bolts. Once in, I could only get my right hand into the working area.
* The strut bolts are 5/16", Oval head machine screws. IIRC, the length is 2.5"
* The parts department recommended nyloc nuts.
* There are two screws, Buy extras if you're doing this replacement in the water.
* A Tee handled screw driver works well to provide additional torque on the outside.
* I am 5'10 and could hold the screw driver while my mouth was just above water, but wake was a problem. I had to go under to place the screwdriver.
* A snorkel and diving mask will help.
* A bit of caulk was also useful.
My 13 year old daughter could easily work the inside of the bolts with a 9/16" deep socket. However, starting the nuts was a bit difficult. As the nut was tightened, eventually, there was sufficient resistance so that the head did not need to be held from the outside. She tightened the nuts just beyond this point and I finished torquing them down.
It was challenging for me to get my XL-sized body into the locker to access the bolts. Once in, I could only get my right hand into the working area.
I rebedded my strut last spring. Both bolts were slightly bent from the PO wrapping his dinghy painter. I was surprised at how little glass was there considering the potential force on this section. I felt the original washers were way too small to spread the loads so I used 3/8 in. one inch square stainless plate I had in the parts kit. These were backed up with the usual sized washers. Both bolts were replaced with longer ones and got double nutted.
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