Hi, I am trying to remove the speader brackets from the mast. The two smaller bolts came out quite easily but the third (larger) bolt refuses to budge. The nut came off but I can't get the bolt out. Any ideas? Tim Pinkham
I expect your Cat 25 and my Cat 27 are similar. When I replaced the spreader sockets I found that the lower bolt runs through a compression tube and was frozen in by corrosion between the bolt and the tube. I have no simple answer for you. I used an entire can of penetrating oil and eventually drove the bolt in far enough to saw the head off the bolt on the other side then wiggled the whole thing out of the way and put in the new bolt that came with the sockets. I couldn't figure out a way to hold the new compression tube in place while installing the bolt (my arms aren't twenty feet long) so I don't have a compression tube in any more but there is a larger tube around the upper bolt which I managed to keep. If you do discard the bolt and if you can find a way to replace it, make sure it is a little larger so it won't freeze onto the bolt.
You should be able to notch the top of a length of pvc pipe to accept the sleeve placed crosswise to it. One or two pieces of masking tape (3/4") placed across the sleeve and onto opposite sides of the pipe should secure the sleeve well enough to feed the sleeve up the mast and locate it under the bolt hole for the bracket. Once the bolt is in place twist the pipe, breaking the tape, an pull 'er out.
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