Tohatsu mounting bolt stripped

[the_alpine]

One of the bolts that screws down to clamp the outboard to the transom on my dinghy has a stripped hole. Not sure how or why it happened, but it happened. I currently have it lashed down, but was hoping the wisdom of this forum could supply a solid fix. Im also in the Bahamas, so not a ton of facilities...

The easiest I can think of is to find a clamp from a hardware store and somehow clamp over/around it.

It cant be through-bolted cuz I need to be able to stowe it on the mothership when underway.

Discuss.......

[Zanshin]

I'm in a similar position, both mine are frozen and will probably need to be drilled out and replaced with a larger thread and larger bolts. I've just been placing the outboard on the back and haven't gone more than a fast idle. On the positive side, a tank of gas now lasts seemingly forever.

[perchance]

Depending on how much "meat" is left where the original clamp was you could drill and tap the next size up and use a standard bolt in place of the original clamp. A Heli Coil might work but they are not the best when continually screwing and unscrewing a fastener.

[sww914]

The best fix would be t have the hole welded and re-tapped. A Time-Cert has better chances than a helicoil. Or you could drill it out as suggested and tap it for a larger bolt.

[bobconnie]

If ya go to the nearest Cat dealer when ya get home. You can get some heli-coils That will STAY in the bracket. They are different then most folks have ever seen as they have a method of stakeing them in place and they never move or get loose ! Just something I picked up a long while back when I needed to replace some bolt holes in aluminum!

[hellosailor]

Cheap: carriage bolt and wing nut.

Or have it welded up and retapped. Or have a plate lapped over the hole, with a suitably tapped hole in the plate.

Then there's always industrial strength velcro.<G>

[sww914]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

If ya go to the nearest Cat dealer when ya get home. You can get some heli-coils That will STAY in the bracket. They are different then most folks have ever seen as they have a method of stakeing them in place and they never move or get loose ! Just something I picked up a long while back when I needed to replace some bolt holes in aluminum!

That sounds like a Time-Cert. They're solid instead of a spring so they stay together. Actually, it's not a Time-Cert, it's the same thing but a different name with just enough differences for one to get past the patents of the other. We used them a lot (both types) on the magnesium cases from the '74-'77 911 engines that were known for pulling the head studs out of the magnesium, but I can't remember the name of the other. I always liked the one that you recommend better but the Porsche parts people stocked Time-Certs so that's what we usually used.

[Weyalan]

my vote is for helicoil insert. Buy the kit - it will include the right size drill, the right size tap and the tool for fitting the insert

[the_alpine]

Thanks guys, welding and tapping is definitely the right way, but helosailor had a good thought. Instead of a carriage bolt, I could just put a wing nut and washer on the existing bolt.

My tools are limited, so simple is best.

[the_alpine]

So I cobbled together some nuts and bolts and have a pretty good temporary fix. As an added bonus, I'm pretty sure I get on plane faster now.

[mikevee]

where was the beautiful picture of the crystal water taken?

[the_alpine]

Mike- the pic was taken here at egg reef near Spanish wells.

[bstreep]

OK, why is this such a common problem? Our Mercury has similar problems - why do they put stainless bolts through an aluminum casting? Ugh. We use a stainless carriage bolt on ours. Mercury has had the new ones backordered for 6 months.

[daddle]

Like many things on a boat, you need to grease those threads regularly. The manufacturer does not have many options for that problem. Grease is easy ... But discipline is evasive for all of us.

[the_alpine]

Well, now the other one is about to strip, I can feel it. Dang it!

I'm sure they need more grease than they've had.