Frozen SS Screws Securing Winch to Mast

[pendragon]

Simply drill (on slow speed) out the heads, grind the leftover "studs' flush with the mast. Shift the winch 1/2" up or down, Re-drill and tap, use anti seize on the new bolts. No need for heating or what have ye. Keep it simple.

[svJasmine]

Please try the impact hammer screwdriver. It will work.

[windcastle1]

How about using an “Easy Out”?. They come with a left hand twist drill and several size bits and are made for this purpose. I would “presoak” the frozen screws with some very light machine type of oil for at least a day before attempting the removal.

[JC Reefer]

Heat the screw and then cooling will also cause things to soften up. Do it enough and the screw will come loose.

Pb blaster is also good to squirt on when the screw is hot. During cooling it will get sucked into the threads a bit.

[JC Reefer]

Originally Posted by Fearless Friend

Soak in vinegar. Takes a bit of time but should eventually penetrate.

Plus one on this as the acid breaks down the salt.

If you are at the point where you are starting to strip the screw then you need to change tack.

Softer approaches will require less work if you are needing to drill out and grind stripped screws.

I was the service guy for a rigging shop and among other things covered winches and furler maintenance (mostly profurl). A responsible amount of heat and patience will do you better than impact drivers and hammers (especially if you are getting to the point where the screw is getting stripped)

Also, tightening helps a bit as well.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by windcastle1

How about using an “Easy Out”?. They come with a left hand twist drill and several size bits and are made for this purpose. I would “presoak” the frozen screws with some very light machine type of oil for at least a day before attempting the removal.

I must be mechanically pretty clumsy as the only thing I've managed to do with an easy-out is break the tip off

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I must be mechanically pretty clumsy as the only thing I've managed to do with an easy-out is break the tip off

Easy-Out -- the world's most misnamed tool!

Jim

[GBR134]

Originally Posted by JC Reefer

Plus one on this as the acid breaks down the salt.



I was the service guy for a rigging shop and among other things covered winches and furler maintenance (mostly profurl). A responsible amount of heat and patience will do you better than impact drivers and hammers (especially if you are getting to the point where the screw is getting stripped)

Also, tightening helps a bit as well.

At the risk of thread drift - I wonder if you could advise. I have the same issue with screws into the bottom of a profurl unit that I’d like to remove. A yard in Portsmouth advised me that the screws were titanium and thus the corrosion was worse and the screws can’t be drilled. Is this correct and if so do you have any additional advice?

[ghostlymoron]

As above but after drilling off heads and removing winch use Stillson's rather than Moles as they grip much tighter. Finally you may have to drill out the whole fixing as I have done often.

[SailorKris]

Regarding the use of heat. Keep in mind that heat may damage or alter metal in mast. It may change tempering. You can also cold blast screw but additional doses of blaster has had good results. Continue tapping screw prior to additional spray.
I would not heat any part of mast to cherry red. Your winch is in critical part of mast.
You could also try to use hole saw larger than screw head to drill winch mounting plate. Remove plate and you have access to more of exposed screw.

[chowdan]

I have not read through all pages so i apologize for if this has been suggested.

I had a winch on the mast of my Bristol 27 that had seized screws. I used Kroil from Kano Labs. I had squirted a bit on the head and at the top of the winch base and let sit for about 12 hours before re-applying and letting sit another 12 hours. I tried to get it in all possible places it could "creep" to the bolts.

I used a Ryobi 18V 3-speed 1/2" Impact Wrench and was able to work the screws loose. You dont want to bust all of them free in a clock/counterclock wise direction, rather a hexagon method(as you would with tightening head bolts on an engine).

Hope this was somewhat helpful! If you have any penetrating oil, I'd use what i'd have on hand, but I've had great success with Kroil in many applications!

[JC Reefer]

Originally Posted by GBR134

At the risk of thread drift - I wonder if you could advise. I have the same issue with screws into the bottom of a profurl unit that I’d like to remove. A yard in Portsmouth advised me that the screws were titanium and thus the corrosion was worse and the screws can’t be drilled. Is this correct and if so do you have any additional advice?

Those titanium bolts are a marketing stunt I think.

Drilling should be avoid at all costs. Out of the 2 materials the aluminum will loose if someone does something bone headed.

Get a rubber maid bin and fill it with vinegar let the unit sit for 2 or 3 days. You’ll actually see the salt bubble away as the acid breaks it down.

After sitting, get a cheap water bottle and fill it with some of that left over vinegar. Poke a hole in the top so it can be used like a squirt gun.

Heat the bolt. Be sure to periodically squirt down the Bearing seals and surrounding aluminum. You don’t want those things to melt.

Periodically cool the entire unit by dunking it in the tub of vinegar.

Repeat and it will eventually give.

If you are in south Florida then I could recommend the guys to talk to. Shoot me a pm if you like.

Don’t let someone in the yard learn on your gear. Scratches inside the cylinder can allow salt water to enter the bearings and shorten their life span.

Whatever you do, try to not destroy the heads of your screws. Impact drivers, though effective are aggressive. In my experience Moderate head is more forgiving.

[JC Reefer]

Originally Posted by SailorKris

Regarding the use of heat. I would not heat any part of mast to cherry red.

Totally agree. Need to be reasonable with our efforts.

Saw someone cleaning their cushions with on/off. Don’t be that guy.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I must be mechanically pretty clumsy as the only thing I've managed to do with an easy-out is break the tip off

With tapered Ezi Outs, try and use the biggest size you can, and as deep as you can. That way the stronger part of it is taking the force not the tip, which is thinner and weaker.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by GBR134

At the risk of thread drift - I wonder if you could advise. I have the same issue with screws into the bottom of a profurl unit that I’d like to remove. A yard in Portsmouth advised me that the screws were titanium and thus the corrosion was worse and the screws can’t be drilled. Is this correct and if so do you have any additional advice?

Titanium can be drilled and cut.
Good quality drill bits, slow speed, plenty of pressure and cutting compound.