Corrosion Stainless vs Aluminum

[sailah]

Use Kroil, it's the best.

Sometimes it helps to tighten the bolt ever so slightly. Once you can get a little rocking, keep soaking it in Kroil. Applying a little heat will help things get moving.

If nothing happens after a week I get impatient. I'd do as A64 says and drill the head off, remove the fitting and see if I can grab on the stud with a pair of vise grips. When it breaks off, drill it out and retap it. Don't use EZ out on bolt that small as noted it is harder than a woodpeckers tooth and you'll need carbide to get it out.

[Kenomac]

The penetrating has been applied, will repeat tomorrow then give another try. If this doesn't work along with applying heat to the bolt, I'll wait until my handyman, mechanic, electrical wizard friend arrives back in 12 days. He'll know how to get them out.

Please keep the suggestions coming.

Thanks everyone.

Ken

[a64pilot]

While your waiting on him go get one of these, they are cheap. For this type of job I like them better than their more expensive powered brothers, reason is to work they are hit with a hammer, the impact of the hammer tends to loosen the bond and it drives the tool into the fastener making it hold better, really important for Phillips head screws. I know yours are internal wrenching, but the next one may be Phillips head
Northern Industrial Tools Impact Driver Set | Screw Nut Drivers| Northern Tool + Equipment

[Kenomac]

I'll ask at the shipyard if Michele has one I can borrow, otherwise I'll see if the hardware store in town has one.

Good idea.

[Glacier Crews]

Save yourself and your boat. Borrow a hair dryer.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Glacier Crews

Save yourself and your boat. Borrow a hair dryer.

We have one onboard.

[skipmac]

Hi Ken,

Good advise so far. Maybe a summary of my experience having to fight this battle dozens of times (why on earth don't boat builders put some kind of goop on SS fasteners in Al parts?)

1. Like A64 said, NO EZOUTS!!!! 90% of the time they break. The only thing I've found to get one out is a diamond or tungsten bit and a lot of work.

2. PB Blaster, Kroil or similar. Forget the WD40 for this application.

3. Heat, treat, beat, repeat (or warm, oil, tap, repeat). This has been my most successful method. Theoretically heating the part will cause expansion and break the corrosion but in practice I've found heating the bolt works just as well. Heat, then apply oil and the cooling will help draw it into the joint. Tapping repeatedly helps break the corrosion as well.

4. Heating from battery. I've tried this and it can heat up the bolt really fast and really hot. Might want to test this on something less critical before trying it on the mast.

At the end of the day about 25% of the time I just couldn't get the fastener out no matter what I tried. Then it's drilling time. Occasionally a center hole will free up the fastener but often I have to drill the hole thing out then either clean up the threads with a tap, rethread to a larger size or is neither is possible use a thread insert. I like the EZ Lok.

[LeeV]

Soak with PB Blaster
Put a block of treated wood against problem area.
Using hammer or small sledge, take a few solid whacks against wood.
Use impact tool with hammer to reverse.

[Foredeck]

Just had this problem. Soak it in white vinegar for a couple of days. Really.

[Souzag818]

I agree with the little heat, Kroil method. When(not if...)you get it out, apply some TefGel to the fasteners. Just a little on the threads works miracles. been using TG for years, and have never had any problems with removing SS screws from aluminium, even after being in the corrosive elements of boating.

[Scaramanga F25]

BLASTER

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Foredeck

Just had this problem. Soak it in white vinegar for a couple of days. Really.

I have read about the vinegar recommendation. Guessing it would be to dissolve the aluminum oxide that is what bonds the SS bolt into the fitting?

Have you tried it?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Souzag818

I agree with the little heat, Kroil method. When(not if...)you get it out, apply some TefGel to the fasteners. Just a little on the threads works miracles. been using TG for years, and have never had any problems with removing SS screws from aluminium, even after being in the corrosive elements of boating.

No, not when, if. I've had bolts that I tried it all, Kroil and PB Blaster, repeated soaking and heating over a two month period, tapping with a hammer for 10-15 minutes at a time, hand impact driver, even extreme heat (as in bolt head starting to glow red) by shorting with a set of jumper cables direct to a battery then more soaking with Kroil.

I really wanted that one to come out as it was in a very awkward spot to drill out. No matter what I tired I still had to drill that one which took hours and a really sore shoulder as a result.

[Mithril Bham]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

A reportedly top notch penetating oil can be made from a mixture of ATF automatic transmission fluid, & actone. And whichever penetrant you use, try applying it a couple of times a day (minimum) for several consectuive days.

As to heat, you might try using a standard size car battery, & a pair of #10 wires. Just holding the wires on the bolt head for a moment. Though try it first on something unimportant. I've not tried it, but am told it works well.
And if you can find some dry ice, or a CO2 fire extingusher, you can freeze the fasteners & material in efforts to make it contract.

If forced to use a torch to heat them, you might construct a heat shield/heat sink around the part, so as to avoid maiming the surrounding area. No guarantees, but it may help. And barring that, there are some heat resistant pastes which can be applied to the delicate bits around that which is being heated. Somewhat akin to the ones used on the spines of japanese swords when they're being heat treated. So that the spine remains cooler than the cutting edge during the process.

Also, before you try to loosen the other bolts, put the others back in & torque them down HARD. It should take a little bit of the load off of the frozen ones, & or force them to move a bit sympathetically. And when you go to work on the frozen ones, try to tighten them a little bit first prior to loosening them. The effect is similar to rocking a vehicle which is stuck in the snow or dirt.
Plus if you don't have an impact wrench (which should help), you can improvise something to allow you to shock load the bolt's head with a hammer blow. Sometimes it'll loosen the seized material enough to allow you to turn the bolt.

The last ditch method is to use a left handed drill bit to get them out. One which is very close in size to the (stripped) bolt head socket. Which if this doesn't work, some folks would try EZ-outs. Though I haven't heard great repors of their working.

Oh, & try Googling removing frozen bolts. You might run across another technique which will work.


EDIT: You could also try building a giant clamp, to compress the unit, & it's cover plate tightly to the mast. One with a hole, or holes in it that would allow you to access & turn the frozen bolts. And that fits around the entire spar & line driver. If, that is, you have plenty of threaded rod, & flat plate metal stock around.

What ratio ATF & Acetone please?

[Kenomac]

Go back to post # 1

The most difficult issue is getting the penetrating oil to the base of the bolt. It's the two upper left bolts which won't turn.

I just came back in after reading some inspiration on this thread. I tried striking the bolts hard using a center punch and hammer... still no luck.

But I was able to get the entire hoist mechanism working quite good. Loosened up the line by 3 inches of stretch (that's how tight it was), washed 50% of the line using dish soap (can only reach 50% without being able to disconnect the mechanism) and so much oil has gotten down inside, the gearing has also loosened up. Now it only requires cranking using one arm and takes only 30 seconds to deploy the pole by self.

An enormous improvement!