Dinghy Outboard Clamps Stuck - help ideas?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Geez.

You have to have a little bit of feel for it and know when to say when.

If you bent a bolt you must have really tried hard.

Must have been your first stuck bolt adventure.

Mine was on a white colored late 1950's Mercury Outboard when I was 16 .....trying to get the lower unit off

Yeah. Those lower units are pretty tough to get off sometimes aren’t they? They stick on there pretty well. In fact I’ve never owned a new outboard before and I thought they always stuck on there that hard.

So let me share another bad story.

I was getting ready to change the impeller in my current outboard. So, I took off all the bolts that hold the lower unit. And just as I was getting my wooden block and hammer out to start tapping the thing off, it just drops off all by itself and goes right through the hole in the outboard well. Right down to the bottom!

Since I have never owned a new outboard before, I was pretty shocked. I thought they all stuck pretty bad. Guess not.

[MicHughV]

The nice thing about having no handles, it makes the outboard that much harder to steal

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Wow ! Tell us more.

Ya know, I don't think it is likely to work, BP! But good try, mate... Jim

[Skylark UK]

I kept a Honda 2.3 in a shed, untouched for at least 10 years. The clamp screws steadfastly refused to move. On this engine, it’s easy to remove the clamps. I put them in a pressure cooker for about 20 minutes in water plus a drop or two of olive oil. The threads freed and rotated smoothly thereafter.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Ya know, I don't think it is likely to work, BP! But good try, mate... Jim

I think he was satisfied after I send him the photo of the 1960's Oliver 1650 and the break down of the plow parts.

It was removing the bolts on the plow share (lower section of the plow) where I had to use hammer and chisel as the bolts and nuts would be mostly gone due to the dirt which cut them off at a 45 degree angle.

Point I was making is that when you have to remove stuck or rusty bolts starting in your early teens you develop a knack for it.......

Attached photo is of smaller plow but gives the breakdown.

Shaft sheer pin is above .......it will shatter/break if you hit a stump or something solid and the whole plow blade will rotate up

Btw the old Winter rusted plow blades turn to their original shiny chrome after just one pass down the field

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Yeah. Those lower units are pretty tough to get off sometimes aren’t they? They stick on there pretty well. In fact I’ve never owned a new outboard before and I thought they always stuck on there that hard.

So let me share another bad story.

I was getting ready to change the impeller in my current outboard. So, I took off all the bolts that hold the lower unit. And just as I was getting my wooden block and hammer out to start tapping the thing off, it just drops off all by itself and goes right through the hole in the outboard well. Right down to the bottom!

Since I have never owned a new outboard before, I was pretty shocked. I thought they all stuck pretty bad. Guess not.

You were able to dive in and retrieve it though right?

[argalax]

Back to the topic though...


An update:
I had a feeling that with so much oils put into threads, they started to gum up / build up grease there.

I was able to finally unlock the clamps by soaking brackets in a water with detergent for a day, then feeding threads with acetone as I was working with the wrench. That seem to clear up all built in deposits, all worked at the end.


Thanks for the useful tips, everyone!

[argalax]

So the next logical question would be - what it the best type of lubricant for those clamps, which are constantly splashed with salt water?


I am pretty sure I lubricated those with WD40 Silicone spray before storing the engine. Was it the right choice of lubricant for the job?


For now I lubricated them with fishing reel lubricant ( 'd think it's for the similar purpose).
Winch lubs come to mind...

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by argalax

So the next logical question would be - what it the best type of lubricant for those clams, which are constantly splashed with salt water?


I am pretty sure I lubricated those with WD40 Silicone spray before storing the engine. Was it the right choice of lubricant for the job?


For now I lubricated them with fishing reel lubricant ( 'd think it's for the similar purpose).
Winch lubs come to mind...

I ended up using Lanolin. I found most greases washed away too quickly. Lanolin or LanoCote is impervious to water. With lanolin however, the screws turn slow once applied, the stuff is thick and stays thick. You have to back out the screw threads and coat them well, then screw them in so there's lanolin inside.

[LakeSuperior]

I tend to use LUBRIPLATE No. 630-AA in many of these types applications.

[BBill]

Forget the miracle products and use antiseize.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by BBill

Forget the miracle products and use antiseize.

That works for stuck bolts, etc. What is on the table now is the best lubricant to prevent future seizing of the clamps. An antiseize would wash out of the threads fairly quickly.

I suggested above a good aircraft quality waterproof lithium grease that has been around for many years. In a way most modern lubricants are miracle products.

[PJCruising]

Great suggestions from the forum! I agree with JPA Cate, the 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF is a great penetrant. SiliKroil has also worked well for me in the past. Spray the threads, apply some heat (carefull use of a torch or heatgun), let it sit overnight. Bang both side with hammer. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Sometimes it can take days to loosen up but it can be done.
Patience and persistence will prevail.

[GrowleyMonster]

I like PB Blaster better than WD40, and I like Liquid Wrench better than PB, for frozen bolts, threads, nuts, parts that should move but don't. Spray. Tap a few minutes. Spray. Tap a few minutes. Turn, or try to turn. Agree with others, the plastic toggley handles are stupidly fragile and not really needed. Keep a box end wrench of the correct size nearby. Tap on the wrench, too. It may take several applications. Heat, if possible, yeah. Also try chilling the bolt with dry ice while heating the bracket. You will get it, and you will know to keep those threads greased good. Good luck! And remember, if it ain't broke, don't break it! Well, except for those silly handles.

[thomm225]

3 in 1 oil works for me or pretty much whatever I have handy as I do it once a year when I remove the outboard for maintenance.

Of course, using a rusty 8" crescent wrench on the bolts takes away the need for special oils or lubricants.