RT Firefly
Enigma
Repairs
- Thread starter RT Firefly
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Alaskan Sea-Duction
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- Jul 6, 2012
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- Alaskan Sea-Duction
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- 1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
How true. Or you start on a job to find out you have to disassemble half the motor to replace a simple item. This along with 10 trips to the parts store.
Pete Meisinger
Guru
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- Best Alternative
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- 36 Albin Aft Cabin
Broken bolts or studs can be a pain. Go to YouTube and search "broken Bolt removal" there are literally dozens of options . I have tried some of them and they generally work well.
pete
pete
menzies
Guru
Little story (non boat related).
Early in our marriage we owned a little Mini Cooper. One day we had a flat tire (tyre), I even remember it was the front right wheel!
I got out the lug wrench and started to remove the first nut. It wouldn't budge. I tried and tried and nothing. So finally I put the wrench on parallel to the ground and jumped on it. Yep - it snapped the bolt.
And in the half second after it happened, maybe even before the nut and bolt hit the road, I realized I was tightening it.
The other nuts came off easily!
We must have driven for years with one bolt missing on that wheel!
Early in our marriage we owned a little Mini Cooper. One day we had a flat tire (tyre), I even remember it was the front right wheel!
I got out the lug wrench and started to remove the first nut. It wouldn't budge. I tried and tried and nothing. So finally I put the wrench on parallel to the ground and jumped on it. Yep - it snapped the bolt.
And in the half second after it happened, maybe even before the nut and bolt hit the road, I realized I was tightening it.
The other nuts came off easily!
We must have driven for years with one bolt missing on that wheel!
Ken E.
Guru
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- 45' Hatteras Convertible
So true, RT. Been there many times.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
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- Jul 2, 2015
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- Black Dog
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- Formula 41PC
We were pulling my props to take them in for a tune up. The starboard one was very tight but we finally got it off. However the port prop nuts would not budge. After putting a pipe on the 30” wrench that we were using to get the nuts off we were able to get the nut to move a small bit. Almost at the point of giving up, I asked the boatyard mechanic who was walking by if they ever used a left hand thread on prop shafts. He said that he had not seen any. Thought what the heck let’s try the other way. The nut backed off easily. Left hand thread on port shaft and right hand on starboard shaft...
Eddie W
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- Sep 19, 2019
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- Tidal Holm
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- Mainship 34 MK1 1982
looks like you have already started the process of removing. 40 years of restoring Cars and Motorcycles I have seen my fair share, soak those threads with some PB Blaster, best penetrant I have ever used. About 3 bucks a can.
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porman
Guru
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- Aug 21, 2014
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- Beach Music II
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- 2003 Mainship 430 Trawler
Menzies, remember the Chrysler Corp. cars that had left hand wheel studs on one side of the car? I took my 67 Barracuda to a tire shop once and they broke three studs before someone figured it out.
"Lefty Lucy / Righty Tighty" 99% of the time.
"Righty Lucy / Lefty Tighty" The rest of the time.
If thread can be seen... you can tell. If thread is hidden and having tried both ways... with no luck... then patience is a virtue while penetrants, heat, gradual pressure increase on socket/wench and sharp raps are employed to get the nut loose.
Spending time to loosen the nut does not compare to the even more time it usually takes to repair broken studs.
If all else fails - F-it, break it!... hear that great "snap" noise!!!
"Righty Lucy / Lefty Tighty" The rest of the time.
If thread can be seen... you can tell. If thread is hidden and having tried both ways... with no luck... then patience is a virtue while penetrants, heat, gradual pressure increase on socket/wench and sharp raps are employed to get the nut loose.
Spending time to loosen the nut does not compare to the even more time it usually takes to repair broken studs.
If all else fails - F-it, break it!... hear that great "snap" noise!!!
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rgano
Guru
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- FROLIC
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- Mainship 30 Pilot II since 2015. GB-42 1986-2015. Former Unlimited Tonnage Master
On three occasions in 29 years of ownership I required the services of a mechanic/technician aboard my GB42, a radar antenna issue, rebuilding the port rudder table, and you guessed it, removal of a broken bolt in the exhaust manifold for which an oxy torch was used to heat it before backing it out. That was the only bolt I ever broke on that boat, and it was a doozy.
Ventana
Senior Member
Looking closely at the original pic, it looks like someone already drilled out the middle of the broken bolt, then proceeded to break off an easy-out in the hole.
That would be me, every time.
That would be me, every time.
OP
OP
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. V. That's where reverse twist drills come in handy. Oh, BEFORE breaking off the easy-out.
A corollary to the broken fastener situation is successfully fixing something and finding two more items to be repaired during the process OR freshening something up and the "whatever" next to it then looks shabby in comparison (MOST applicable when the Admiral talks you into having the settee recovered...)
Mr. V. That's where reverse twist drills come in handy. Oh, BEFORE breaking off the easy-out.
A corollary to the broken fastener situation is successfully fixing something and finding two more items to be repaired during the process OR freshening something up and the "whatever" next to it then looks shabby in comparison (MOST applicable when the Admiral talks you into having the settee recovered...)
OP
OP
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. l. "...aka VWs..." Easy Peasy IF you know how. In the process of a 1971 VW window van. I'd MUCH rather work on a VW than Detroit iron. No hammers were allowed in the VW assembly plants.
Mr. l. "...aka VWs..." Easy Peasy IF you know how. In the process of a 1971 VW window van. I'd MUCH rather work on a VW than Detroit iron. No hammers were allowed in the VW assembly plants.
localboy
Senior Member
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- 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
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- C-Dory 25
‘71. Nice choice. Bay window but last year for the Type 1 engine, IIRC. I’ve worked on numerous years and models. Currently a ‘65 Type 3 Notch and an all original ‘66 SO42 Westy split window bus.
I was referring to the “rust-ability” of old-school VWs in general. I’ve broken more bolts/studs than I care to remember. Always frustrating.
My Notch. Full resto.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/463000.jpg
The SO42 when I first got it years ago.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/213331.jpg
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