Stuck transom clamp screw

[jerryswiss]

Working on a little Evinrude Mate that has been sitting out in the weather and has a little rust on it. I have patiently been able to get most of the bolts loose with heat and oil, until… I get to the aluminum transom clamp screw. I am just using a propane torch and light oil, but no luck. Any ideas?

[Tubs]

Ok – first those are often broken from being over
tightened so they are somewhat fragile. If the pad
is off you could drill a hole in a piece of wood
and slip the transom screw into it to support the
bracket then smack the transom screw with a
hammer several times to break the threads free.
If the pad is on you will need to find a different
way to support the bracket. The farther in the
screw is the more options you will have. I would
heat the piece first. It would be helpful it you
could strike the transom screw in both directions
but that doesn’t seem possible.

A "Boat House Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[Anonymous]

I ran into this on a Mercury 400, that I tried heat from a Oxy./ Ac. torch. And had no luck the easy way. So I did it the hard way. On the side of the clamp that faces the ground, I cut a slot parallel with the threaded part of the screw, just to the threads. Then went back to heat and it came free. Then I welded up the slot and filed and shaped the weld to match the surrounding area.

[jerryswiss]

I tried more heat and nothing. I think the threads are messed up because someone cranked on it too hard, the handle rod piece is bent. I am going to cut the bolt off and drill it out and replace it with a steel bolt 😆

Thanks for all replies 😀

[Mumbles]

The problem with aluminum and stainless threads is, if they aren’t kept well lubricated, they tend to gall. Being used in salt water doesn’t help them either. This galling can build up inside the transom clamp literally welding or jamming the parts together. Unfortunately, no amount of heat or penetrating oil can now release the parts. Drilling out the old clamp screw and chasing the existing threads will prepare the clamp for the new replacement part.

Here’s a Johnson JW clamp I was working on today. The threads were badly galled so cutting it to remove it was the only solution. Making a replacement part isn’t too hard to do.

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[Tubs]

I’ve used this style of anchor bolt
to make something that looks
somewhat like the original.

A "Boat House Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[kees]

quote XR55:

I ran into this on a Mercury 400, that I tried heat from a Oxy./ Ac. torch. And had no luck the easy way. So I did it the hard way. On the side of the clamp that faces the ground, I cut a slot parallel with the threaded part of the screw, just to the threads. Then went back to heat and it came free. Then I welded up the slot and filed and shaped the weld to match the surrounding area.

thats also my way and ……
that’s also the best way
😎

[outbdnut2]

I had one on an RD Johnson that would only back out a couple of turns and I found it had somehow gotten bashed so it was bent – hacksaw time!
Dave

[Author]

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