tank hatch, stripped bolt.

[justason]

I was removing the square drive cap bolts that hold down the main floor hatch, over the fuel tank. Most came out easy, 1 was a chore, and 2 stripped out the square drive head in an instant !

I've had little to no luck with easy outs in the past.....but never tried them on stainless and this diameter,..

Any other options before I break out the drill and loose the use of these bolts holes forever ?

 

[Andy S]

Eric, I had one that stripped and end up cutting a slit in the top with a dremel tool, turning it into a flat head screw driver bolt. I have a large flat head screw driver socket that fits on a 1/2" drive. The key to getting the bolt out was a lot of downward pressure while rotating the rachet.

 

[Gym]

I was removing the square drive cap bolts that hold down the main floor hatch, over the fuel tank. Most came out easy, 1 was a chore, and 2 stripped out the square drive head in an instant !

I've had little to no luck with easy outs in the past.....but never tried them on stainless and this diameter,..

Any other options before I break out the drill and loose the use of these bolts holes forever ?

I would think if you rounded the square hole you have a good start for a slightly deeper hole for an easy out. You could also try JB welding an old, square shafted screw driver in there. Then, after it hardens put a wrench on the shaft to ease it out.

 

[jetboater4life]

I have the same boat and the exact same thing happened to me. I stripped two heads and then busted them off so I could remove and re-install the cover. I have some left handed drill bits I'm going to try but I'm not optimistic. I've read that guys have success with hammer drills but like @andy07sx230ho said you need to cut a slit in the top. I have a pencil torch I'm going to carefully use to try and heat up the bolt before I go at it again. Not looking forward to it.

 

[0627Devildog]

I have used these with great success on MANY a busted head. . . .

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-7-pc...p-00952157000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

 

[Glassman]

A good, HOT, soldering iron on the head works every time. Heat that sucker up (no flames) and it will let go.

 

[txav8r]

Something like a 20A soldering iron @Glassman? The iron I use on LED lights may not cut it. But this is an excellent tip. I never had the bolts freeze on the 230, and the 240 has latches. I don't know why some freeze up and most don't. But if it is only engaging the fastener better, then a slot, a epoxied drive, or an ez out could work, but being fully engaged is important. If it is because the nut is turning in the deck, you won't have a choice but to pull that out and reglass and epoxy it back in after you get it out.

 

[jetboater4life]

A good, HOT, soldering iron on the head works every time. Heat that sucker up (no flames) and it will let go.

I like this idea better and will give it a shot. Using the precision pencil torch could be a little dangerous for the surrounding fiberglass.

@txav8r I noticed that my bolts had some sort of white stuff on them so it could be that they used some sort of thread locker. I know a lot of the 210/212 boats from the 07 -10 era have had issues and I've read of a few 230s as well.

 

[txav8r]

I can't imagine why they used thread locker on a bolt of that size, that long, and that has a nut that is only held in a wood/glass nest. But I too have read that guys found it on them. Mine did not have that on them. I wish I had better tips to help get them out, seems like glassman may have a good one there.

 

[justason]

Thanks all! I'm about to hit sears for easy outs and borrow a dremel from work..


The bolt is STUCK. Not turning or free spinning. I'll hit fastenal tomorrow for new bolts......and of course anti-sieze

 

[Glassman]

Something like a 20A soldering iron @Glassman? The iron I use on LED lights may not cut it. But this is an excellent tip. I never had the bolts freeze on the 230, and the 240 has latches. I don't know why some freeze up and most don't. But if it is only engaging the fastener better, then a slot, a epoxied drive, or an ez out could work, but being fully engaged is important. If it is because the nut is turning in the deck, you won't have a choice but to pull that out and reglass and epoxy it back in after you get it out.

Yeah, I'm at work and can't check, but the one I use for that is a big un with a big flat tip. A small or pencil tip one for LED's probably won't get hot enough.

 

[GTBRMC]

A good, HOT, soldering iron on the head works every time. Heat that sucker up (no flames) and it will let go.

I suggest that you find one or more bolts that come out easily, pull them out and see what the bolts are driven into before heating the bolts much.

I say this because on my '08 SX-230 those bolts are seated in some kind of plastic anchor (polyethylene?). Most came out easily, a few were a real bitch. Melting that plastic seat might create another problem.

 

[upperdeck]

Eric, on our boats, there is a plastic bushing and then it it's threaded into a steel ring that runs the circumference of the lid lip. Its glassed into place. I have about half of mine broken off and non functional. No luck with heat, easy outs, etc. I've tried everything EXCEPT an air hammer. I wish I had thought of it...

Basically put some pb blaster on it and let it soak a bit, then hit it with an air hammer to bust up the corrosion and allow the pb blaster to penetrate more. Then try your easy out.

Hopefully it works for you, its just a tip from a mechanic friend of mine that I got after complaining about mine deck lid!

Remember to put some antiseize stuff on the new bolts.

 

[justason]

Thanks @upperdeck the drilling and easyout routine did not work......I have a can of PB Blaster I'll soak into it tonight along with a dremel and airhammer / airwrench.

So with 1/2 of yours broken off, is your hatch currently held down at 50% screw count?. I only have 2 siezed, they are near each others in the corners, but I don't have any real concern on letting them fail and using 2 less mounts......as a last resort.

I only wanted to open this up to wash it.....glad i exercised this now instead of a larger future fail !!

 

[upperdeck]

yeah, and the floor holds solid with half the bolts. Good luck!

 

[waterboy]

I don;t know if this helps any. I had 2 bolts on mine cause me problems. Got them out with luck. On my '07, they are Philips head rather than the square drive. I replaced them with new screws that are 5/16 - 18 x 2 inch long SS machine screws. Picked up at West marine I think.

 

[justason]

well, bolts won the battle but lost the war. Had to drill the heads off to failure, then pull the cover. Fortunately the bolts are long enough to be able to get some vise grips on them for removal....and salvage the threaded holes.

most of the bolts had drawn in the perimeter gasket into the threaded hole. the bolts themselves almost looked like a thread locker was applied. I'm sure it was simply oxidation on the threads....

overall it was pretty clean in there. perimeter gutter was nasty.

off to Fastenal for new bolts and Mcmaster-carr for a new gasket. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[upperdeck]

I might suggest running a tap through the threads in order to clean them out. Then use some anti seize stuff.

 

[justason]

I might suggest running a tap through the threads in order to clean them out. Then use some anti seize stuff.

agreed ! thanks. @waterboy mentions the 5/16-18 above, once I confirm that I'll retap and never sieze the hell outa it

 

[Scottintexas]

@Julian

maybe this would be a better one to tag for the bolt size / removal of stripped bolt