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S&S Swan Maintenance - Overhaul mechanism in spinnaker pole
20 June 2016 - 13:13
#1
Join Date: 27 October 2013
Posts: 59

Overhaul mechanism in spinnaker pole

Overhaul mechanism in spinnaker pole

 

The mechanism in my spinnaker pole is not working well.

I need to take it a part to inspect and repair.

What is the best way to free up the screws which completely “frozen”

The classic problem with stainless screws in aluminum exposed to saltwater.

Have anyone been successful with this kind of work?

All comments are welcome.

 

Bjorn, Four Winds, 44/014

20 June 2016 - 14:50
#2
Join Date: 31 January 2007
Posts: 52

Dear Bjorn,
I did the same job on the jockey pole a couple of years ago. See the post (Jockey pole) dated 4 July 2014.
Best wishes
Jyrki (Infant 38/014)

20 June 2016 - 21:25
#3
Join Date: 27 October 2013
Posts: 59

 

Thank you for the hint!

 

We did try that method but no particular luck.

 

It is difficult not just destroy the screw head. If it had been Phillip screws the chance would have been better.

I will have anther attemp, though.

 

21 June 2016 - 10:58
#4
Join Date: 30 January 2007
Posts: 461

There are several things that will help freeing seized stainless steel screws from aluminum. This is a list of actions; some of them should be wisely combined together.

1) apply heat.

2) apply cold.

3) use an impact driver.

4) drill a small hole centered into the screw and apply the proper screw extractor.

5) drill a precise bore centered into the screw with bits of increasing size till reaching the kernel size of the screw and then use a tap to clean the thread.

According to my experience:

(3) often works well because the mechanical shock helps also breaking the chemical bond.

(4) was always unsuccessful, sometimes even disastrous.

(5) is the last resort, difficult and lengthy but always successful.

Daniel, 411/004

21 June 2016 - 16:38
#5
Join Date: 20 March 2011
Posts: 88

Dear Bjorn

I have had success with heat, and with impact drivers. No luck with screw extractors.

One thing I did learn though with the screw extractors is that if you attempt to drill the screws out, there are left hand drills available so that the drill rotation will work to remove rather than tighten the screw.

Good luck

Tonyh 44 004 Hatha

06 July 2016 - 18:24
#6
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear All,

I too have struggled greatly with the removal of ss screws from aluminum.  When working to remove the ss bolts from my traveler track I was at the point where I thought I would just replace the track with new; then I asked my friend at the machine shop who is always full of great ideas.  This works.

Heat the screw with a torch; apply candle wax directly around the screw or bolt head, and bottom is possible, and let it melt into the threads.  It's like magic.   The screw will come out!

Good luck.

BTW, this was his proprietary secret but he was happy to share it with our forum - I just got off the phone with him to make sure it was okay.  Possibly some of the engineers know of this method.

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete  43/003

03 September 2016 - 17:32
#7
Join Date: 26 April 2010
Posts: 33

Hi, I managed on Croix du Cygnes jockey-pole and boom by drying the end on the central heating for a long time, apply hits by wood and hammer to fracture the corrosion and then an impact screwdriver. When the screws are out it realy starts; applying enormous torque by securing a piece of strech-free rope and turn it around for about 6 times to unload the initial attachment; a level of about 2 meters and patience. some additional wood and hammer to fracure the corrosion between tube and cast finaly made this work for me..

05 September 2016 - 11:31
#8
Join Date: 30 January 2007
Posts: 461

Arneoud, your description made me remind of an extremely handy tool which should stay in our boats: a strap wrench. It is cheap, easy to store and it has many applications, from the kitchen (opening the stuck lid of a jar) down to a stuck spinnaker pole or an oil filter.  If you have two of them, even better!

Daniel, 411/004

strap wrench

05 September 2016 - 12:19
#9
Join Date: 26 April 2010
Posts: 33

Indeed!! And most probably it's best to use 2 in parallel for the same torque direction in this case as with a tube on the grip of about 2 meters I'm not sure the safety margins in the design are enough to deal with the forces.. ;-)

 

Aernoud (Croix du Cygne 37')

05 September 2016 - 20:39
#10
Join Date: 02 January 2008
Posts: 1547

Dear Aernoud

Your comment on the torsion safety margin made me make some calculations.
The jockey pole tube is 80x3 mm, and can stand quite a lot of torque. At the end of a 2 m extension shaft you could apply close to 200 kg force assuming no screw holes in the tube. But there are screw holes, and this reduces the allowed load somewhat.   
Kind regards
Lars

06 September 2016 - 08:52
#11
Join Date: 26 April 2010
Posts: 33

Dear Professor, thanks for the insight! Actualy I'm referring to the safety margins in the design of the "oil-filter wrench" being concerned about such a device being able to deal with the force applied with a 2 m tube as extra lever on it's handle.

 

with best regards, Aernoud.

06 September 2016 - 11:27
#12
Join Date: 26 April 2010
Posts: 33

Indeed!! And most probably it's best to use 2 in parallel for the same torque direction in this case as with a tube on the grip of about 2 meters I'm not sure the safety margins in the design are enough to deal with the forces.. ;-)

 

Aernoud (Croix du Cygne 37')

06 September 2016 - 11:27
#13
Join Date: 26 April 2010
Posts: 33

Indeed!! And most probably it's best to use 2 in parallel for the same torque direction in this case as with a tube on the grip of about 2 meters I'm not sure the safety margins in the design are enough to deal with the forces.. ;-)

 

Aernoud (Croix du Cygne 37')

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