frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

[crazy charlie]

I needed to replace the ss anchoring pin that holds the base of my lift cylinders to the bellhousing on my alpha last year.I cut it flush with a dremmel and drilled it out.It was very time consuming.I need to do the other bellhousing now and was looking for a faster way of doing it.Considering some heat on the pin but the aluminum scares me.Tried cutting it in the middle and working 2 locking pliers with no success.Also tried drilling a hole and placing a screwdriver through it for leverage,no luck.any ideas?????Charlie

 

[Bondo]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Charlie, Heat the Shaft Real Hot,+ Douce it with Water......<br />Ox/Ac would be My Choice of heat....<br />It'll be tuff to get enough heat into the SSteel, being so tight in the Alu., as the housing will be trying to pull the heat out of the pin.....<br />But, If there's enough corrosion between them, you might get enough heat into it to Shrink the pin.......<br /><br />I Know it Sounds Nuts,... But, With My "Blue-Tip Wrench",+ a Bucket of Water,.... I've been able to Free the Most Stuck, Rusted,or Corroded Nuts,+ Bolts,etc.......<br /><br />Good Luck.........

 

[Don S]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

If you are talking about the pin (item 10), just heat the aluminum where the pin goes throught it and it, and knock the pin out with a brass drift and a hammer. I've done that many times with no problems. The aluminum expands when heated and the SS doesn't. <br /><br />

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Thanks guys!!! Bondo,I am heating the pin only and cooling it immediately with water and then trying to remove it?? And yes Don ,thats the pin.Heating the alum scares me a bit.If I heat the alum,propane is the proper heat??I guess cutting the pin in the middle can only make it easier to remove.??

 

[rodbolt]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

propane aint hot enough. I have had a few that I just heated the pin red hot and tagged the cutting lever and blown the pin out. do it all the time with the great SS pins on OMC outboards. the trick is do it quick. and shield the glass on the transom with a mat. or at least a piece of wood. and always keep a fire watch nearby.<br /> luckily stainlees is relativly soft and easy to cut with a cutting torch.

 

[Bondo]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

propane aint hot enough.

I like Don,+ rodbolts Ideas Better.......<br /><br />MayBe,..... You Need a Bigger Hammer.......

 

[rodbolt]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

all you do by heating the pin is make it tighter in the bore. heat the aluminium around it. or just torch the pin. here in the salt pond its fairly common.

 

[Don S]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

In a perfect world, the pin itself would stay COLD and the aluminum HOT, it would make the job easier.<br />Heat the alum. quickly and before it transfers much heat to the pin knock it out.<br />The aluminum will take more heat than you think before melting.

 

[trog100]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

aluminum expands more than steel so the world aint entirely against u in this situation..<br /><br />trog100

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Sometimes heating the stainless and letting it cool seems to compress the corrosion 'into' the aluminum side,and make removal easier.<br />All above methods are good.Just work at it till it works.<br /><br />Next step is to explain the labor to the customer.<br /><br />DHP

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

If the rain ever stops,I will tackle this pin.Both methods sound good but my fear of overheating the aluminum will lead me to try Bondos method first.I will post results.Thanks again guys Charlie

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

CC - I too tried heating but only had propane to work with. So, I cut out the center of the pin and used a ball joint press to push out the pieces remaining in each ear. Worked like a charm. Use penetrating oil to lube it all up. Depending on how "stuck" it is a big C clamp may work too. It works for the fore or aft pin. Technique courtesy of the great guys at mercstuff.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

I remember Ralph.I think thats what you replied to my question last spring.I couldnt get the c clamp just right and I was concerned with breaking the aluminum so I cut and drilled it out.Took too darn long to do that way.Thanks again Charlie

 

[achris]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Well, everybody else has had a go, so I thought I'd wade in too.<br /><br />I've had great success with heating the pin till it glows a dull red, then let it cool. Just falls out after that. I think it works by drying out the corrosion and turning it to a fine, very dry, dust. Works a real treat on those head cover bolts on the old Merc in-line sixes too.<br /><br />Oh, and be careful banging on the end of that pin. The aluminium it's in isn't supported to well and can be easily broken.<br /><br />Chris...........<br /><br />Edit : looks like I missed the party. Oh well, you get that....

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

a trick a boiler maker once showed me with the black and red spanner. with just the acetylene burning blacken the aluminium ( thats right i said aluminium) then set yor flame normally, as soon as the black burns away the ally is hot enough. usually ill give it some more. this trick depends a lot on application, the ring at that point is quite thick so itll take a lot of heat.<br />the key is speed, heat the alu fast, have your knockometer and punch ready for a quick beating.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

I thought this question sounded familiar <br /><br />The heat up method sounds easy but if for some reason it doesn't work just visit an Autozone and borrow their ball joint press (they loan them free). It's a lot easier than a standard C clamp.<br /><br />

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Well,no luck with the heat guys.I used MAP gas instead of propane and I guess it still was not hot enough so I cut the pin and I will try to press it out before I start drilling.Charlie

 

[Don S]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

You need hot (OXY/ACT) not warm (MAP & Propane).

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

Thats what I figured Don.For future reference,is there a small portable oxy set up????Charlie

 

[tommays]

Re: frozen alpha anchoring pin removal

most welding supplys sell a small set in a plastic tote for less than 300 dollars<br /><br />the oxy goes pretty fast with a heating tip <br /><br /><br />tommays