My tab zinc won't come off

[Beefer]

I have no idea how old the zincs are (I've had it for 1 year), and I finally have a chance to change them, along with some other work I have planned. I'm trying to remove the tab zinc, but the nut inside the zinc is spinning when I use the hex key, so I started tearing the zinc apart. The pictures below show how far I've gotten with a hammer, vise grips, & screwdriver. I pretty much can't get anymore off. What do I need to do to get this damned thing off?!?! I have gotten to the point where I can just barely see the bottom of the bolt, but I just can't bite off anymore to get to it. Any ideas?

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

You should be able to get a vise grip pliers on the zinc and turn the key the opposite way.If that dont work get a dremmel and a drill and work right next to the bolt.It is a cheapie to replace if you mess it up.

 

[eldplanko]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Looks like you need to switch to a grinder.

 

[Bondo]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Ayuh,... Drop the lower unit, 'n grind the bolt head off...

Ya got to drop it Anyways to put a New bolt in...

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Got to remove that other allen bolt first ,Bondo
grind it, drill it, but it comes out from the bottom

 

[Bondo]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Got to remove that other allen bolt first ,Bondo
grind it, drill it, but it comes out from the bottom

Ayuh,... Kinda thought he had enough of a hole there to get to it,...
Maybe not...

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Propane torch, not oxy/cel. Hold the flame right on the tab.

zinc has relatively low melting (419.5 ?C, 787.1 ?F)

Al is 1218?F

 

[Don S]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Get your handy dandy propane torch, stand up wind and DO NOT breath the fumes, and melt the anode off the bolt.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Forgot to mention; it's an Alpha I, Gen I (illegible serial #)

Bond-O - I can't get the LU off until I get the bolt/zinc off. It's the last bolt that needs to come off, unless I'm missing something.

Just spent the last half hour of daylight trying to cut pieces off with my Dremel (closest thing I have to a grinder). As I'm doing it, I'm saying to myself "how am I going to be able to grab the nut?" The nut is up into the cavity a bit from what I can tell, and I'm not sure if grinding/cutting is gonna do it.

Hmm... Fire. This is not really something I want to do, but if I decide to go this route, what should I use to catch the melting zinc? My prop is still stuck on the shaft (letting it soak in Liquid Wrench), and I could see having a zinc-coated prop, unless I catch the slag with something. But what? And on a scale of 1 to 10, how dangerous is this? 1 being watching grass grow, and 10 being playing catch with live grenades.

 

[Don S]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Hmm... Fire. This is not really something I want to do, but if I decide to go this route, what should I use to catch the melting zinc?

Zinc is like lead, real low melting point. I never put anything under it but the concrete floor, then swept up the mess with a broom.

And on a scale of 1 to 10, how dangerous is this? 1 being watching grass grow, and 10 being playing catch with live grenades.

2, maybe 3. It's fire. The zinc is going to melt long before you get to a temp to hurt the drive.
The fumes are the big problem. Might want to wear safety glasses and gloves, and use some common sense.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Zinc is like lead, real low melting point. I never put anything under it but the concrete floor, then swept up the mess with a broom.

I have the drive in the raised position because of the way the driveway is, so the slag would drip right onto the LU/prop. (Prop is still stuck, hoping after a night of Liquid Wrench I'll be able to get it off tomorrow).

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

So I have my handy dandy propane torch, and sat for almost 30mins with the flame right on the anode... nothing. Some small points got red, but nothing melted or softened. How long should I need to hold the flame to it?

I propped a small container of water below the anode, so any slag (if it ever happens) will fall into the water, and not my LU or prop.

 

[Don S]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

You may have an aluminum anode, not zinc. Did you try to unscrew the bolt when you had it hot?

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

No. The nut inside the anode just spins. If I could get a grip on the nut, I think I'd be home free. I can see (I think) the bottom of the bolt/nut through a small void, but I can't get anything in there to get a hold of it.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Do you think if I tried a cold chisel, I'd be able to get more of it off? It's the thicker section that's giving me a real problem.

 

[eldplanko]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

I still say spend the 30 bucks on a cheap grinder and grind it off.... you'd be done by now.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

The problem with the grinder is that I would have to get it up into the housing. The anode is not flat on the side that is against the drive. It goes up about an inch into the housing, and the nut is about a half inch above the bottom of the housing. Not sure if that makes sense.

 

[dn010]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

Post a picture...

 

[eldplanko]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

The anode is not flat on the side that is against the drive. It goes up about an inch into the housing, and the nut is about a half inch above the bottom of the housing.

The back side of the anode should look like this. Grind away as much as you can without eating up your lower unit, there shouldn't be much left afterwards, and whatever's left can probably be taken off with a chisel, torch, etc...



Also, you could grind off enough to exposue the last bolt that was previously mentioned, remove that bolt, drop the lower unit, then grind the head off from the other side.

 

[Beefer]

Re: My tab zinc won't come off

The back side of the anode should look like this. Grind away as much as you can without eating up your lower unit, there shouldn't be much left afterwards, and whatever's left can probably be taken off with a chisel, torch, etc...

View attachment 104863

Also, you could grind off enough to exposue the last bolt that was previously mentioned, remove that bolt, drop the lower unit, then grind the head off from the other side.

That's exactly what it looks like. I've been using a cold chisel, but that's been murder, and very slow murder at that. It seems the anode is the aluminum type, and not zinc, as it wouldn't melt with a torch.

The last bolt is the bolt holding the anode on, it's the one causing the problems, so I can't take the LU off until I get the anode (and respective bolt) off.

There is some play in the anode, and so far I've been able to get the LU separated for the mid/upper unit about 1/8" in the front, and just enough to get a hacksaw between them in the back. I've succumbed to trying to cut the bolt this way. I've gone through 3 blades so far, and have barely made a dent in the bolt (with a flashlight I can see it). Should have this done in a couple of weeks.........