outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

[Dan Crenshaw]

I have a 1983 Chris Craft Scorpion 210 with a mercruiser outdrive. I need to adjust the trim tab anode but cannot get to the bolt to loosen it. I can see it, but a socket will not fit down it the top of the outdrive. Is there a special thin wall socket designed to fit in that space to loosen that bolt?

Dan

 

[Blk-n-Blu]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

It should be an Allen Head 1/2" I believe, Look here:http://www.mercstuff.com/howdoi.htm

 

[Don S]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

It takes an allen wrench, usually 3/8", but have run into a few with 5/16"

 

[ziggy]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

i've seen more than one drive with the access hole for that bolt drilled out to fit whatever driver is being used. to drive whatever kinda bolt. a hex drive cap bolt is the norm.

myself. in lieu of a socet driven hex wrench. i use just a plaine ol allen wrench. then put a lever (cresent wrench) on that. also i use some pb blaster to lub that bolt prior to loosening and let it soak in a bit. they seem to be pretty tight to break loose. at least from what i've experienced.

 

[RichM]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

I just did mine on my '83 yesterday. It was a 3/8 allen bolt. Went to Harbor Freight, and for nine bucks, I picked up a set of long allen wrench sockets that fit on your ratchet. Made it really easy to get in there and get it undone.

 

[Dan Crenshaw]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

Well, i thought it would be an allen bolt too. My last mercruiser outdrive was but this is not. It is a regular bolt head. looks like 1/2" or 9/16". The hole is square but my sockets will not fit in there and it is about 2" or so deep.

 

[Don S]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

I have never seen any Mercruiser outdrive with a square hole. My guess is your drive has been DIY'ed by the unknowing, and you are now stuck with fixing it yourself. Who knows what you have down in that hole.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

It is interesting, the last time I went to West Marine and checked - all of the trim anodes had bolts with hex heads. Even the packaged ones from Quicksilver. Anyway, it sounds like you may need to drill / bust up the existing one and drop the lower unit and replace it with one with an allen wrench.

 

[ziggy]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

grind the socket down to fit the hole?
grind (drill) the hole big enough for a socket to fit down the hole?
or do what fm said. bust up the anode from the bottom up till ya get to the bolt.

someone got something down that hole to tighten the bolt up with... i've never seen a square hole either. just enlarged round holes.

interesting note ya got there fm..... last anode i got was unpackaged and came from my local dealer. it came w/o any bolt at all.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

Ziggy - Actually I went looking for just the bolt as I had lost mine when I had it apart. It's been a few weeks ago - but I was surprised to see the packaged ones with the hex head bolts. Maybe that's what the previous owner bought.

 

[ziggy]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

fm, you are aware that confessing up to loosing anode bolts during service is cause for reduction of rank..... right... capt'n.... jk. congrats on your new rank.

so on this new quicksilver anode bolt. were the bolt heads small enough ya could go through the existing hole in the lower for service? i really have seen more than one drive with that hole enlarged. most have nothing covering the hole so i assume it makes no difference if the hole is enlarged. heck. i think my other drive may have a enlarged hole in it. the way i found that out was buying a new plug from the dealer that was to small. there's only one size he said. someone drilled me out prior to me getting it.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: outdrive trim tab anode adjustment

fm, you are aware that confessing up to loosing anode bolts during service is cause for reduction of rank..... right... capt'n.... jk. congrats on your new rank.

Cool! I didn't even know I was a captain yet!

I had to take my lower unit back to Sterndrive Engineering and they rebuilt it for me. Somehow in the process I lost my anode bolt. So sue me!

so on this new quicksilver anode bolt. were the bolt heads small enough ya could go through the existing hole in the lower for service?

Truthfully I don't even know what they fit. Just that they we Quicksilver and had hex head bolts.

i really have seen more than one drive with that hole enlarged.

On my first boat I wanted to be able to remove the bolt without taking the lower unit off, so I enlarged the hole myself. I think that's what many people wind up doing. No real good reason to do it though.