Dinghy Outboard Clamps Stuck - help ideas?

[Goodxcharly]

PB Blaster is another good penetrating oil.
Patience usually does the trick on those projects.

Keep checking on a daily bases. Add some oil. Try loosening. Repeat tomorrow.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

That works for stuck bolts, etc. What is on the table now is the best lubricant to prevent future seizing of the clamps. An antiseize would wash out of the threads fairly quickly.

I suggested above a good aircraft quality waterproof lithium grease that has been around for many years. In a way most modern lubricants are miracle products.

For what its worth I changed from Lubriplate lithium to antiseize decades ago on my old dink size OB motors and had no issues...2.5hp, 3hp, 3hp, 4hp, 5hp & 9.9hp. Lubriplate lithium is ok but in my experience it was not better in saltwater.

[like-a-child]

I'm with THOMM225 on discarding the handles and using a crescent wrench.
Also, wd40 may help maintain metal but is not a good penetrant. Sea-Foam Deep Creep is 100x better than WD40 for that job and 10x better than PB Blaster.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by BBill

For what its worth I changed from Lubriplate lithium to antiseize decades ago on my old dink size OB motors and had no issues...2.5hp, 3hp, 3hp, 4hp, 5hp & 9.9hp. Lubriplate lithium is ok but in my experience it was not better in saltwater.

I kind of like the various copper infused antisieze compounds, such as Bostick Never-Seez Regular (copper). They will stiffen up but totally prevent spalling and rusting together. Lithium works but best results are from cleaning the old stuff out of the threads every 6 months or so and reapplying. Meh. Never-Seez gives me more love. Permatex and Loc-Tite make good similar products, too.

[Jim Cate]

^^^^^
What about Cu/Al dissimilar metal corrosion when using Cu based anti-seize in the Al casting of the motor clamps? Any issues there?

Jim

[wsmurdoch]

Broken handles are easy to replace and cheap. For a 5 hp Yamaha outboard they are just $6.98. https://www.boats.net/product/yamaha...5888ef2f6831a5

Anti seize may be better at keeping the screws from locking up, but it is messy. Get it on you, get it on your clothes, get it on your guests... a little goes a long way. I find white lithium grease to be less messy.

My 9.9 Yamaha Manual says Yamalube Marine Grease at 20 hours or 3 months then every year or 100 hours. I guess if Yamaha knew something better, they would recommend something better.

[thomm225]

I guess it depends on what you use your outboard for.

Maybe if you use it on a dinghy and are constantly removing and then remounting you might want the little plastic clamps.

I use my 5 hp outboard though as the main auxiliary engine for my 6600 lb displacement 27' sailboat so once I mount the outboard on the bracket that is where it stays except for yearly maintenance.

That's why an old crescent wrench or rusty vice grips do the job just fine in my situation.

I do use a little 3 in 1 oil on the threads now though or pour some 10W30 motor oil over them.......yearly

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

^^^^^
What about Cu/Al dissimilar metal corrosion when using Cu based anti-seize in the Al casting of the motor clamps? Any issues there?

Jim

Good question! You would think it possible, right? But I haven't seen it happen.

There are also nickel based anti-seize compounds, though. And good ol wheel bearing grease but bearing grease can get clotty when exposed to the elements for a long time, just like white lithium.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

Good question! You would think it possible, right? But I haven't seen it happen.

There are also nickel based anti-seize compounds, though. And good ol wheel bearing grease but bearing grease can get clotty when exposed to the elements for a long time, just like white lithium.

Understood! I've got a small tin of nickel based anti-seize that I save for high temp applications like exhaust bolts, but haven't tried it on aluminium joints yet. Mostly use a Permatex brand aluminium based anti-seize on alloy, but often revert to anhydrous lanolin... easier to clean up and seems to work about as well. I know that Tefgel is the flavour of the week now, but it is too damn expensive to justify abandoning stuff that has worked for decades.

I'd try thomm's wrench approach but none of mine are rusty enough to work, I fear!

Jim

[goboatingnow]

Happened to me last year , I use a penetrating oil called plus gas to work them free like yours mine are plastic handles and will snap off.

I used duralac to ensure it doesn’t happened again

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I'd try thomm's wrench approach but none of mine are rusty enough to work, I fear!

Jim

Wrenches with no rust can work also.

Pretty much anything like an old pair of pliers etc.

On the boats I owned as a teenager whatever wrenches I had onboard seemed to always get rusted by the salt water so you got used to it. Many times they would be rolling around on the bottom of the boat....with the dead fish and old bait.

Same with tools in the small tractor tool boxes.

Tractors were parked / used sometimes within 200' of salt water

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304092854898

[Disailor]

50/50 mix of Auto Transmission Fluid is very good. I've not seen anything beat P Blaster for dissolving corrosion. Both need to sit after repeated sprayigs. One tip is to wire brush visible corrosion before applying lube otherwise the corrosion will bind up in the threads generating heat that will evaporate the lube.
Plus 1 on the patience!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Disailor

50/50 mix of Auto Transmission Fluid is very good. I've not seen anything beat P Blaster for dissolving corrosion. Both need to sit after repeated sprayigs. One tip is to wire brush visible corrosion before applying lube otherwise the corrosion will bind up in the threads generating heat that will evaporate the lube.
Plus 1 on the patience!

I used PBlaster today removing the lower rear shock bolts on my 2004 Jeep GC.

It took that and a 1.5' half inch ratchet plus extension pipe

Total workout getting them off plus removing the tires and doing the front brakes.

Also used power impact tool but it wasn't strong enough for the lower shock bolts.

The answer to the flimsy outboard plastic clamps though is still the same.

Break them off and use a wrench

[BBill]

Originally Posted by Disailor

50/50 mix of Auto Transmission Fluid is very good. I've not seen anything beat P Blaster for dissolving corrosion. Both need to sit after repeated sprayigs. One tip is to wire brush visible corrosion before applying lube otherwise the corrosion will bind up in the threads generating heat that will evaporate the lube.
Plus 1 on the patience!

Mixing a batch is too inconvenient for the small stuff I do. I've switched from pb blaster to liquid wrench and get equal or better results...hard to say if one is better but they both have the foul odor.

[rslifkin]

Another good penetrating oil in a can (and in my opinion, better smelling than PB Blaster) is Aerokroil. It's a bit expensive, but it works quite well. Generally if that can't get something loose, it's time for a torch and/or accepting that I'll have to destroy some parts to get it apart.