Ski Pylon

[HalcyonDays]

I have been working for a few weeks trying to separate ski pylon from its base. Initial tried with belt wrench while still on boat adding penetrating oil (Kano Aerokroil and Sea foam Deep Creep) did not move. Then took pylon off boat; after soaking in the penetrating oil I heated nut strapped in a vice still did not move. I now have it at machine shop where they also tried without success to remove base from pylon. The machine shop is still trying.... Is there a trick to this that I am not trying?

 

[Coastboater]

Uneducated guess…the nut was over tightened when installed and the threads are galled. Stainless is relatively soft.
Since it’s already at a machine shop, cut the nut off and rethread the shaft on a lathe. It would end up an inch or two shorter but as long as it clears the motor cowling should be ok, if you plan is to reuse it.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

What was the issue when using it in the vice? Was the vice not able to hold it or did you start stripping the threads on the nut? I've had some really tough nuts/bolts when working on cars over the years and to where, it's not exactly the best or ideal solution, but if a breaker bar doesn't work then I'll try a torque wrench and reversing it, put it up to say 100 ft/lbs and try taking it off that way. I know that Harbor Freight has them for quite cheap at around $20 and you could use that for the extra leverage, or even trying a breaker bar if you haven't already tried that, though I'm assuming you already have. Might be a bit of a dumb question, but the nut isn't tack welded onto the bottom plate, is it?

1/2 in. Drive 18 in. Breaker Bar

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1/2 in. Drive 10-150 ft. lb. Click Torque Wrench

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[HalcyonDays]

Hi Thank you for the replies. I think the problem is a galvanic reaction, caused when two different metals (stainless steel and aluminum) are subject to salt water. It could also be galling as mentioned by coastboater . Mustang65fbk, the nut is welded to the plate and the pylon, made of aluminum, is screwed into the nut and plate which are stainless steel. The problem is holding the pylon without damaging it, everything I tried resulted in the pylon turning in any grip I could come up with. I spoke with the machine shop today they are going to try holding the pylon in a "V" press while heating and using an impact wrench. Keep the ideas coming will try anything.

 

[Punchline Cap]

What was the issue when using it in the vice? Was the vice not able to hold it or did you start stripping the threads on the nut? I've had some really tough nuts/bolts when working on cars over the years and to where, it's not exactly the best or ideal solution, but if a breaker bar doesn't work then I'll try a torque wrench and reversing it, put it up to say 100 ft/lbs and try taking it off that way. I know that Harbor Freight has them for quite cheap at around $20 and you could use that for the extra leverage, or even trying a breaker bar if you haven't already tried that, though I'm assuming you already have. Might be a bit of a dumb question, but the nut isn't tack welded onto the bottom plate, is it?

1/2 in. Drive 18 in. Breaker Bar

Amazing deals on this 1/2In Dr 18In Breaker Bar at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

1/2 in. Drive 10-150 ft. lb. Click Torque Wrench

Amazing deals on this 1/2In Dr Click Type Torque Wrench at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Never use a torque wrench to loosen a nut, especially a tight one. Torque wrenches are made for tightening to a certain specification.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Never use a torque wrench to loosen a nut, especially a tight one. Torque wrenches are made for tightening to a certain specification.

Lol I understand what a torque wrench is but as mentioned above, why not get a cheap one from Harbor Freight for $20 and if it works, then you've fixed your problem yourself for next to no money at all? I wouldn't exactly say that HF tools are "throw away tools" but oftentimes they aren't much better than that and as such, if it breaks then it breaks... not enough money to lose sleep over. I definitely wouldn't use a more expensive torque wrench on something like this where you might damage it or throw off the calibration, but as stated above, if a cheap $20 torque wrench works then you're going to be money ahead. And certainly less money than it would cost to take the thing to a machine shop to have it worked on

 

[Fishtales]

Take it to a mechanic or machine shop?

 

[Punchline Cap]

Lol I understand what a torque wrench is but as mentioned above, why not get a cheap one from Harbor Freight for $20 and if it works, then you've fixed your problem yourself for next to no money at all? I wouldn't exactly say that HF tools are "throw away tools" but oftentimes they aren't much better than that and as such, if it breaks then it breaks... not enough money to lose sleep over. I definitely wouldn't use a more expensive torque wrench on something like this where you might damage it or throw off the calibration, but as stated above, if a cheap $20 torque wrench works then you're going to be money ahead. And certainly less money than it would cost to take the thing to a machine shop to have it worked on

Buy a long handle breaker bar, put a hardened 6 point socket on it and go to town. Put a two to three foot pipe on the breaker bar if you want. My daughters boyfriend used my torque wrench to loosen wheel nuts and ruined it. A breaker bar has no ratcheting mechanism ion it and is designed exactly for the purpose you need it for.

 

[PointedRose]

Might be time for a replacement part? Do they still sell the same model?

 

[DennisG01]

What was the issue when using it in the vice? Was the vice not able to hold it or did you start stripping the threads on the nut? I've had some really tough nuts/bolts when working on cars over the years and to where, it's not exactly the best or ideal solution, but if a breaker bar doesn't work then I'll try a torque wrench and reversing it, put it up to say 100 ft/lbs and try taking it off that way.

This statement appears to (pretty plainly, actually) say that a torque wrench has more "twisting" power than a breaker bar. This is not true. Aside from the torque wrench being the wrong tool for the job (as noted above a few times), twisting power (or torque) comes entirely from the length of the lever arm.

Adding a pipe to the end of a breaker bar would help.

But at this point, the assembly is already at the machine shop - and I'm sure they know all this

Halcyon, is there an update?

 

[Mustang65fbk]

This statement appears to (pretty plainly, actually) say that a torque wrench has more "twisting" power than a breaker bar. This is not true. Aside from the torque wrench being the wrong tool for the job (as noted above a few times), twisting power (or torque) comes entirely from the length of the lever arm.

Adding a pipe to the end of a breaker bar would help.

But at this point, the assembly is already at the machine shop - and I'm sure they know all this

Halcyon, is there an update?

I like the torque wrench because it’s thicker and has a textured grip at the end to hold on to. Makes it much easier with having big hands, especially if working with fluids such as oil and so forth that can be slippery. Regardless if it’s your tool of choice, it can still be used to get the job done, especially if one doesn’t have a breaker bar that’s longer than the torque wrench.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Buy a long handle breaker bar, put a hardened 6 point socket on it and go to town. Put a two to three foot pipe on the breaker bar if you want. My daughters boyfriend used my torque wrench to loosen wheel nuts and ruined it. A breaker bar has no ratcheting mechanism ion it and is designed exactly for the purpose you need it for.

I’ve never had an issue removing nuts or bolts before with a torque wrench and again, if I did then I’d just go buy another for $20. I’ve also used it on lug nuts, though I typically use my lug wrench on that instead. I again don’t see the point in going and spending money on something else when you’ve got something at home that will get the job done for you in the first place. Especially on something that isn’t technical or precise. But that’s just me.

 

[Punchline Cap]

I’ve never had an issue removing nuts or bolts before with a torque wrench and again, if I did then I’d just go buy another for $20. I’ve also used it on lug nuts, though I typically use my lug wrench on that instead. I again don’t see the point in going and spending money on something else when you’ve got something at home that will get the job done for you in the first place. Especially on something that isn’t technical or precise. But that’s just me.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/63000-63999/63880.pdf
I do not like to beat dead horses but…… this is the manual for the “$20.00” torque wrench at Harbor Freight. It says “do not use to loosen fasteners“. The torque wrench that my daughter’s boyfriend ruined was much, much more expensive than this one and also was not intended for loosening fasteners. My point is that tools should be used for their intended use. Improper use could cause damage to them or even worse injury to the user.

 

[DennisG01]

I like the torque wrench because it’s thicker and has a textured grip at the end to hold on to. Makes it much easier with having big hands, especially if working with fluids such as oil and so forth that can be slippery. Regardless if it’s your tool of choice, it can still be used to get the job done, especially if one doesn’t have a breaker bar that’s longer than the torque wrench.

I can appreciate the larger diameter reasoning. But a TW should never be used to loosen a fastener. A better alternative (short of a breaker bar) would be a pipe extension over the handle of a 1/2" socket wrench.

 

[luckydude]

I'm with all the other people, use a breaker bar, that's what it was designed to do. A torque wrench, while I guess you could, is going to be no match for a breaker bar with 3 or 4 feet of pipe on it. That's a much bigger lever and that's what you want.

Source: I own, and use, 3 torque wrenches and a bunch of breaker bars.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/63000-63999/63880.pdf
I do not like to beat dead horses but…… this is the manual for the “$20.00” torque wrench at Harbor Freight. It says “do not use to loosen fasteners“. The torque wrench that my daughter’s boyfriend ruined was much, much more expensive than this one and also was not intended for loosening fasteners. My point is that tools should be used for their intended use. Improper use could cause damage to them or even worse injury to the user.

Oh well... again, it's a $20 torque wrench and if it gets broken then I'll gladly go down to HF and buy another. Also, I've got a much more expensive digital torque wrench that I use for its intended purpose, not to loosen nuts or bolts. I have two, the nicer digital one and then the one from HF, of which I've had the one from HF for probably 15 years now and it still does the trick. Are there better options out there? Sure, there's probably always going to be a better and usually more expensive option, especially if you don't have the specific tool needed. That being said, with the $20 HF torque wrench from almost two decades ago, it's once again not anything I'd lose sleep over if it did break. Now, the other digital torque wrench that was considerably more money, I'd be upset if that one broke, but again I wouldn't use it for anything other than its intended purpose. Lastly, this is why I oftentimes have a "cheaper" set of tools and a more "expensive" set of tools... one being for the things or projects I don't necessarily care as much about and if it breaks then oh well. The latter would be something a bit more serious like doing engine work or something that has to be within spec and you don't trust the cheap $20 HF torque wrench. Also, this is one of the many reasons why I don't loan my tools out to people as they typically don't ever come back in the condition that I loaned them out in.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I can appreciate the larger diameter reasoning. But a TW should never be used to loosen a fastener. A better alternative (short of a breaker bar) would be a pipe extension over the handle of a 1/2" socket wrench.

Again, there are many ways to do something but unfortunately the breaker bar that I have is a 3/8" and is shorter in length than the torque wrench. I'm quite strong and do powerlifting in my spare time, of which I just hit 425 lbs on the bench press for 3 reps last week. That was also the last set at the end of my workout and while working out in my home gym. Had it not been the last set of the workout and if I'd had a spotter, I would've pushed myself a bit more and likely been able to get at least another rep or two. My goal is to get a single rep max at over 500 lbs as I have about a 265 lb body weight and have always wanted to be able to bench over twice my body weight. I'd say 99 times of out 100, the smaller 3/8" breaker bar does the trick but that 1 time out of 100 where you're working on your back on the floor and have no leverage to where your strength doesn't help out... then the extra "girth" of the torque wrench definitely comes in handy. I'm also a bit of a minimalist in that I'm not going to spend money on something that I'll use once and then just have it sitting around the house. So again, I'm going to try and work with what I've got to get a project or task done. And if the decision is between spending more money on something I'll use once and never use again, or using an almost 2 decade old tool than I bought for less than $20 then I'm going to pick the latter. If it breaks, once again oh well. Finally, as per the HF website the cheap $20 torque wrench does have a lifetime warranty on it. So... in theory you could always swap it out for a new one, if you ever for some reason did have an issue with it breaking, etc.

 

[Sauza45]

Ok have you looked at the nut? Can you just cut the nut in half with a dremel and then remove the nut being care full not to damage the threads.

 

[HalcyonDays]

I do have an update. The machine shop decided to cut the nut off and re chase the treads on the pylon. During the process the anodized coating on the pylon was removed, presumably by the heat. The machine shop has offered to polish the pylon, not sure how to treat the aluminum pylon after the polishing. The machine shop is also attaching another stainless steel nut to the stainless steel base. I am going to pick everything up tomorrow. Way more work than I would have expected.

 

[HalcyonDays]

The pylon and base are back from the machine shop. In the photo you can see some galling on the last few threads as well as some galvanic corrosion on the last four or five threads. To summarize my experience, to do over again I would go straight to cutting off the nut, purchasing a new nut and have the new nut welded to the base. I did not do the work myself so I do not know how difficult it was to cut the nut off without damaging the threads on the pylon, but the machine shop did a great job. Hope this helps anyone with the same issue.