Pearson 424 tang bolt
 

I am refurbishing my Pearson 424 spars and have removed all hardware but can't get the thru-bolt that holds the lower shroud tangs on the main mast. This bolt, looking at the thread end, has what I assume is a compression tube over it but it looks more like a stepped bolt. I cannot get the bolt to come out (no amount of pounding or PB-Blaster will do). Bolt turns freely.

Is this typical? A sister ship owner told me that his yard had to cut the bolt out and replace it. This will be tricky as there is no space between the bolt and the tangs.

Advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

Pete

I'm the sistership, and yep Seaview here in Seattle cut the thing off.

"Cut it out" (in the original post) and "Cut it off" (in the reply) suggest two very different levels of invasiveness. Does anyone remember what the bolt looked like after it was finally removed from your friend's mast? I would investigate more closely what kind of surgery had to be perfomed to get that bolt out.

Jim Fulton

The fixed bolthead was cut-off and the bolt removed out the end of the spar.

When I re-assembled we used a tube with a bolt passing through.

Ouch
 

Hello,
You are reaping the results of a truly awful mode of fabrication, a "compression tube" of aluminum, on a stainless bolt. Over time, galvanic action welds the two together. To make matters, worse, there's only a nut on one end, and they only made the hole in the mast big enough to take the tube out at the nut end. So yes, you will need to cut the head of the bolt off to get the thing out.
When replacing, I recommend that you use oversized collared bushings in the mast wall, to recruit more aluminum molecules. This should allow you to use a smaller diameter bolt, too. Put a nut on both ends of the bolt, and have the threads cut on a lathe, such that the nuts can only just barely snug the tangs down against the mast; no compression tube needed, less weight aloft, and you can remove either tang if needed.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Thanks Brion. I had no doubt that you would have experienced this situation. So I guess heating the bolt just won't do it to get the two parts separated from each other...

Regarding the bushing arrangement you are suggesting, I think I got it. Does this illustration match what you were describing or did I misunderstand?



I am pretty handy on the lathe so modifying the threaded rod will be easy enough.. What material would you most prefer the bushing to be made from stainless or aluminum?

Thanks again!

Pete

Here's my old bolt after it was cut out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deepplaya/5568958351/

Collared Bushing Source?
 

I have been seeking stainless flanged bushings without any luck. Brion referred to a collared bushing". I am assuming he means stainless instead of for example oilite bronze or aluminum. I suppose I could make some on my lathe, but that is a good bit of work and a waste of a lot of material.

Anyone know a source for such stainless collared bushings?

Thanks!

Source
 

Hi again,
Yachttech, Sidney, B.C.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Thanks Brion. Any thoughts about using bronze flange bushings instead of SS?