Having a bad Tige' day!

[racerdave]

I was trying to install my new tower today. After the welds on my old tower broke. Four bolts changing it at work where I have plenty of tools. This was going to be a snap! The person who descided it would be a good idea to put a steel bolt in a aluminum tower with no anti-seeze...... whew oh and on top of that they put a Flat head screw head on in it. Needless to say I broke 3 snap-on bits in a impact screw driver. Am I missing something on taking the rear two bolts out? I tried penetrating oil and thought about heat but descided against that the kind of day I was having I would end up blistering Gel-coat. Any Ideas please feel free.

David

[carcrz]

I'd grind the heads off & then use an easy-out.

[racerdave]

they are inset into the tower about 1/2 inch or I would. It is actually a pin they threded about 1 inch and took a cut off wheel and cut a slot into using a flat screw driver to install.

[Ewok]

It took me 4 days and patience with PB Blaster to get a SS bolt out of an aluminum tower on my old boat. I would work on it for about 2 hours each day after work, and I would soak it with PB Blaster about 4 times a day, it finally came loose.

[racerdave]

I do not have that kind of time. I am leaving for vacation Friday and the boat is the center of it I am going to Lake cumberland Ky which is about 10 hours away! I have got to get it done.....

[kko]

I dont have an R20 here but I have changed a tower on an R20 and I think the port/left/passanger side the slotted screw is a reverse thread. its the same way on the alpha Z tower. Not sure why your having such a hard time sounds like you have the right tools and approach. have you tried both side? You cant get either one out?

[racerdave]

I went to the other side after a few minutes and it came out of little problem. I ended up cutting the tower to salvage the stud/bolt contraption. The problem was when the stud was threaded or machined the stud v.s. the bolt head are not in unisen. This is a poor design. I think something you could put a hex wrench in would be to dang easy :/

[jrj701]

Dave, off topic, but what part of Cumberland are you heading to and when are you heading back home? That's our home lake although we wont be down this weekend, we will be there the following weekend. Always looking to meet other TO's.