Steering Clevis Pin

[Capn Jack]

Yes it's finally arrived at the Sportsboat and Rib forum, the famous or should I say infamous Clevis Pin removal. For those of you who are not familiar with the PIN FROM HELL.. I'll explain.

Most Mercruiser steering is power ram type. The end of the ram is connected to the tiller by a small clevis pin though the cast iron mould into the aluminium tiller arm and then again through the cast mould. Picture below....it's the one the right in the middle of the picture

I've nearly finished the cosmetics and repairs to my old girl and thought I would just finish off one last job before bolting all the bits back on....... WRONG..

The clevis pins have a very nasty habit of becoming welded by rust into the cast mount at the end of the ram. I soaked it on penetraing oil and rigged up a G clamp to squeeze it out. So I put small nuts either side of the pin head (top) and a piece of strong metal over the nuts, thia gave a little room for the pin to move when the G clamp lifts the pin from underneath. Wrong again.....I moved the pin as seen in the above photo by 3mm but then broke the G clamp.....

It's been suggested I heat the pin etc and cool it down quickly, so I tried that but was concerned the aluminium tiller would transnit too much heat to the seal in the transom shield so didn't get it too hot.

Any ideas?? I'm going to try to drill it out but not sure if its high tensile steel or stainless and what strength it is??

[Ed]

It wont be stainless (or at least a good grade) if its rusted like that. A decent cobalt drill at a slow speed with a lot of patience should do it.

[Capn Jack]

Thanks Ed, yes I agree now, how could it be stainless?

I've already started to drill with a small pilot hole. The pin is about 4cm's and approx 5mm in diameter.

Next concern is, will the drill line be accurate enough?? The rust is right at the bottom, if it was on top, no worries, but I have to get right through it.

Maybe I could do it in stages??

[Ed]

If you dont drill right down the middle that can sometimes help rather than hinder, you just use a smaller bit then to cut just to the edge, rather than drill the whole thing out. Usually after this removal of stuck bits is fairly easy.

[Capn Jack]

This forum and you Ed rock!!

Must be some sort of telepathy but as you were typing I was drilling and didn't drill straight. I thought I had bugg***d the fittings but it all looks good.

As you said sometimes if you don't drill straight it can loosen the offending item.

This is whats left..

[Ed]

haha job done, don't know what all the fuss was about

[Rinker]

But have you got a replacement pin?

[Cap'n Jack]

But have you got a replacement pin?

No. They are available but mainly from US outlets at $1.50 - $3.00. I'm sure EP Barrus will have one somewhere and will probably cost about £300...

What a stupid idea putting in a clevis pin which will rust in a steel housing. I've ordered up a 316 stainless hex 10mm bolt from SeaScrew. to see if that fits better.

What do you think?

[Rinker]

You're a man after my own heart Cap'n. A stainless nut and bolt sounds far better than a pin.

[salamis]

That threw me I was looking at the other pin thingy?