Frozen Bell Housing Pivot Bolts

formuladoug

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Apr 28, 2016
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3
Hi Folks,
First post here, and I read Don S's sticky on how to post, so hopefully I'll do this correctly. BTW, I did search the forum (and the net in general) for hours, read for hours, checked sticky's and read the service manual before posting this. I have a circa 1996 VP SX drive, I'm replacing bellows, rebuilding the un-rebuildable square-end rams, replacing the prop, replacing the anodes, and painting it, all for the first time. I've had the boat two and one half seasons and while the ram rebuilds and prop replacement are due to failure and wear (respectively), the bellows replacement is purely PM. The painting is due to corrosion-based flaking of the existing paint. It is time as I've had the the thing for 2 seasons and this will be the start of my third full season. The drive was new to the boat when I purchased it but it had been sitting for about four years prior to me buying it. I've been building, servicing and racing cars for about 35 years so I'm not mechanically inexperienced. However I am a total noob when it comes to marine mechanical work. The project has been going well but I've reached a challenge: the pivot bolts on the bell housing are frozen solid. I soaked them for a week with PB blaster, and have used upwards of 150 lb ft of steady-state loosening torque and nearly 175 lb ft of cracking torque on them (I have the correct spline tool), and they are not budging. I'm fearful to apply heat as I'm not clear how they are constructed (e.g. mix of metals, thread locker, etc). I worked around the issue, have completed everything but painting (I'll do a hack paint job to hold me over until the end of the season), but would like to loosen them for the "next time" as I'm sure the corrosion will simply continue to "weld" these things.
Thanks,
-Doug

P.S. My next post won't be this long. I simply felt that I had to get those pre-qualifiers out of the way since I'm new to this forum. Thx.
 

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
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70,469
I'm fearful to apply heat as I'm not clear how they are constructed (e.g. mix of metals, thread locker, etc).

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... I don't do much with Volvo drives, But,....

For any fastener stuck in aluminum, Heat is my 1st choice of weapon,.... Ox/ Ac kinda heat,....

The trick is gettin' Alota heat into the fastener, 'n as little as possible in the castin,.....

Quenchin' 'em with water many times breaks the connections from the shock shrinkin',....

Corrosion, loc-tite, whatever helps ya by actin' as an insulatin' barrier,...

Once ya get 'em free, coatin' the threads with quicksilver perfect seal or perma-tex #3 will help keep 'em from corrodin' again,....
 
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formuladoug

Recruit
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
3
Thanks Bondo. I'm a little concerned about cracking that casting with all that "quenchin"...maybe I'll hit the center of the bolt with the torch and let it cool naturally the first couple times ;)
 

dennis461

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
516
maybe post a picture. What is a pivot bolt? Are there any markings on the head of the bolts?
 

Shaper79

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Messages
233
Yea I'm thinking a mini tourch to the center of the bolt. The pivot ball is a big star/ hex head bolt ,right?
 

Senior B

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 19, 2006
Messages
253
I've always had to use a "Crack Torch" to get them to break loose. These bolts are usually installed with Thread Lock. You will do better with heating AROUND the HOUSING as the heat will both soften any lock tight and expand the housing thereby loosening its grip on the pivot bolt. Heat directly to the bolt makes it expand in the housing and blah blah. I will have an assistant apply torque to the bolt as I work the torch. They've always come out. Good Luck..
 

formuladoug

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Apr 28, 2016
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(Shaper and Dennis, I'd like to attach a pic for the bolt that I'm referring to but all I get is a message stating "Error uploading image" whenever I try to attach the 36kb jpg)

Thanks Senior. I'll heat the housing, not with Ox/AC because I've had aluminum do that instant turn to liquid on me before, rather I'll use propane and once she's good an warm get my "assistant" to start torquing. Good to know that they always come out too!
 

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
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70,469
I'd like to attach a pic for the bolt that I'm referring to but all I get is a message stating "Error uploading image" whenever I try to attach the 36kb jpg)

Ayuh,... Post yer pictures on a photo hostin' site, 'n link 'em back to yer posts,.....
 
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