Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

let wrote:
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

If you mean that the head is rounded off, as opposed to the threads
being stripped, Craftsman makes a set of sockets that work on rounded
heads.

Mine is an allen head bolt. Is it stripped out where an allen wrench would
go in? Those are pretty hard to strip.

Maybe you can hammer a big torque bit into it.

"basskisser" wrote in message
ups.com...

let wrote:
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

If you mean that the head is rounded off, as opposed to the threads
being stripped, Craftsman makes a set of sockets that work on rounded
heads.

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:42:19 GMT, "James" wrote:

Mine is an allen head bolt. Is it stripped out where an allen wrench would
go in? Those are pretty hard to strip.

Maybe you can hammer a big torque bit into it.

"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...

let wrote:
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

If you mean that the head is rounded off, as opposed to the threads
being stripped, Craftsman makes a set of sockets that work on rounded
heads.


Yes it's the 5/16 allen head bolt that stripped.
Kinda hard to get at.Maybe a long drill to drill it out?
How does the lower housing drop without removing
this bolt? Sorry 1st time boat owner know nothing
about outdrives,but eager to learn.
Thanks again

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:42:19 GMT, "James" wrote:

Mine is an allen head bolt. Is it stripped out where an allen wrench
would
go in? Those are pretty hard to strip.

Maybe you can hammer a big torque bit into it.

"basskisser" wrote in message
roups.com...

let wrote:
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

If you mean that the head is rounded off, as opposed to the threads
being stripped, Craftsman makes a set of sockets that work on rounded
heads.


Yes it's the 5/16 allen head bolt that stripped.
Kinda hard to get at.Maybe a long drill to drill it out?
How does the lower housing drop without removing
this bolt? Sorry 1st time boat owner know nothing
about outdrives,but eager to learn.
Thanks again

No No on drilling it out, It's stainless. Sometimes the allen socket on
these screws fill up with crud. You can scrape the crud out with a special
crud removing tool. If you don't have the special tool, a #1 long blade
screw driver will do.
Jim

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:58:25 GMT, "Jim" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:42:19 GMT, "James" wrote:

Mine is an allen head bolt. Is it stripped out where an allen wrench
would
go in? Those are pretty hard to strip.

Maybe you can hammer a big torque bit into it.

"basskisser" wrote in message
groups.com...

let wrote:
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks

If you mean that the head is rounded off, as opposed to the threads
being stripped, Craftsman makes a set of sockets that work on rounded
heads.


Yes it's the 5/16 allen head bolt that stripped.
Kinda hard to get at.Maybe a long drill to drill it out?
How does the lower housing drop without removing
this bolt? Sorry 1st time boat owner know nothing
about outdrives,but eager to learn.
Thanks again

No No on drilling it out, It's stainless. Sometimes the allen socket on
these screws fill up with crud. You can scrape the crud out with a special
crud removing tool. If you don't have the special tool, a #1 long blade
screw driver will do.
Jim

Allen wrench fits in (no crud) Inside edges of allen
bolt rounded so wrench just turns inside head.
Doesn't a "cobalt drill bit" drill stainless?
Thanks for your help

wrote
How does the lower housing drop without removing
this bolt?

It stays with the LU, like so: http://www.mercstuff.com/images/wp08.jpg

"Ernest Scribbler" wrote
It stays with the LU, like so: http://www.mercstuff.com/images/wp08.jpg

Come to think of it, though, there's a bolt in the trim tab cavity that goes
up into the upper, so you still need to get the tab out of your way. If it
comes down to drilling, it might be easier to drill/grind/burrow through the
tab than the bolt.

wrote
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Separate the lower unit and you can grab the bolt head with pliers or vise
grips and remove it. You gotta drop the LU to replace the bolt anyway.

Are you sure it is 5/16? The replacement bolts have been 3/8 for the last 15
years or so. You still see a 5/16 one every now and then, but give a 3/8 a
shot to see if it fits.

Justin
wrote in message
news
Trying to replace trim tab on mercruiser outdrive.
5/16 bolt stripped by last owner. Any ideas how
to get it out.

Thanks