[Amel Yacht Owners] Bow thruster shaft removal
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Bill & Judy Rouse <yahoogroups@...>
Ian, Your problem was caused by a small amount of saltwater water passing the foam and lip seals. When was the last time it was serviced? It should be serviced every two years. What commonly happens is that the above mentioned small amount of saltwater causes oxidation (rust) on the cast iron base of the electric motor. This causes the clearance for the tube to become smaller and the tube becomes bound inside the cast iron base of the motor. I would not recommend heat because you may damage the tube. I would not recommend pulling the bow thruster out as you described because I think that you will break the foot. The best solution is to spray copious amounts of penetrating fluid through the bolt holes and into the space between the tube and base of the motor from the bottom. Using the clamp-on special tool apply as much downward force on the tube as you can, then find something to vibrate that cast iron base... possibly an impact tool. Don't hit it with a hammer, because it is cast iron and it will break. You will also need lots a patience because it may take hours of vibration and downward force. Possibly a rubber mallet could work as well to provide enough shock while the tool is applying downward force. There is another method which works, but usually only with a light amount of rust. That is to disconnect the cable at the top of the motor and from under the boat push the thruster up and pull it down quickly. The shock of hitting the bottom may break the tube loose from the motor. If this doesn't work in 6-8 tries, it probably won't work at all. Of course everything I suggested could be overdone causing something else to break. You did not say where you are. If you were near me, or possibly another owner, you could possibly have a volunteer to help you. Bill Rouse
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francesringley@...
Thanks Bill, we are in St.Augustine Florida. I have no idea when the last servicing was done.We only bought the boat two years ago and there are no records. Yes, the locking pin was in. The special tool is broken and i will have to order a new one or repair this one. We have doused the bolt holes and the underside of the collar with penetrating oil. Will attempt your suggestions tomorrow morning. Thank you once again
Ian Townsend Loca Lola II SM 153 |
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James Alton
Bill and Ian,
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I don’t know if this will help or not but one way to provide a gentle and controllable amount of vibration to loosen rust and work penetrant in would be to use an orbital sander or some similar tool. Perhaps find a way to strap/tape the sander (with just a rubber pad on the sander) to the assembly and leave it run for a period of time, stopping to squirt in more penetrant from time to time as Bill has suggested. This problem certainly illustrates the importance of regular service to the bow thruster. Best of luck, James
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Stephen Davis
Hi Ian, Sorry you are having all the problems with the bow thruster. I helped a good friend overhaul his bow thruster last winter in St Martin. In his case, it had not been serviced for who knows how long, and the spline was badly rusted. After trying to remove it from the boat all morning with no luck, I put a couple of ring clamps on the tube, a block of wood against the clamps, and banged on it with a heavy hammer. The sharp blows with the hammer worked where steady pressure had not. Of course we had put lots of PB Blaster on it during the morning. It sounds like yours might be worse than this experience, but you might try the hammer.On Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 9:47 PM, francesringley@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:
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