Yamaha Articulating Keel Removal

[Tiemanbr]

I have read a few threads and comments about removing the articulating keel (AK) to increase turning agility and ease. I have driven the older Yamaha jet boats (prior to the AK) and they had much smaller turning radius and required less force to turn the steering wheel. From what I understand Yamaha converted to the AK on all their boats to increase low speed maneuverability which jetboats are notoriously not good at. I have installed the JetBoat Pilot Thrust Vectors (TV) also which seem to work better than the AK. Having both might be overkill so wanted to explore removing the AK and keeping the TVs on. I could not find any videos how to remove the AK so I attempted it on my own. I got everything off except the removal of the pin shaft as shown in the picture. According to the parts schematic this pin is just pressed in but I can not get it out. I have tried soaking in WD-40, heating the AK and tapping a threaded bolt from the bottom but no luck. Has anyone removed this pin before and any suggestions.

 

[David Martin]

(Pressed in) so press it out. Hard to tell from photo but the bolt in the bottom screws into the pin..............I would purchase a longer bolt and put a hydraulic jack on the concrete floor and push the pin up...............the pin should move up as long as the friction is not grater than the boats weights. If friction is greater than boat weight you'll lift the boat off the trailer. (I don't think its in that tight)

Hope this helps

 

[Ronnie]

Move the rudder left and right all the way so you can check for set screws.

 

[Tiemanbr]

Yes mine also had an allen locking pin bolt that I removed but still can not get the pin out. I tried threading a longer bolt into the bottom hole and use a jack to press it out but ended up bending the bolt. Will just have to cut the bent bolt off to remove. Any other ideas?

 

[anmut]

Have you viewed that part on a blown-apart parts diagram? Might help give you a visual of it.

 

[Tiemanbr]

Yes but the diagram is not exactly clear. See attached

 

[David Martin]

Wow......you will have to use a graded bolt like a Grade 5 but if the bolt breaks off you will need to start jacking using a deep well socket smaller than the large pin............but first................ Is their a set screw or pin in the hole on the side????? if there's a pin in that hole the large SS pin could have an indentation ground into it allowing the set pin to lock it in place making it imposable to remove until the small pin is removed first............

 

[anmut]

Looks like #20 in that diagram is a giant pin with a few different bushings that keep it tight - I'd soak it with PB Blaster for a day or more, then use something stronger than a bolt (do you have a punch set?) to push it out with a bottle jack from the bottom.

 

[anmut]

Wow......you will have to use a graded bolt like a Grade 5 but if the bolt breaks off you will need to start jacking using a deep well socket smaller than the large pin............but first................ Is their a set screw or pin in the hole on the side????? if there's a pin in that hole the large SS pin could have an indentation ground into it allowing the set pin to lock it in place making it imposable to remove until the small pin is removed first............

Yep, #22 appears to be a set screw.

 

[David Martin]

Bing,bing bing bing # 22 is the licking pin and it has to be removed first...... no way will it press out until its gone and you can see the groove in #20 large pin it locks into

 

[Tiemanbr]

Ok I got a brilliant idea from another member and he said to tap from the top. I thought the pi has a mushroom head but it is really a tapered head which gets pressed into place from the bottom. He said to tap from the top and I finally was able to get it to move down a bit. It is coming our but will take some time for sure and patience because it is still crazy tight.

 

[Tiemanbr]

SOLVED!. Got it out with some additional penetrant and tapping from the top with sockets and extension and hammer. Wow...hopefully I don't need to get this back in again. Attached pictures of the press shaft in case anyone wants to try it. Good luck and thanks all for helping. Key is tap from the top.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Having a lot of experience with these boats handling at all speeds let me say that the keel in my opinion gets in the way and hits the ground a lot often breaking off, I have customers that totally remove that and place my super ultimate steering on the nozzles for a lot more steering at all speeds and spring loaded as well plus the ability to set them to the level that suits their personal needs.
Customers boat with a broken rudder

Same boat with the broken rudder removed and a set of COBRA SUPER ULTIMATE STEERING added to the nozzles

 

[anmut]

Make sure you let us know how it runs!

 

[David Martin]

Sweet sound like you got it under control would like to hear how it does without the rudder. Or just like the rest of us....and most of us have the rudder thrusters on the jet nozzle, and Jet boat pilot and Cobra Jet Steering are too vary good options if you need better steering without the harder to turn steering wheel.

Good Luck

 

[Cambo]

X2 would like to hear the results

 

[I_squared_r]

For anyone else who may come here looking to remove that, I did 1 that was frozen solid. It's not hard to remove the entire assembly from the hull. Its 4 nuts from the inside, access from the cleanout tray. Then I use a razor to cut the silicone behind it and pried it out with a flathead screw driver. Reassembly is easy, I used 4200 on the backside to seal it. But with the assembly out, a oxy acetylene torch and a large punch will remove that pin. I cleaned it up nice and put fresh bushings in it. Nice and smooth now.

 

[jacoviii]

Removal ov the steering keel / rudder is not the issue the newer boats have a deeper sharper keel. This keep you "straighter.