Need help on reverse gate set up

[Kevin hughes]

The challenger I bought last summer has been in salt at some point and the Allen screws are fused into the jet housing. I have broke of two trying to get them out. I may have to cut the reverse mounting bracket off to get.the screws out of the jet housing. But I'm told if I need to replace the housings they need to be paired since I have twins. Anyone have ideas how to separate these or were I can maybe find complete sets used that are good? Thanks for any help

 

[CrankyGypsy]

I just yanked my driveline and am doing a write-up of the process to include this type of issue. I had to use a Topec Nut & Bolt Remover with a pneumatic impact gun. One broke at the threads, one came out, and the other two unthreaded, but are stuck in the pump cone. Break the bolts and save the bracket. There are few options for getting the bolt remnants out, which usually start with lots of penetrant now that you can access them.

 

[RedBarron55]

When extracting copious heat is helpful

 

[Kevin hughes]

I just yanked my driveline and am doing a write-up of the process to include this type of issue. I had to use a Topec Nut & Bolt Remover with a pneumatic impact gun. One broke at the threads, one came out, and the other two unthreaded, but are stuck in the pump cone. Break the bolts and save the bracket. There are few options for getting the bolt remnants out, which usually start with lots of penetrant now that you can access them.

I just yanked my driveline and am doing a write-up of the process to include this type of issue. I had to use a Topec Nut & Bolt Remover with a pneumatic impact gun. One broke at the threads, one came out, and the other two unthreaded, but are stuck in the pump cone. Break the bolts and save the bracket. There are few options for getting the bolt remnants out, which usually start with lots of penetrant now that you can access them.

I tried to cut just the bolts off and it was so corroded it wouldn't budge I had to cut the brackets off both sides. I bought a used set and working on taking them apart since they are fresh water. With heat and PB blaster I have got 3 out of it so far.

 

[RedBarron55]

With stainless bolts and aluminum castings any salt water sets off corrosion that builds up in the aluminum bore and seizes the bolt in place.
Heat will help expand the hole and if (a big IF) the lubricant can get into the gap it will help.
What I meant to say was HEAT!
I had a H3LL of a time getting the steering cable out of the aluminum bracket on my 90 Sport Jet to remove the cable to replace the fuel tank in my Hobie Jet Skiff.

 

[Beachbummer]

I have had terrible experience with Allen screws. They don't take that much torque. Once you make this happen I would recommend some regular hexagonal head bolts that will take greater torque next time.

With an exposed head like that, before you drill it out you can also try to create a notch with a dremmel to see if you can grap it with a flat head to turn it, but there is a risk that the notch just opens up and splits the bolt head...so only something to try when you are about to give up.

 

[CrankyGypsy]

Yeah, cutting or notching this type of bolt jam is a last resort for me - you want to leave as much of the bolt intact as you can to work with. Using the Topec kit and an impact gun, I was able to at least separate the pump pieces and then later remove the bolts (which were loosened enough to rotate inside the bracket with the impact). Cutting/destroying the bolts before separation rarely leaves you with anything workable.

First, I let PB Blaster work on them a couple days, then used a torch to heat them and break up the corrosion a bit - this really only makes a minor difference, just enough to get it moving ...it's still gonna take some skill, patience, and a bit of luck. On the impeller housing, I had the bolt break off at the threads. So I welded a nut onto the other end and used a wrench to continue turning it all the way out the "backside." The other two were seized within the reverse bracket. The first, I was able to hammer it back the way it came in and then use a punch to continue it all the way out. The second one was more stubborn: I had to alternate: PB Blaster and heat several times, rotate it with the Topec tool, then hammer at it, repeat. At one point, the threaded side swelled from hammering, so I had to grind the diameter back down. It slowly started to back out and I kept repeating the steps. Eventually, I heated the bracket to try and get the hole to expand a little larger - while I was spinning it with the Topec tool, the threads caught on the corrosion inside and it backed out almost all the way. A few hits with the punch and it was free. I purchased all new bolts (M8 x 110) through BelMetric.com for about $3.25 each.

 

[Kevin hughes]

I got them all out of the used set but one and I'm going to take it to work with and use some heat and good vise grips and hopefully get the last one out. I did get the other apart now just have to pull the prop out and buy a new wear ring since I think this is off a super charged model since the splines are large and my prop socket is to small. Hopefully the seadoo dealer by the shop has a prop socket I can buy to get these tore down the rest of the way. Guess I have some props I will be selling since I have the 155mm and these just be 159 or what ever it is. Thanks for all the advice I will let you know how it works out.
Saturday I'm going back to the boat and work on carbon seals and replace them or I hope too!

 

[CrankyGypsy]

I'm going through the exact same process. did you get your drive shaft out? I had to cut off the support ring (the silver "top hat" near the PTO) - it would not move off the c-clip since the rust was kind of bad.

 

[Kevin hughes]

I'm going through the exact same process. did you get your drive shaft out? I had to cut off the support ring (the silver "top hat" near the PTO) - it would not move off the c-clip since the rust was kind of bad.

no I haven't removed them, I hope I only have to remove them enough to change the carbon rings and stuff. I don't have any rust in there that I can see. It only has 80hrs on it and I have a water leak in trying to find plus wanted to do maintenance just didn't realize I had these issues. I have the boat at my parents in their barn for the winter and just haven't moved it yet. So I just go there and work on it since it beats the driveway.

 

[Anchorman]

The trick to getting those Allen Venturi bolts out is heat cycling. I used two propane torches to apply heat up and down the bolt. I used a fresh, new Allen driver for this job (realize it’s a 6mm Allen Head on a thicker 8mm bolt). When the bolts didn’t move, I LET IT COOL and tried again. Repeat the process until the bolts offer little resistance. I recently extracted eight of these bolts and none of them would budge even with initial heat. I didn’t use lubricant and none of the bolt heads got stripped.