Rusted/Seized shaft coupling

[jarod]

Hello All,

I have an older ericson 27 with an atomic 4. The shaft coupling is not of the split variety and the three bolts have been rounded off. I am seeking opinions on where i should go from here as i need to get it off to install my new dripless. I am to the point where i will likely have to grind the heads off the bolts and pull the shaft off that way. Please weigh in with any thoughts experiences that may help me out on this one.

will i need to drill out the keyway as well..as the set screw is just a hunk of rust...hoping i will not have to pull the motor....i am told worst case should be cutting off the coupling?

thanks all

jarod

[Rockter]

If you have access to the rounded bolt heads, get your goggles out and butcher the nuts off with a grinder. A grinder will tackle anything. Wear your ear defenders too. Watch your fire risk if you have gasoline around. You really must wear eye protection.

The keyway lock screw should drill out, given some care with it. If you tear up the female thread, you can always re-tap with a larger thread once you get the coupling off the shaft.

Last resort is to take the grinder to the shaft as well, and cut it off aft of the coupling. Leave enough "stub" so that you can work with it a little. A hydraulic press will get the coupling oiff the shaft stub.

If the couplingis more valuable than the shaft, you can always grind the coupling off and save the shaft. It is not as easy, but it can be done.

With luck though, you may well get it off. Use lotsa WD40 also, where possible.

[Rockter]

Yes, and use heat also. It helps. Again watch your fire risk.

[rheaton]

What can be done to mitigate risk of fire. This is a gasoline engine. Would running a fan suffice.

[SEMIJim]

While I think it would be a Good Thing to fix this problem, I'm wondering if it's worth it just for a dripless stuffing box? Regular packing isn't normally all that hard to deal with, and if you use the new Gore GFO or GTU materials you'd have a "virtually dripless" solution for all of about $15 and maybe an hour's worth of labour. Don't know how long they last, but one guy on the P30 mailing list said he installed Gore GFO three seasons ago, adjusted once after 30 minutes of motoring, and hasn't had to touch it since. Everybody to whom I've talked about these materials says the same thing: They definitely live up to the manufacturer's claims. I just put Gore GTU in this spring.

Jim