N20 Outhaul Stuck

The internal components of the outhall on my N20 broke. I also could not get the end cap off despite repeated banging, heating with a torch, lube, etc. I finally gave up and built a new external downhaul....problem solved.

If the endcaps wont pop out, it might mean that someone glued them in. Try applying heat to the end slowly and see if it budges.

However, when I first got my N20, the outhaul wouldn't budge either. I stuck a pressurewasher nozzle in the slot, closed my eyes and hit the trigger. It got cleaned out... I then bathed the slot in McLube. Now it moves pretty smooth.

The stainless rivets that hold the end cap on have most likely corroded(Galvanic Reaction) with the aluminum making the cap hard to get off. I had to use a large screwdriver and a hammer with large amounts of penetrating oil to get mine loose a few years back.Use the screwdriver like a dull chisel to tap around the end cap. Just be careful you don't break the casting.
Todd

Why dont they use alum rivets? I just removed stainless rivets from my alum upper rudder castings.... seems like a no-brainer to me?

Thanks... I've gotten the idea...

I've washed it, but not with a pressure washer... If pressure washer works, I'll put in Al rivets.

Next try oil, then heat...

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Thanks!

It is ok to use metals of different types as long as you use something like Duralac during installation. Get it at any hardware store or Google it for cheaper.

You already drilled the rivets, right? Just checking. Heat is definitely the way to go. Sometimes that's the only way to get corroded parts apart. Upon reinstallation, wipe the cap down with Lanocote. That will solve the problem if you ever need to get them apart again. Every sailor should have a little jar of Lanocote in their kit. It lasts forever, and solves all kinds of corrosion problems on the long term.

when i google

Duralac

i mostly find people trying to find the product...
What about using Lanacote?

My first hit was a chandlery in Maine. On-line ordering at <a href=

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,33364.htm

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>> http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,33364.htm

Or we could ask Rick if it will be offered on the Catsailor store - I need a new tube myself.

tef-gel works well. My crew is a rigger by profession and this is what he uses at work. to prevent galvanic corrosion.

Availble on-line

Chris.

On items that see cyclical loading (like a rudder arm does), aluminum rivets will loosen pretty quickly. Stainless or monel rivets will hold longer before you need to tighten the joint.

Of all the work I've done on I20s, I've never had to get into the outhaul. I HAVE had them stick and my F18 got quite bad after a capsize left the boom in some sand (long story). To free it up, I usually put the boom in the (freshwater) lake, and work the outhaul repeatedly underwater. It seems to have fixed every sticky one I've had to deal with.

As far as getting the endcap off, I would recommend the use of a body repair slide hammer. Drill a hole in the end of the cap (or a few) and work at it with the slide hammer. If that won't get it off, you should prepare to cut it out.

Oh and by the way Bo,

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Make sure you have gotten all of the rivets. The endcap of the square booms are held on by 4 rivets. The two on the top and bottom, and the end rivets for the sheet attachment bail on the sides. That drove me nuts the first time I tried to get my endcap off...

Gotcha, thanks for the data

Heat got it loose. Quite a bit of corrosion where the stainless was in contact with the aluminum (but only cosmetic). Looks like the stiffness of the line and the poor design of the outboard sheaves was the problem.

Thanks!

Yeup - this will do the trick, just be careful - this is almost the same setup on the Pindle 18-2/19. I had the same problem recently. Drilled out the holes, smothered it in PB Blaster over night, came out the next morning and tapped them out. My other advice would be sure to clean everything off with a fine wire brush to get all the crud off and then clean & rinse w/soap & water.

When reassembling I had coated everything with TEF-GEL http://www.tefgel.com/contain.php?param=tefgel_infor
to keep this from happening again. Also consider using monel rivet with the reassembly. Oh! One other thing - you may want to replace the bungee cord, and ropes while at it.

Why not use aluminum rivets? - they're not carrying any load there and the like metals will be much less likely to corrode.

Good point, as I recall these rivets are more for holding the end cap in place and would note take too much load. When reassembling my boom I had to rubber mallet the end caps in.

My suggestion for Monel came from something I had picked this up from a AP & I when I use to own a Piper. Almost as strong a stainless and won't cause corrosion like aluminum.

I have also wondered why aluminum rivets aren't used on some applications where the high strength of stainless/monel is not necessary and not worth the corrosion. This is just a guess, but my thought is that manufacturers might consider that there is too much of a chance that an aluminum rivet could accidentally be used in a place that required stainless (like the mast tang). So the manufactures only use stainless rivets on their products and in their plants to ensure that the correct rivet is always used.

But I have reassembled things like tiller arms and end caps using aluminum rivets without a problem.

sm