Corrosion problem

[DeLam]

Probably been answered before but can`t find anything
On the mast heel there is a 1/2" diam S/S pin that I want to remove .It was put in
by the mast manufacturer (now defunct)
The problemis it just won`t move ,it seeems to be well and truly corroded to ta aluminium heel. I have tried tapping it wit a hammer got mole grips on it but useless . I am thinking of trying to press it out but a bit worried in case I do irrevesible damage
Question -has anybody got any ideas on the best way to get iout and sill be useable?
Thanks in advance

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[Talbot]

heat on the steel is probably the only way, get a propane torch on it and get it really hot and apply force. Has worked for me!, but be v. careful how you apply the heat, cause ali melts a long time before steel!

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[VicS]

Heat the aluminium with boiling water or a hot air gun. It should expand and release its grip on the st. st. Aluminiun expands more than st.st. so it won't matter that the steel pin is also heated. Avoid brute force as you are likely to fracture the aluminium.

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[William_H]

This is a common problem if it is the kind of mast base fitting I am thinking of. The Aluminium fractures so easily you might want to try to sourse a replacement or repair before you break it. Sorry to sound negative. If you find that all the heating fails. You could try coling of the pin. You can use a LPG bottle with a hose on it. Hold the bottle upside down so that liquid gas flows onto the pin. Wear gloves and be carefull. (Our local water authority use this methiod to freeze the water in the pipe to enable them to change a stop cock without shutting off the water to the street.) You might be able to consider removing the mast with base attached to a worshop or to a situation where you can work on it easily and even get it under a drill press to drill out SS.
If you can cut the SS pin in half you may only have to deal with half of the corrosion at a time. You may then be able to drill out the SS although this is very difficult. I don't envy your problem. will

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[ships_parrot]

I'd go with VicS's boiling water suggestion, boiling water won't necessarily get it as hot as the heat gun, but it won't melt anything nylon that might be in there either..

Incidentally it works well for getting drain plugs out of ancient saildrive legs too..

Robin.

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[VicS]

I suggested a hot air gun as I thought less likely to cause damage than a gas torch but even that may worth a try as a last resort before breaking anything.

Ideally I would stand the thing in a bucket of boiling water but that might be difficult with a mast off a 33 footer.

Take care with boiling water.... it burns ... have a supply of cold water to hand in case of accidents.

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[AndrewB]

Another suggestion that is often mentioned in response to this FAQ is to soak it in a mild acid, vinegar, for a day before applying other methods. It has sometimes worked for me.

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[Stork_III]

If corrosion is the problem, then the corrosion product will be on the SS pin, ie the pin diameter internally will be bigger than the exit hole in the aluminium.

Had this problem some years ago with removing Ally head from car for casket replacement. studs bigger than hole in head. Application af vinegar and Plusgas over days with intermittant tapping on head studs eventually loosened corrosion products enough to allow head to come off. Better than garage suggestion, "chisel it off , mateand buy new head", not so easy on a 45 year old car.

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