Put the mast back up and cant tighten that one sidestay

[DangerousPirate]

Hello, I have the problem that the turnbuckle doesnt turn and gets stuck when I try to tighten it. It just doesnt get beyond a certain point,the weird thing is: Thats the case for both ends, even if I try to just do one end.

No problem with the other turnbuckles/sidestays, just this one in particular. When I took the mast down it was fine. And the screws look fine, too, and the turnbuckle is fresh from the marina and since the first few milimeters work fine its safe to say its the right size aswell.

I tried using a steelbrush and clean the
screw but that didnt change anything. Aree there any tricks? I heard heating it up with a small torch might help? Im not sure about that one though.

 

[coveman]

Heating anything, I think, is likely to weaken it. Are you sure it is not bent slightly which would could be the reason both ends will not go beyond a certain point? If it is bent I should think it best to replace it.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Looks straight. But yeah okay. I guess I have to replace it then.

 

[AndyL]

Try lubricating the threads with Loctite 8065 Anti-Seize Copper Lubricant - maybe the galling on the threads can't be easily seen?

 

[DangerousPirate]

Hm. I give that a try before I replace the cable. (I dont think I can just replace the screw, can I?)

 

[Birdseye]

Hm. I give that a try before I replace the cable. (I dont think I can just replace the screw, can I?)

Not if its swaged on. But first of all take a steel rule and hold it alongside the threaded bit - that will show whether it is bent. Are you sure that it is the shroud and not the bit attached to the deck that is giving a problem? Have you tried both seperately?

 

[DangerousPirate]

Well, it certainly is not the turnbuckle as I have the old one, that worked, and the new one.

But whichever end I try it on it only goes for a few mm and then get tough to turn,and when you try with force it just gets stuck and hard to unwind again.

Its both the end of the cable and the bit thats connected to the deck. I tried both part separately and both have the same problem about the same length in. Thats why its a little weird and why I initially thought its the turnbuckle.

 

[Catalina36]

Try turning a nut of the same thread onto the stud and a bolt into the female thread, then you'll know which bit is galling. Thereafter maybe run a tap or die through the offending bit, with care. Stainless on stainless can be a real pain for galling.

 

[Catalina36]

Well, it certainly is not the turnbuckle as I have the old one, that worked, and the new one.

But whichever end I try it on it only goes for a few mm and then get tough to turn,and when you try with force it just gets stuck and hard to unwind again.

Its both the end of the cable and the bit thats connected to the deck. I tried both part separately and both have the same problem about the same length in. Thats why its a little weird and why I initially thought its the turnbuckle.

Further thought. Are you sure the thread is the same on the new as on the old? It may be a different pitch.

 

[RichardS]

Try lubricating the threads with Loctite 8065 Anti-Seize Copper Lubricant - maybe the galling on the threads can't be easily seen?

That is good advice. I rebuilt a Land Rover last year and replaced every nut and bolt with brand new stainless steel versions. I used copper grease on every bolt apart from the three across the bottom of the radiator where I suddenly had an attack of laziness. The first two nuts were fine but the third galled half way up the thread and that was it, jammed solid. I finally managed to get it off and threw it away and started again .... with the copper grease.

Lesson learned.

Richard

 

[PetiteFleur]

Almost certainly the thread is galled - difficult to see sometimes, and so a new turn buckle required. If swaged, cut off the old one, get a new one swaged on with a toggle on the deck end to make it the same overall length as the original. Or fit a Sta-Lok fitting which you can get an extended version so you don't need a toggle.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Further thought. Are you sure the thread is the same on the new as on the old? It may be a different pitch.

Well, I only replaced the turnbuckle and I still have the old one, which are both workig identically (bad).

Almost certainly the thread is galled - difficult to see sometimes, and so a new turn buckle required. If swaged, cut off the old one, get a new one swaged on with a toggle on the deck end to make it the same overall length as the original. Or fit a Sta-Lok fitting which you can get an extended version so you don't need a toggle.

As mentioned before I did get a new turnbuckle as I thought the old one was faulty but I have the same problem with the new one aswell.

Ill just get the product mentioned earlier and see if that works.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Do you think wd40 would work? Cause I have a can here handy right now

 

[LittleSister]

If it's not the bit you have changed, then it must be the bit you haven't changed, I would have thought.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If it's not the bit you have changed, then it must be the bit you haven't changed, I would have thought.

I agree its possible the thread on one of the parts no replaced is damages preventing the screwing together.

I would not force a it will cause galling.

Best is to run a thread file along the threads of the non replaced items.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Okay I got down to business and cleaned the thread. I got the nut to go up and down smoothly but I still cant screw the turnbuckle on.

Also checked if its straight, and it is.

Now I did put the nut over the turnbuckle and they look like the same size. The old one and the new one - neither does fit on though?

Could it be that its a number too small? Though it should be noticable if I had the wrong size. Also the first mm or so screws on...

No idea whats going on but Im sure I can spare another 5 quid for a turnbuckle a size bigger just to try before I have to replace the whole cable. (Which I really dont want)

 

[rogerthebodger]

The only way now is to run a tap down the thread in the turnbuckle.

Is it the right hand thread or the left hand thread part of the turnbuckle

 

[DangerousPirate]

Its both, I tried them separately.

Since one of the turnbuckles is branf new I cleaned the thread of the screw not of the turnbuckle.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Though it should be noticable if I had the wrong size. Also the first mm or so screws on...

Sounds like it’s a different thread rather than a different size

 

[Birdseye]

Sorry but I'm still not clear where your problem is. The turnbuckle or bottle screw is in the middle bit with a threaded fitting coming up from the deck and also a threaded end on the shroud. Are the bottle screws, both old and new, refusing to screw properly on to the deck fitting? Or the shroud fitting? Or both? Have you tried just screwing the bottle screw into the deck fitting without the shroud itself?

When I got galling on a stainless rigging screw it proved impossible to undo it even with an enormous Stilson on the bench. The symptoms you describe are typical of the wrong thread eg imperial instead of metric but how can that be if you are getting the issue on the old bottle screw you took off when the mast came down as well as the new one? Or it could be a bent male thread but on both the deck fitting and the shroud - that is highly unlikely but not impossible.