Sheer Pins - material?

[VicMallows]

What are sheer pins for small outboards made of? I always thought it was just plain brass rod, but current ones seem to be a much harder metal (though sheers very easily!). Obviously I want to source a cheap alternative to swindlery prices.

Many Thanks, Vic

 

[Talbot]

depends which company supplying the pins. The normal tohatsu pins are very brittle and shear if you sneeze on them, whereas the last ones I bought were by a different manufacturer and bent rather than shearing, causing considerable damage to the interior of the prop, and making it very difficult to remove from the shaft.

 

[Tisme]

My outboard Mariner 3.3 initially had pins which were no stronger than a bit of pencil lead. I got through the things incredibly quickly and ended up replacing them with a stainless steel one. It's never sheared and I've had no problems with the prop.

I think they make them too weak so that they sell more. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Kawasaki]

Sheer pin needs to be made of a "mild" metal, ie not "hard" in laymans terms. In that it needs to "sheer" should the prop clout something and not damage itself, ie the pin busts not the prop. "Small" outboards, usually used as "tenders to" don,t always need a none ferrous sheer pin cos they are not normally living in a briny enviroment. How much is the "Swindlery charging you for a "bent nail" anyway?

 

[ipw]

on my evinrude 4 i made a temp out of a coathanger scrounged from a holiday let after pin sheared away from boat , got me back !

 

[oldharry]

In the 'old days' we used to keep a length of brass brazing rod aboard to replace sheer pins. Nowadays seem to be all stainless, and to last a lot longer - or is it that I am more careful now I am older!

 

[cliff]

I think they are hard drawn brass. A "good" pin snaps if one end is held in a vice and the other end is hit with a hammer. A "Bad" pin bends.

If you have made some "bad" pins out of annealled brass reheat them to little under red heat and drop them into a bucket of water.

Depending on which grade of brass you started with will determine how well they snap. If they still bend you have the entirely wrong grade of brass to start with.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[Lakesailor]

Bit of a balancing act really. Too brittle and going astern at too many revs will bust them, too soft and they jam up like Talbot says.

By the way, do you have a sister called Marsha?

 

[VicMallows]

Many thanks to all for your responses .... and especially to Cliff who actually answered the question /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

LakeSailor: No, don't have any sisters. only a brother ......and know noone called MARSHA!

Vic