Bent intake grates

[BigTerp]

While doing my yearly maintenance before hunting season gets started, I noticed one of my intake grates is fairly bent. I've smacked my foot several times over the years, even destroying one, but have never had a bent grate. Should I pop the pin out to remove the grates and straighten out the bent one? Leave the grates on and somehow get it bent straight (any ideas on how to do this)? Or not bad enough to fool with? The grates are on there nice and tight, no play in them at all, so I'm assuming removing the pin is going to be a chore. If I go that route, any tips on getting the pins out and the grates off?

Here is what I'm working with.

 

[JL8Jeff]

You may want to try to straighten that one grate if you can with it still in. I removed the pins and had to straighten and clean up almost all of mine in the vice. It took a bit of effort on a couple of them. I used a long skinny screwdriver to knock the pins out. You need to move any of the aluminum in the foot that was staked to hold the pins in and then drive it out from the other side. Just about all my grates are in there loosely now. One end has elongated holes to make it easier to reinstall so there should be some movement with them.

 

[overboard]

You could try putting something flat and strong, like a pry bar or big screwdriver, on the bent grate and then hitting it with a hammer. I straightened some like that and they came out pretty good. I did end up punching the pins out to get the foot welded by using a phillips head screwdriver that I cut the end off and made a starter punch out of it, then finished punching them out with a longer 1/4" steel rod.
From what I experienced, those grates aren't that strong and can be bent back into shape fairly easily.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Really not that bad. But, it's still costing you some power. Knock the pins out and and straighten it. If it's in a bind and hard to get out, pass a rope over it and give it a snatch...will pop right out. I have to straighten mine at least twice a year. You might get some advice on beveling the edge of the grates....don't bother....doesn't do anything but make it easier for stuff to wedge in the intake....I tried it.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

...one more thing....recommend using a proper punch for the pins so you don't flare it.

 

[BigTerp]

Thanks. Appreciate the advice. I"ll see what I can get worked out with it. I have a new set of pins and grates from when I destroyed my old foot 2 years ago. So if things get too bad, at least I'll have a set to replace everything with.

 

[BigTerp]

Got the pins out and the grate in question straightened. Not as much of an issue as I'd thought it would be. Used a big long nail to drive the pin out.

 

[handyandy]

That one wasn't bent to bad I've bent multiple of mine up on multiple occasions much worse and have just popped the pins and used a big vice to straighten them back out. I switched to a rockproof intake on my boat, so far no regrets about that I hadn't busted my aluminum intake, but the amount of hits I've had I figured it was just a matter of time.

 

[handyandy]

this was my intake once I managed to straighten them all back out pretty well.

 

[BigTerp]

That one wasn't bent to bad I've bent multiple of mine up on multiple occasions much worse and have just popped the pins and used a big vice to straighten them back out. I switched to a rockproof intake on my boat, so far no regrets about that I hadn't busted my aluminum intake, but the amount of hits I've had I figured it was just a matter of time.

I'd love to have the UHMW intake, but they don't make it for the smaller pump sizes. Mines a 50/35, I think the smallest they make fits a 90/65.

 

[handyandy]

Yeah your out of luck on the uhmw intake on the 50/35. They make them for 60/40 outboards that use a large series pump. So 60/40 3cyl mercs and omc engines are the smallest engines you can put them on. So the one I have which uses a 6 7/8 impeller would work on a omc triple with the L series pump. You could get some of the uhmw intake fins that james river jets make. I just got a set to try in hopes I might be able to run my motor a little higher with them hopefully prevent some hits/hang ups and help with cavitating in turns with higher up.