HELP: Transom core does not want to budge

[Pweisbrod]

1979 lund mr pike, trying to get the transom core out for replacement. I have ALL bolts (there were six on the bottom of the wood and four on the top) removed. There are no rivets holding this wood in place. I am unable to pull the core out by hand (obviously, or I wouldn't have made this post ) And so far, drilling 3" deck screws in and lifting with a claw hammer doesn't work. any suggestions for getting the stupid thing out? I can see down along the core on both sides and can't see any hidden fasteners holding it in.

 

[TheMaestro]

A few things come to mind.. Is the bilge pipe tbrough the wood at the bottom? Can you use a jig saw to cut out the square areas then remove the rest? Maybe the PO glued/3M the wood to th metal...

 

[Pweisbrod]

There are no through hull fittings (the two splashwell drains are already removed) and i can move the aluminum away from the wood on both sides and see most of the way down. I don't think there's any glue in there.

Is there a good tool to use to chop down a long ways and remove a little a time? I don't care how it comes out, I just want it out! :twisted:

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Try attaching a chain with 2 long lag bolts into the wood from the top. Then use your engine hoist to lift it.

 

[Pweisbrod]

unfortunately I have to find somewhere to put my motor then! LOL That was going to be my next move. I tried cutting some chunks out of the rear piece of ply with the sawzall for relief. I will try the lag bolts tomorrow.

 

[bigwave]

I would bet that the bottom is glued or 5200 to prevent rot.......can the inside skin be removed or is it welded to the knee brace? Get a big hammer.....j/k :lol: I guess you could chisel it out little by little......what about that drain plug, could that be the only think holding it in? Does the wood go all the way down to the inner hull? If that inside skin has rivets, drill those suckers out and take that inside skin off to expose the wood......then get a hammer and chisel to it.

 

[Pweisbrod]

UGH! I wish I never would have started this project! Bigwave I think you're right. I put two big 7/16 lag eye bolts in it today from the top and put the hoist on it, friend in the back of the boat jumping and me pushing down on it, just rips them out. There HAS To be some sort of diabolical glue or something in there. Looks like I have to remove the rear "pods" after all. Mother F'r. I know there are no bolts holding it in place anymore.

Any tinboat bucateers want to come to my house saturday in MN and help out? Will provide brats and I'll even let you keep the old transom wood. LOL Airfare not provided!

 

[Pweisbrod]

Ps, wood only goes halfway down or so. The first line of solid rivets is UNDERNEAT where the transom wood ends. The transom is encased on all three sides with alum, and the solid rivets hold the underside of the "box" of aluminum in place. I would really like to avoid replacing those If I can.

 

[TheMaestro]

Can u post some pics of the transom from the inside of the boat? Now I am curious as whats holding it there!

 

[TheMaestro]

Ok, let me brainstorm some thoughts here.. I keep coming back to the drain plug..i know you said the bottom of the wood ends before the bottom of the boat, but how do you know that? Can you see the bottom edge of the wood? If you can, can you pry it up at all? If you CANT see the bottom edge, then how do u know it doesnt extend further down.. In which case i return to that white pipe drain i see in the pics. I guess what im saying is can you actually see the bottom end or are you assuming it ends just past the aluminum?
If i lived close to you id be there in a flash..this sort of problem solving i like because you learn alot from it....even though when you are in the middle of it it is a huge PITA!

 

[TheMaestro]

I did some searching on the internet about mr pike boats circa 1978 and I found two referneces saying that the livewell drain in the back is a thru hull fitting and has to be removed for replacing transom....

 

[Pweisbrod]

I'll take some pics. I don't think so (I can see the bottom of the ply on the sides when looking down with a flashlight) I can also see the bottom of the "box" that the plywood is incased in. I'll take a closer look with the camera tomorrow and post up some better pictures.

where did you find those threads? I couldn't find hardly anything about these boats in particular!

 

[TheMaestro]

I googled transom removal problems, which lead to a link on iboats, which lead to a link about livewell drains, which lead to a link about installing new shutoff valves on livelwell drains, which lead to a post about a mr pike livewell drain that had to be removed to remove a transom, which lead to some more discussion and another mention of lund thru-transom livewell drains .......PHEW!!

 

[TheMaestro]

Can u put a straightened coat hanger with a little 'L' on the end all the way down the side anduse the L to poke sideways under the bottom to see if you can feel adhesive or anything to suggest glue?

 

[nccatfisher]

Just as a last ditch effort you can go to a home supply or plumbing/electrical supply and get a long (as in depth of the transom) wood bit (auger type) and start drilling down through the transom and break it up. It will be painstaking blister making work and you will have to be careful not to let it grab and pop a hole in the outer skin or bottom but it is the only way to shred the transom.

You can go with a 3/4 or 1" bit and cut the transom in about 6" sections to start and then maybe see how large you can cut at a time and remove.

I would remove that transducer bracket and through hull fitting first just for craps and giggles and see if that freed it up though.

 

[Jonboat Jerry]

Just as a last ditch effort you can go to a home supply or plumbing/electrical supply and get a long (as in depth of the transom) wood bit (auger type) and start drilling down through the transom and break it up. It will be painstaking blister making work and you will have to be careful not to let it grab and pop a hole in the outer skin or bottom but it is the only way to shred the transom.
You can go with a 3/4 or 1" bit and cut the transom in about 6" sections to start and then maybe see how large you can cut at a time and remove.

+2....Seeing the voids in the transom sugests it's not marine plywood in the first place. Place a piece of tape
on the drill bit to mark the depth of the hole so you don't drill too deep and start on the side away from the
suspect through hull about an inch in from the end. Once the hole is drilled, take a tire iron, place it in the hole and pry the end off working down to the bottom. By the time you get to the end with the through hull, you should have a better idea where the problem is. let us know how it's going and Keep Hacking Jerry

 

[Pweisbrod]

Through hull livewell pickup hole. There is no plywood here. Myth busted. No need to remove tube to do transom.

Pic from inside of transom. Wood "cradle" or "casing" stops right around halfway down. It's just alum. hull from there down.

Sounds like it might have swollen in the "pocket" after it got wet. Reports of some people being unable to get it from bottom. I might have to pop the rivets off the bottom to make room for the ply to be pulled upwards. I think I am going to pull the side "pods" tomorrow, and we'll see what we can see. I will start cutting rivets in short order if there are no fasteners to be found, which I highly doubt there are.

I sent Lund an email two days ago, no response.

 

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Pweisbrod, are you sure the transom is bad? Maybe it's beyond salvaging now? What are you calling "pods"? I was out looking at mine tonight trying to figure out your problem. I'm running wire tomorrow, so I'll see what I can. Ed

 

[TheMaestro]

Im bummed it wasnt as easy as the hull fitting.. The soaked plywood is very plausible. I found another thread in another forum again, someone else also trying to replace the slip in transom wood. I pm'd you the link because it is from another forum, and im not sure it would be good etiquette to post it here..

 

[Pweisbrod]

Transom core is out! =D> =D> =D>

there was "mushroom" end of a pop rivet in the swollen wood at the bottom. There were four other pop rivets I drilled out for good measure, because I was tired of honking around with this thing! Pics to come, in my build thread! ALso, there was glue on the bottom as well, but once the pop rivets were out, it came out in a few minutes with the hoist.


New transom is cut out and glue is curing now. HOORAY