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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:11 pm 
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Location: Delnor Wiggins, Fl Peters Twp PA
I finally got around to my AKA Spring Hook replacement today on our TI after receiving the free parts back in November. (Thanks, Hobie)

ARGH. I didn't even finish step 1 before a problem set in. The SS screws securing the Lock Bearings on the rear aka arms came off relatively easily but the SS screw heads twisted off 7 of the 8 screws on the front arms - despite having applied a liberal amount of PBlaster and some vibration!! Turns out that the combination of salt water, the SS screws and the beautifully cast plastic fitting have welded into a monolithic structure.

I figured that this would NOT be a big deal. Go get a screw extractor, some drill bits and pull those puppies out. NA AH. Turns out that the smallest extractor that I could find, a #1, is just about the same size as the 6/32 screws.

Back to Home Depot, get some (small) dremel cutting tools to carve a slot, hammer a screw driver blade into that slot and then turn the screw points out. HAHAHAHAHA. Snap! Snap! Two blades gone. I can hear those stubborn screw points laughing at me.

It appears that my choices now are, 1) drill the entire points out, but ruin the threads in the casting, tap new threads for larger screws and then attach the new Lock Bearings, or 2) avoid the entire mess and just glue the new Lock Bearings onto the Crossbar Casting.

I have to say that after a nice kip, I'm leaning toward solution #2. Not sure if any adhesive can be trusted with the task, however. (5200??)

Thoughts??


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:51 pm 
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Location: North carolina
Thanks for sharing.

Do you think theres a chance this experience of yours could also happen to new Island owners?
I got the free update to be installed in a 2017 model that is never used on water yet as its still cold here.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:23 pm 
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Location: Delnor Wiggins, Fl Peters Twp PA
My best guess is that the salt water exposure over 3 years of regular use is the cause here. I've replaced dozens of SS bolts and screws on my hakas and have experienced screw heads coming off them in transit. The hakas are wood, however, so removing the separated shafts was relatively easy.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:14 pm 
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Location: Brisbane Australia
Had exactly the same problem. For those of you planning to use the spring hook replacement kit, here is a tip. Don't replace the lock bearings. The new lock bearings are exactly the same as the old ones. All you need to do is replace the spring hooks.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:35 am 
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Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Sorry you had that problem with the aka upgrade Bob. Why don't you call someone at Hobie. Surely they have experienced this problem at one time or another and maybe they'll have a tip to solve that problem. I don't feel good about your choice#2 with glue.

My 2017 TI upgraded easily but it was newer and didn't have the corrosion.

Jim


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:36 am 
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Hogman, did you have to re-tap the drilled screw holes?


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:41 am 
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Hey Jim!

Yea, the more I chewed on it last night the more I wondered about the glue-only solution. Might be headed to Harbor Freight today for a tap and die set.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:52 am 
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Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Look around for a small tap and die set Bob. I just noticed online they sell mini taps. Probably are more out there the exact size you need. This was the first thing I googled.
https://www.esslinger.com/tap-and-die-w ... QQEALw_wcB

Jim
Hopefully you're getting your boat ready for our Everglades camping trip next week !


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:29 am 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Yea 6/32 is the weakest screw out there, ( pretty common issue).
If it was me I would do my best to remove the old screws, then I would re-tap to 8-32 screws, (I haven’t looked at it, and don’t know if it’s possible), but that’s likely how I would approach it. Not sure about the glue idea...
FE


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:06 am 
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Quote:
The new lock bearings are exactly the same as the old ones.


The are not the same. The hook surface is angled to hold the hook better. I have no great answers about screw removal except that some have done this with heat I believe.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:28 pm 
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Location: Brisbane Australia
BobAgain wrote:
Hogman, did you have to re-tap the drilled screw holes?


Yes I had to re-tap and use larger screws.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:25 pm 
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mmiller wrote:
Quote:
The new lock bearings are exactly the same as the old ones.


The are not the same. The hook surface is angled to hold the hook better. I have no great answers about screw removal except that some have done this with heat I believe.


Apologies. Didn't notice the difference.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:27 pm 
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BobAgain wrote:
Hogman, did you have to re-tap the drilled screw holes?


Re-tapped the ones I could. Second photo shows my solution for the ones I could not fix.


Image
Image

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 2:58 am 
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Just finished the upgrade on my 2011 Tandem Islander.
Removing the AKA knuckle lock plates can be difficult and result in broken screws, here is how I got mine out.
All mine were seized, this method removed them with no sheared heads or damaged threads.
First you remove the plastic lock plates with a pair of side cutters and pliers, they break off fairly easily.
Next, using a heat gun, heat each screw head in turn. They need to be really hot, I measured the temp using a laser thermometer and got a max reading of 350 degrees C. Takes up to a minute with the heat gun 2 cm from the screw head to get them this hot.
Now while hot, use a screwdriver to wiggle the head back and forth, shouldn't take much effort to remove them, if the screw is still tight, heat it more. My screws took on a brown tinge when they got hot enough. You won't damage the metal parts with the heat gun, it isn't hot enough for that.
I applied grease to the threads when the screws went back in to help stop corrosion.
Having a 6-32 UNC tap to clean the threads out helps when reinstalling the screws.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:32 pm 
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Location: Delnor Wiggins, Fl Peters Twp PA
Ahhh! Great move, Airsails! I would suggest to anyone else about to do this change to follow your procedure. The old pieces are garbage anyway..just cut em off.

Thanks!!


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