[JimF]

My shaft coupler has no discernible bolt heads, and appears to be pretty well rusted onto the part it bolts onto(I don't know what to call that). I may have to cut it off the shaft and this no name part. It appears that the no-name part can't be removed without first removing the coupler, so that is out unles someone can tell me a way to do it. Transmission is direct drive (I think).

The boat goes on the hard this week so it is time to start, plan is to first cut off what left of the bolt heads and then try to drill the bolts out with left handed drill bits. followed by easy out bits to remove whats left out. I need to do this because the coupler is disintegrating and my Ranger 29 has so little room between the coupler and the stuffing box that I can't change the shaft packing without removing the coupler. Changing the packing is long overdue.

I am looking for advice I guess on how easy it is or isn't to replace this no-name piece that the shaft coupler bolts onto (3 bolts), if it turns out I need to do that, and also advice on drilling out bolts this rusty.



Thanks