Re: OMC Transom Screw Plate Retainers removal

[chinewalker]

If I have time, I’ve taken to just backing out the handle until the retainer pops off. I then grind the nub on the thumbscrew flush. Then, I drill and tap a hole for a 1/4-20 bolt, usually 1-inch long. When I tap the hole, I stop short of bottoming out, enough that when the bolt is threaded into the hole, it hits the less-tapped area of the tap’s taper, which helps lock it into place. A drop or two of thread-locker works, too. Depending on the cup used, I’ve ground the bolt head a bit to clear the recess so the head doesn’t dig into the transom. Leave the bolt so that it doesn’t tighten up against the cup – you want the cup free to rotate, but not too loose.