ADA girdle stud broke

yamanube

This Is The Way
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Location
Mandalor
I installed an ADA girdled head on a ski about 13 months ago. He put a ton of fuel through it last season and just texted me today with these pics. Studs where torqued to 30 ft/lbs. Does ADA have any sort of warranty, does anybody sell just one stud assembly?

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ADA assembly instructions specify the use of anti-seize and a maximum fastening torque of 23 ft lbs. As you've admitted exceeding the fastening torque by approximately 30% it's probably unreasonable to consider it a warranty issue.

Do you have a decent-sized fastener supplier in your location? I'd think you'd stand a good chance of obtaining one for not much coin. My local supplier has fixed me up 90% of the time with only the weirder fittings being an issue (like the long Yamaha pump bolts).

Failing that, I'd contact ADA direct and see if they offer spares support. Might be an idea to get at least a couple along with with nuts to suit. Always nice to know you've got spares on hand in case another one goes...
 
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JetManiac

Stoked
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orlando
Did it break when trying to remove it or just fell off? It is surprising that it is so rusty especially for freshwater use (Correct?). The acorns and studs on my surf ski have no corrosion at all after several years of saltwater use. (Marine grease on threads and spray corrosion X monthly.)

The 30ft lbs. is not a problem at all, it is our recommended torque. We have torqued many, many and never seen a failure like that before. We have the replacement studs and acorn nuts in stock.
 

yamanube

This Is The Way
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Location
Mandalor
All freshwater, just fell off the owner said, he found it rolling around in the hull. I went through and re-torqued the rest and put a stock cylinder screw in its place temporarily. The broken stud was finger tight in the cases.
 
I note you mentioned the stud was finger tight in the cases. It's possible the stud had backed out sufficiently to allow a miniscule gap to form between the head and the nut. Resonance from engine operation would possibly allow the stud to fracture just below the nut and allow the corrosion to form over an extended period.

It was probably that or the cat.
 
I think the end of the thread is sticking out to far and you might be pre-cracking them with that acorn nut .....

Maybe u should utilize open / normal _ nuts

We tighten ours to 35 and never had any problems
 

yamanube

This Is The Way
Staff member
Location
Mandalor
I think the end of the thread is sticking out to far and you might be pre-cracking them with that acorn nut .....

Maybe u should utilize open / normal _ nuts

We tighten ours to 35 and never had any problems
I looked into this further and as far as I can tell there is still room in the nut for the stud to thread in to. Tried calling ADA a few times to pick their brain but no one picked up.
 

JetManiac

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orlando
I looked into this further and as far as I can tell there is still room in the nut for the stud to thread in to. Tried calling ADA a few times to pick their brain but no one picked up.

The end of the stud with the longer threaded section goes down into the cases, the shorter section goes up.

In all of our years selling hundreds of ADA heads, never seen a broken stud before your first one. Seen plenty of dry installed nuts seized to stud, but not broken studs. Very odd for you to have 2 different ones on the same head and motor.
 

yamanube

This Is The Way
Staff member
Location
Mandalor
The end of the stud with the longer threaded section goes down into the cases, the shorter section goes up.

In all of our years selling hundreds of ADA heads, never seen a broken stud before your first one. Seen plenty of dry installed nuts seized to stud, but not broken studs. Very odd for you to have 2 different ones on the same head and motor.
Yes, that is how they are installed. I haven't installed a lot of ADA heads, but definitely a handful, never had an issue before this.
 
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