Replacing bulls eye on traveler

[Ralph Masters]

Last week I replaced the double bulls eye on the port side of the traveler to a triple.
One word of advice to anyone thinking of doing this, DON'T. It'd be easier to buy a new boat with triples already installed then replace that thing.   

Ralph

[Jon W]

I was thinking about doing the same thing. How did you do it and why was it so difficult? Jon W.

[Noah]

I did it and it was easy... Go figure?! I bought 3 fairlead replacement from Grahauer.

[Ralph Masters]

John,
After soaking in PB Blaster 3 or 4 days the screw would not move. Had to drill off the head then try to drill out the screw, using a combination of drilling and beating on it with a hammer and pin punch. I at last got the old screw out and was able to install the new.  3 hours of back breaking work.  Have not, will not do the starboard side.

Ralph

[Craig Illman]

I assumed that after twenty-five years I would need to drill the head off the screw. Once that was done, I didn't have an issue with it dropping out of the traveler.

Craig

[Field Day Skipper]

Getting any of the 8 screws out of the traveler (not counting the two through bolt upgrades) is my current hassle. Plan A is simply to access the bullseyes. After 2 weeks of soaking with Superzilla, one screw will turn. But it's not one I particularly want to remove. After washing, I will soak with PB Blaster. But I expect I will have to use the impact drill.

Question: Can anyone tell me how likely the impact drill is to damage enough of the threads that I will be better off replacing the control cars? Rather than replacing the control cars, I would install a whole new traveler from Garhauer.