SwampYankee
Member
So, I’m in the process of restoring a 67 12’ crestliner utility and a johnson 3hp of the same year. Does anyone have an easy but reliable fix for some loose screws on the bow and corner braces?
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Screw holes for corner braces
- Thread starter SwampYankee
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Frankenfish
Well-known member
Tighten them?
Could probably use some more details on what is going on with the screws and braces to give you the most help. Could you replace them with stainless bolts of a larger size if the holes are now too big for the existing hardware? I just replaced the bolts on my corner braces and it was no big deal, but they were rusty, not loose.
Could probably use some more details on what is going on with the screws and braces to give you the most help. Could you replace them with stainless bolts of a larger size if the holes are now too big for the existing hardware? I just replaced the bolts on my corner braces and it was no big deal, but they were rusty, not loose.
Best is to through-bolt them using Stainless Steel (SS) hardware with nylon washers under the bolt heads and Nylok nuts, where up against the tin. Done once ... done right, will never loosen.
SwampYankee
Member
Got side tracked working on the outboard, the screws go into a tubular cap rail, so I don’t have access to put nut on the back. I will have to try the next size up I guess.
RaisedByWolves
Well-known member
I made threaded plates to go inside the tubular rails for my boat.
Takes some measuring and finesse, but they worked out really well.
Takes some measuring and finesse, but they worked out really well.
SwampYankee
Member
I suppose I could stuff a piece of engineered wood in there, maybe I’ll try rivets.
Frankenfish
Well-known member
If they're blind and you're unable to get a back on it, here are some ideas. Note these are just ideas and I'm not 100% on the viability of these solutions.
Would it be possible to replace with just bigger size screws?
I like the idea of rivets if that is a solution.
Could you drill them out a bit bigger and pop in a rivet nut? Then use a stainless bolt as your fastener into the newly threaded hole?
Could you fill the old hole with epoxy or maybe even a 2-part epoxy putty and drill/tap to accept the current hardware?
On my bow cap, I had a couple blind screws in the square tube aluminum gunwales. I just went ahead and drilled it on through the whole way and bought a long enough bolt. That way I had access to put nut and washer on the end.
Would it be possible to replace with just bigger size screws?
I like the idea of rivets if that is a solution.
Could you drill them out a bit bigger and pop in a rivet nut? Then use a stainless bolt as your fastener into the newly threaded hole?
Could you fill the old hole with epoxy or maybe even a 2-part epoxy putty and drill/tap to accept the current hardware?
On my bow cap, I had a couple blind screws in the square tube aluminum gunwales. I just went ahead and drilled it on through the whole way and bought a long enough bolt. That way I had access to put nut and washer on the end.
