Have your chromed Malibu "Bling" emblems fallen off the screws???

[rustie]

Got a different problem with my '06 247 LSV. The long, chromed emblems with the LED lighting behind them that are in both black plastic side covers just above the cup holders was factory attached in the woods by squirrels.....

Seems that Malibu was only gluing these long/heavy emblems onto the heads of a couple bolts...and then these glued fasteners were obviously assembled prior to installing the cup holder/seat assembly. Needless to say, over time all their glue failed, and both pieces of bling have fallen down into the cup holders.

There is really no way to get your hands up on the backside of the plastic side covers to remove the nuts, so my dealer is simply re-attaching the emblems with JB Weld (not my fav epoxy) to the heads of the existing bolts.

I'm shocked that Malibu did not spot weld, or at least braze (or even high strength, low temp silver solder) the heads of the bolts to the inside of these emblems!

Obviously, not too happy with the repair method, but there doesn't seem to be many other choices. Did Malibu ever come up with a superior method of bolt attachment rather than glue/epoxy???

Only other option I can think of that won't require access to the back side of the plastic for attachment, are some very special "clamp type" captured nuts from McMaster Carr Supply. I could dremel around the old bolts/nuts to remove them, then enlarge those holes to the square holes required for these specialty nuts...then braze on some small "U" shaped straps to the backside of the emblems, with some captured bolts in the same spot as the originals. That would then allow me to thread two nuts on the loose bolt....spin the bolt into the "clamp nuts", run one loose nut towards the clamp nuts to lock the bolt in place (making the bolt rigid), and then spin the second nut outward towards the "U" strap to lock the head of the captured bolt to the brazed on (or soldered) strap. This way, all tightening could be done OUTSIDE and INDEPENDENT OF the inside plastic side/seat covers. You would just need some thin, long open end wrenches to tighten up all the nuts....finally ending up with a rigid bling emblem.

Anybody have another idea....or a better permanent fix from Malibu other than re-gluing (SIC) the emblem back on the bolt heads???

Edited April 23, 2009 by rustie

[skicrave]

This was a problem with some '06 boats (could have been due to any number of factors). With the correct adhesive, you won't have any problems, so let your dealer fix it and be done with it.

I agree, they should have welded a stud onto the back, but that would have complicated the assembly.

[rustie]

This was a problem with some '06 boats (could have been due to any number of factors). With the correct adhesive, you won't have any problems, so let your dealer fix it and be done with it.

I agree, they should have welded a stud onto the back, but that would have complicated the assembly.

Well, the problem remains that since the glue did fail, allowing the emblems to fall into the cup holders...it will certainly happen again.

The only production complication I could see for doing this the correct way, would have been to chrome the emblems AFTER welding the bolts on. As it is now, it seems to me to have been a total cluster f**k after thought. The boat only has 40 hours on it, and in that short period of operation, the "glue" easily failed. They will certainly fail again within 40 hours.

Outside of my complex thoughts for repair, anybody know of a "permanent fix" from Malibu on these bling items? .....and I know it can't be more glue....or JB Weld :-O

[skicrave]

The permanent fix is to use the correct adhesive, like I said above. Malibu was using the wrong adhesive for the side "Bling" emblems as well as a few other places on the boat. Switching to a two part epoxy formulated for bonding metal fixes the problem completely.

The issue with complicating production is that the location of those emblems is dependent upon a multitude of factors, none of which are particularly precise. So the fix would involve completely revamping the way the side panel of the boat is put together, and that's a bit excessive for a problem that essentially doesn't exist outside of a very small population.

[kb3]

one of my emblems fell off before the boat left the dealer when it was new. They reattached it and I have not had a problem with either of them since then. I pull the boat over some very rough roads and all is well.

[water_junky]

On my 09 VLX they are screwed on through the front, there is a small chrome screw on each end. They must have given up on the glue.

Terry

[rustie]

On my 09 VLX they are screwed on through the front, there is a small chrome screw on each end. They must have given up on the glue.

Yep...saw that on a new VLX. Just saw the the larger emblems on an '07 247 LSV. The length of the emblems is the same as on my '06....and they are STILL glued.

I'm considering removing mine and brazing the bolts in place, then have the emblems re-chromed...the way it should have been done in the FIRST PLACE....ya think???

Edited April 24, 2009 by rustie

[usthodav]

I resolved this using Bakes online Malibu Boats Wakesetter Bling 9.25 Inch Stainless Steel.  Looks great, ill try to post a picture link later. 

https://www.bakesonline.com/malibu-boats-wakesetter-bling-925-inch-stainless-steel.html