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My wedge is missing a bolt!


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I got out to wakeboard behind my boat yesterday. Man that felt good. The Malibu wake is superior in so many ways to my previous boat (X45).

Anyway, I was roaming around checking stuff out and noticed that there are 2 main bolts that support the wedge, and I am missing a nut on one side. I would like to get a new one on there ASAP. The opposite one looks a little corroded as well, and I might as well replace both.

2 questions for the forum: Is that weird to be missing a nut like that?

Does anyone know the specs on the bolt, or am I going to have to remove other side to get it matched up at my local nut and bolt shop? Is it simple stainless steel, or hardened steel, and the thread type, it appears to be a smaller thread. Should it be a lock nut instead? Any information is appreciated.

post-13782-046726700 1304612897_thumb.jp

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Just got off the phone with the dealership. They aren't sure what size bolts that they are, but said that it should be a nylock nut. They just recommended the obvious, pop the bolt out and take it to the local nut and bolt gurus, get some stainless bolts and a nylock nut to replace it with.

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This is an off the shelf item at a bolt shop, no big deal. Try places like grainger, fastenal or a local bolt shop. Take the bolt with you when you go looking. Replace with ss lock nut and fender washer. Keep in mind you do not want to tighten it. Just snug it up. The wedge has to be able to go up and down.

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You could get incredibly lucky and find a nut and washer at Lowes or Home Depot. I have seen nylock nuts at HD, but I do not remember if they were stainless.

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Replace with ss lock nut and fender washer.

Do not put a stainless nut on a stainless bolt. It could gall.

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Do not put a stainless nut on a stainless bolt. It could gall.

Isn't galling more likely when the metals are dissimilar? But I am sure that my shaft is stainless steel and my prop nut is brass....so maybe I need galling 101 again.

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martinarcher

Yeah, I'd use a stainless bolt and nut, but be sure to use a bit of synthetic grease or anti-seize when putting it together. Thumbup.gif

My wedge is held on with stainless bolts and stainless lock nuts, but when I put it on every spring it gets the synthetic grease treatment.

Edited by martinarcher
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Yeah, I'd use a stainless bolt and nut, but be sure to use a bit of synthetic grease or anti-seize when putting it together. Thumbup.gif

My wedge is held on with stainless bolts and stainless lock nuts, but when I put it on every spring it gets the synthetic grease treatment.

You take the wedge off in the winter...is that some sort of winterization procedure that I should be aware of?

I discovered the bolt is a 1.5 inch long 1/2 inch fine thread stainless bolt. My local Fastenal did not have the bolt, but did have a non-stainless fine threaded nut. Their anti seize came in gigantic size for $40. They did not have any small size.

My local Lowe's had the identical bolt and stainless nylock nut. Lowe's to the rescue! They did not have any antiseize, and the helper tried to tell me to use loctite. I did not think that sounds proper. So one more place to go to dig up some antiseize...I think maybe autozone?

Maybe for fun, I will put the stainless nut on one side and the non-stainless on the other...then observe for any signs of problems...to be honest, I doubt it will make any difference, if I use the proper antiseize. It is noted that we have varying opinions above.

Important to note that the wedge bracket is also threaded, so my bolt was still tight and it would have taken about 30 complete revolutions of that bolt to have it fall out. It may have been that way for a very long time.

Edited by TallRedRider
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  • 1 month later...

Here is a pic to see how my new nut was holding up. Guess it wasn't stainless after all.

Never trust what the hardware store guys tell you. Glad I didn't wait a year or two to check on things. Can't imagine the future of that nut with the sort of rust that was on it already.

BTW, if I put my wedge 100% up, the black crossbar where the rams mount puts itself right in front of the drain plug, and I cannot get it out. So now I am in the habit of putting the wedge down a hair once I get it on the ramp so that I know I can get the plug out. Is that weird?

post-13782-010014900 1309374646_thumb.jp

Edited by TallRedRider
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Here is a pic to see how my new nut was holding up. Guess it wasn't stainless after all.

Never trust what the hardware store guys tell you. Glad I didn't wait a year or two to check on things. Can't imagine the future of that nut with the sort of rust that was on it already.

BTW, if I put my wedge 100% up, the black crossbar where the rams mount puts itself right in front of the drain plug, and I cannot get it out. So now I am in the habit of putting the wedge down a hair once I get it on the ramp so that I know I can get the plug out. Is that weird?

No not at all. I do it when I'm going to change the oil because I can't get the oil drain hose out the hole if I don't. I don't have a problem with the drain plug though.

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  • 11 years later...

Hello,

I'm digging out this old post but I need to replace the nuts that hold the foil part of the wedge and the boat is in the water currently so it's difficult to measure the dimensions.
Do any of you know the dimensions and material of these nuts (stainless steel or brass)?
They're the ones at the end of the screw that serves as the axis of rotation for the moving part of the wedge. These are nylock-type nuts.

693119466_crackedwedge.jpg.3e61babc5d4fc

With a picture found on the forum (so it's not my wedge that has the crack like on the picture... ;))

My boat is a 2011 wakestter with the power wedge.
Thanks for your help.

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