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Replacing the rub rail


cbmalibu98

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Thinking of a few things I want to get done this winter."I know that WINTER is a bad word" but has anyone replaced the rub rail on their boat. Thinking about taking this on. I tried to search the site but I could not find anything. Any advise would be apreciated.

Thanks

CB

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I need to do this too, curious to hear the solution. From past threads it's been a huge PITA getting the parts. I'm thinking of just getting the channel and insert online from company X.

My kids are pointing out the rub rail damage to me. It's time.

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I had my dealer do it over the winter and it was not as expensive as I thought. You may look into that - I think they charged me two hours of labor whichwas well worth it in my opionion. It ie easily a two man job and you will need a heat gun.

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jkendallmsce

Had mine done on my 1990 skier a few years back. The rub rail on it had to be heated and bent ...not something I wanted to do...and I do all the work on my boat...FOrget the price, but is was not that bad.

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I had to do this back in the day to my college boat. If 4 half drunk college kids can do it you certainly can. I did it on a 2005 response which made it easier because it had a plastic insert.

There is should be a plate that hides the two ends on the transom of the boat. Remove that and then you can expose the ends and remove the insert.

We pulled the old one off and then filled all the old rivits with a waterproof caulk. Then its just a matter of lining up the new one. It helps to have a couple people to help you. Drill and rivot it. The corners are a bit difficult because you have to heat it up enough for it to bend it around but not so much that it looses its shape. It took us about 3 hours and it cost $170 to do.

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Bakes Marine can order the rub rails directly from Malibu. Call Andrew and if he can't get the exact part number he will get you a match. That's what he did for me.

I just replaced my rub rail right before this summer. It is at least a two man job. My buddy and i started the job, but realized it would be much easier with a couple extra hands so for me it took 4 of us about six hours to complete the job. That was just the installation. I had already removed the old rub rail. Keep in mind, none of us had ever done this before so there was definitely a learning curve. If i ever have to do that job again i'm sure i could shave an hour or two off.

Tools and materials:

Drill

3/16" bit

3/16" x 1/2" rivets ( I used 175 of em')

Rivet Gun

Heat gun

Rubber mallet

3M 5200 Marine Sealant

Caulking Gun

Bucket of water and sponge for cleanup

Blue Painters tape

DAY 1

I removed the old rub rail by drilling the rivets. Once it was off and all the rivets were out i filled all of the old rivet holes with 3M 5200 marine sealant. Then i made a marking in between each hole right above the rub rail line. I used painters tape so i could remove it easily. This step probably isn't necessary, but it made it easy for me to know that i wasn't going to drill into an existing hole.

DAY2

I called all the help i could find. It turned out to be three others and me. I would have two guys hold the rub rail out (one in the middle and one at the end of it) to keep it straight and off of the ground. Then another buddy would hold the rub rail in place right where i was working and also pass tools to me. I would first drill a hole through the rub rail and fiberglass at once, then fill that hole with 5200 sealant, and then pop a rivet in the hole with sealant. After 175ish times of repeating this process and using a hand pump rivet gun, my hands and forearms were burning!

We made a center mark on the rub rail with some blue tape started at the nose of the boat and worked down one side. Once we got to the back corner we went back to the nose and busted out the heat gun. Slowly, but surely we bent the rub rail base around the nose and then worked down the other side. Don't get the heat gun too close, it will melt the rub rail. :biggrin:

Once you bend the two back corners and get to the center of the transom make sure you cut the rub rail a tad long and snap it into place.

As for the rub rail insert, we used the rubber mallet and heat gun to get it to snap into the base and it is a snug fit. Just be careful not to go crazy with the mallet... be gentle.

Hope this helps. It was not a fun job, but a great learning experience and it looks so nice and clean now. :clap:

Edited by james11music
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I thought I would run by our local delership today and see how much it would cost to have them install the rub rail. They did not really want to do it, They said the sharp corners on the older boats make this boat a bit more that they wanted. They are really good dealership and are alwayse honest in what they are good at and things that they are not. They did say that they thought the rub rail material would be about $200.00 and about the same to have a local marine repair shop put it on.

CB

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James,

Thanks for the detailed outline, it kind of goes with what my local dealer said about doing it myself. Sure makes that $200.00 to have it done look mighty good.

Cb

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James,

Thanks for the detailed outline, it kind of goes with what my local dealer said about doing it myself. Sure makes that $200.00 to have it done look mighty good.

Cb

No problem. $200 for labor is a good deal and if you have the extra money to spend than it would definitely be worth it. I was quoted about $250 in labor if i chose to take it to a local shop.

I think my base was $170.00 and the insert was $100.00. After everything, it probably cost me $300 to do it myself. You can plan on spending about $500 to have the shop do it. Materials and Labor.

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Could always leave the channel and just replace the rub rail itself...I did this on my 99 VLX,

:plus1: for Bakes!

You didn't attach the rub rail insert?

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srintx,

where did you get the replacement insert? Cost? How difficult Was it?

Bakes Online is where I bought the insert...most of the time the insert is all that needs to be replaced as it sticks out farther. Changing out the whole channel would be beyond my skill level, not to mention mine did not need it.

It was fairly easy to change out. You need to ensure that you have a warm day out so that the new rail can stay pliable, if not, it will be very hard to get it in the channel.

Keep the boat in the sun as well, it aids in the removal of the insert. At the back of the boat in the center of the transom you will find a Malibu cover that hides the seam of the rail. Remove that cover and slowly begin to pull the old insert out. Now that you have it out and the new one hot from sitting in the sun, start installing the new one where you started removing the old one. You will need a rubber mallet and a flat head screw driver and cloth. Start working the insert into the channel, it really doesn't matter if you put the top or bottom in first as it will all go into place. Use the mallet to seat it into the channel and the flat head to make adjustment with the cloth on the end to keep from scaring it.

Going around the nose of the boat is the hardest part. Once you get back to where you started cut the excess insert and your done.

To clean you can take some acetone or 303 and wipe it all down...

I think it cost me about $200, can't remember.

Edited by srintx
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