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Tower question G3


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Any of you 2014 owners have issues with getting the bolts or knobs to screw in or out of the tower to keep it up right? To the point I couldn't even get the bolt back in

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Edited by wakebrdr94
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Is the gap between the tower and base feet the same for both sides. I had to replace one of the 1/2" x 2-1/2' x 20 tpi heim joints (don't ask) and if the gap wasn't the same it was a PITA to get the knobs to screw in until I adjusted the gaps equally.

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I think it's the threading in tower itself. I got the tower down and tried to thread the bolt it and it wouldn't go back. I didn't take delivery. Wonder how their going to fix that?

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Try wedging a 2x4 under the front bar or having someone put upward pressure on the tower while you install the knobs, this might help you out. I cut a 2x4 to keep upward pressure on the tower, this also seems to help keep the bolts tight and not coming loose once you tighten them down.

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I didn't have this issue on the last boat. It has to be the thread, even when the tower was down, I couldn't screw the bolt in. I wasn't going to take delivery and it never get fixed. I know the dealer will take care of it, I'm just curious if they can rethread?

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My 2012 was like this. I just chased and cleaned the threads with WD-40 really well. I have not had a problem since. My tower goes up and down every time we come home from the lake. Probably 3-4 times a week.

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Don't force it and I would suggest screw it in a little, bring it out to pull out debris and go progressively farther on each pass until it hits bottom. I am OCD so I would shop vac the hole out as well.

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Thinking the same thing.... I can chase a shot, use a beer chaser... But Chase the threads??

Sorry guys! I guess that's my past coming out. It is a well used term in many industries.

Edited by Malibuzer
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Dave, I would just let your dealer handle this, last thing you want is to damage some threads.... let them deal with it, its a brand new boat.

I agree, with tower up, take a mirror and a light, look up the hole where the tower hold up bolt goes. the threaded upper hole should align with the lower clearance slotted hole. If not, the tower heim joint may need to be shimmed out, or adjusted in or out. you can also loosen 3 tower base mounting bolts, but this will not get you much, so most likely the tower base would have to be removed from boat. tower mounting holes opened up and top deck. And re-mounted to correct alignment. AKA take it to the dealer for warranty...

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  • 7 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

F#$* this malibu. I hate it. Can I return a malibu that I've owned for 2 weeks and never used?

You want to return it because you can't figure out how to put a bolt in? Take a deep breath, fold the tower down and try just threading the knob into the tower, forget about going through the base. If it won't work then try the other knob. If neither wants to go in then go to the hardware store, get a tap and chase the threads with it carefully.

  • Like 2
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You want to return it because you can't figure out how to put a bolt in? Take a deep breath, fold the tower down and try just threading the knob into the tower, forget about going through the base. If it won't work then try the other knob. If neither wants to go in then go to the hardware store, get a tap and chase the threads with it carefully.

i know I probably sound like a child throwing a tantrum, but the amount of things already fixed on this 'brand new' bu and the amount I found today after giving up on the tower is pitiful. I expect quality and never had to call my dealer once in 5 years with my last malibu, but I already have a long long list for this one. if this was the first issue, I'd have patience to handle it, but I am out of that. My dealer is great, malibu dropped the ball, but that's what happens when companies go public and production speeds up.

so for issue #21: tower bolt: When attempting to drop the tower, I turned the knob and the knob came off, bolt still in the tower. I got my allen set and removed it, with serious elbow grease, almost broke my allen wrench. Do they use air drills to assemble these? Then I put the tower down, that bolt would not go in on either side. The good bolt/knob combo would go in on either side while down. Dealer quickly sent me a new knob/bolt combo. Thank you. It would go in either side with tower down, but was rough on the bad side. I did it several times, lazy attempt at fixing the threads. Put tower up, it will not go in, it makes it 1, maybe 2 threads in. I did not force it. I delicately tried 20 more approaches at different angles, all same results. put tower down, the first 3 or 4 threads inside the tower are gone, just a blur of smashed metal threads. hurray. 99% confident the base of the tower is not allowing the bolt to enter at the right angle and if you try to screw it in, the threads strip. Before Malibu mounts the towers to the hull they should have a 1/8 thick cylinder of soft rubber around the bolt (between it and the base) so the tower can't be put on crooked and the angle of entry can't be ruined when mounting. $0.01 part, problem solved.

It's weird that the base of my tower looks like it was drilled 2-3 times to get the proper alignment with the top, yet it still is off.

but hey, I probably just can't figure out how to put a bolt in. forget that I had the highest scores in ASE certification my year, which I did for fun at night, while having a full time engineering career. 2 boats, 5 cars, I've never once made a warranty claim. Then this malibu happened, holy hell! How high was the quality control personnel?

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upon further inspection, I have a theory...

tower was mounted with bolt/knobs in place, but base's were mounted incorrectly and torque was created in the tower, which ended up being pressure by the base hole on the side of the bolt. This is why the knob broke off in my hand and when I used the allen wrench with much force to remove the bolt, the bolt cut threads into the side of the base hole. Then, with the bolt removed, the tower top was able to shift slightly, which now made the top and base holes become mis-aligned. Not misaligned enough to stop the bolt going in, but enough that the bolt has to sit in the threads cut into the base hole, to even have a chance going into the top hole. The problem arises however, because the threads in the base hole do not match the top hole because when the bolt was removed, the top shifted to counter-act the pressure created at the factory when the tower was improperly mounted. Not to mention those 'threads' in the base hole side shouldn't even be there.

That's my theory at least.

I am sure the dealer can 'fix it', but how long will that fix last? My guess is the bolt will get loose over time, and I'll start using blue loctite to keep it tight. may take a couple years. Then it will get worse. This is a great feeling for a new boat.

Edited by augie09
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When attempting to drop the tower, I turned the knob and the knob came off, bolt still in the tower.

Are they making those differently now? My knob/bolt is one solid billet piece.

I got my allen set and removed it, with serious elbow grease, almost broke my allen wrench. Do they use air drills to assemble these? Then I put the tower down, that bolt would not go in on either side. The good bolt/knob combo would go in on either side while down. Dealer quickly sent me a new knob/bolt combo. Thank you. It would go in either side with tower down, but was rough on the bad side. I did it several times, lazy attempt at fixing the threads. Put tower up, it will not go in, it makes it 1, maybe 2 threads in. I did not force it. I delicately tried 20 more approaches at different angles, all same results. put tower down, the first 3 or 4 threads inside the tower are gone, just a blur of smashed metal threads. hurray. 99% confident the base of the tower is not allowing the bolt to enter at the right angle and if you try to screw it in, the threads strip. Before Malibu mounts the towers to the hull they should have a 1/8 thick cylinder of soft rubber around the bolt (between it and the base) so the tower can't be put on crooked and the angle of entry can't be ruined when mounting. $0.01 part, problem solved.

OK, well that sounds like an actual problem now that you explained it. Although having an ASE cert doesn't necessarily mean you can put in a bolt ;) With mine you do need to do it with 2 hands - one pulling the tower tight to the base so that the bolt can enter at the proper angle, but once you do that it threads easily. If your threads are that boogered up then I wonder if they can do anything other than replace the tower side. Using a helicoil in that application wouldn't have a prayer of working long term.

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Are they making those differently now? My knob/bolt is one solid billet piece.

OK, well that sounds like an actual problem now that you explained it. Although having an ASE cert doesn't necessarily mean you can put in a bolt ;) With mine you do need to do it with 2 hands - one pulling the tower tight to the base so that the bolt can enter at the proper angle, but once you do that it threads easily. If your threads are that boogered up then I wonder if they can do anything other than replace the tower side. Using a helicoil in that application wouldn't have a prayer of working long term.

The knob is threaded and the bolt is screwed into it. It looks like there was a compound on the threads, to keep the knob from coming off the bolt. Yours may be that way.

Calming down after a night sleep. Gonna drop it off at the dealer monday morning and transfer the headache to them. I got fun holidays to think about. On the bright side, I am glad I bought the boat in the fall, because I would have lost a month of boating already had it been spring.

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I'll have to look closer at the knob next time I see it. Makes sense to built it the way you describe, just always thought it was a single piece. Definitely nice that you have the winter to deal with the issues, hopefully your roads are cleaner than ours.

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  • 2 weeks later...

welp, turns out he base is off or the hole wasn't put in the right place ,because the dealer just did the same think I did. Tapped the threads in the folding part of the tower, verified the knob goes in easily, put the tower upright and put the knob in and ended up stripping the first 3 threads. Third time is the charm I hope. We are now waiting on malibu to respond on whether we should remount the base or dremel out the hole in the base to an angle that matched the threaded hole angle.

now I am jealous of the g4 tower.

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