Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Screws stripped on locker hydraulic brackets


Recommended Posts

Recently purchased an '08 23 LSV. Love the boat.....very clean....runs great. The screws that hold the hydraulic brackets on the rear lockers are all stripping out. Does anyone have a good way to repair this? The website doesn't seem to let me do any searches right now so I thought I would just put out a request for some help. The middle flip up compartment over the engine compartment hydraulic bracket seems to screw right into the fiberglass and that one has also stripped out. Any help would be much appreciated!!

Link to comment

That was the first job I tackled on my glove box. My walk over is loose but it hasn't stripped yet so I haven't messed with it. When one or the other do go I am going to pull all of the hinges and make aluminum backing plates for under the gunnel and drill matching holes through the plates. Then I am going to replace the wood screws with button head hex screws instead of the 500 wood screws they put in it when they built it. Granted it is a '10, but still beer cans and bailing wire engineering for at the time a new $60k boat! The screws into the locker lids are stripped out of the HDPE, that is going to be a hard fix. Short of pulling the upholstery and through bolting the lids, I would step up a couple sizes of SS screws and go easy when you install them. That should work for quite a while providing you don't strip them putting them in.

Edited by wdr
Link to comment

I had the same issue with mine and used some of the plastic screw in drywall anchors. They have been holding for about 5 years. 

I first tried to make a larger base plate with a couple additional screws but that failed also. The anchors were easy and were suggested by Malibu.

i would just use a stainless bolt with nylon locking nut on the walk over cover. 

Good luck. 

Link to comment
Just now, BearCreekBum said:

I had the same issue with mine and used some of the plastic screw in drywall anchors. They have been holding for about 5 years. 

I first tried to make a larger base plate with a couple additional screws but that failed also. The anchors were easy and were suggested by Malibu.

i would just use a stainless bolt with nylon locking nut on the walk over cover. 

Good luck. 

Good tip, thanks!

Link to comment
8 minutes ago, BearCreekBum said:

I had the same issue with mine and used some of the plastic screw in drywall anchors. They have been holding for about 5 years. 

I first tried to make a larger base plate with a couple additional screws but that failed also. The anchors were easy and were suggested by Malibu.

i would just use a stainless bolt with nylon locking nut on the walk over cover. 

Good luck. 

Do you happen to have a photo of the walk over cover just to see what you're talking about? Did you use the screws that came with the boat or did you use something else to go into the plastic inserts? Thanks for replying!!

Edited by rgedds
Link to comment

I used the same screws just made sure the plastic anchor was the correct size for the screws. 

Sorry for the confusion on the walk over "cover". I just assumed when you said "middle flip up compartment" that was what I was calling the walk over. 

Link to comment
Just now, BearCreekBum said:

I used the same screws just made sure the plastic anchor was the correct size for the screws. 

Sorry for the confusion on the walk over "cover". I just assumed when you said "middle flip up compartment" that was what I was calling the walk over. 

Yeah you were correct. I'm new to the boating world so I didn't really know what to call it. The walk over hydraulic bracket is stripping out as well. It looks to me like the screws go right into the fiberglass. Doesn't seem to make sense to me but I'm not quite sure how to fix that problem.

Link to comment

Went down to the local boat shop.....it isn't much as I live in a small town.......and they all just shrugged their shoulders and said, "use bigger screws." While I get that this will last for some time I'm not super excited about just putting bigger holes in my locker covers or the walk over. I asked about repairing the fiberglass on the walk over and they just laughed and gave me some ridiculous amount of money to repair it. Didn't sound like it was worth the money but I hate not having everything working the way it's supposed to. My OCD can't handle it.

 

Link to comment

McMaster Carr - search rivet nuts and then choose for plastic and composites.

Edited by lonestar
Link to comment
21 hours ago, lonestar said:

McMaster Carr - search rivet nuts for plastic.

Did you put these in the locker covers or on the walk through or both? 

Link to comment

The rivet nuts will work in the locker cover lids - as I believe these are just starboard plastic. I changed my hinge screws in the fiberglass to stainless thru bolts with nylok nuts. I have not had to install the rivet nuts yet as mine are not loose in the cover backing yet. You just need to order the nuts for the correct thickness of the starboard material. And beware of the installed height - you may be able to feel the nut under your vinyl and padding since it will protrude ~1/2" higher than the backside of the starboard.

Edited by lonestar
Link to comment
1 hour ago, lonestar said:

The rivet nuts will work in the locker cover lids - as I believe these are just starboard plastic. I changed my mounts in the fiberglass to stainless thru bolts with nylok nuts. I have not had to install the rivet nuts yet as mine are not loose. You just need to order the nuts for the correct thickness of the starboard material.

Can you send me a photo of the walk through with the stainless thru bolts with nylok nuts? If this is what I'm thinking it wouldn't work because then you would have bolts sticking through the lid of the walk through?

Link to comment

So a quick update. I've got the locker repaired and it seems to be holding......for now. For the walk through I filled the holes with JB Weld and then put the screws in there with teflon tape hoping that it would form new threads.....well I thought wrong. It only lasted a day and the screws were stripped out again. My next thought would be to do a small fiberglass repair in the holes and then try putting the screws into the newly repaired fiberglass. The screws stripped out where the plate attaches to the underside of the lid. Any other ideas or thoughts??

Link to comment
8 minutes ago, rgedds said:

NICE!!!! Have you used them before? 

Yes, for steel, aluminum, wood, and plastic - but not fiberglass.  I think effectiveness would depend on how thick the glass was.  Also, if it is in a place where spidering will be a cosmetic issue I would use a tap before putting in the Helicoil.

All that being said, and after reading the thread from the beginning, my first try at your problem would be to drill out the holes in the metal bracket and then use a larger diameter screw - or just move the bracket an inch to one side.  That's what I did to both locker lids on my 2005 when I got it with one of the struts hanging loose.  That loose bracket and a few other fixable cosmetic issues might have saved me $5,000 as that was what I got them to take off the asking price because the "boat was falling apart!"

Don't try to drill those brackets free hand or against the bottom of the lid.  Take them off and use a drill press or at least clamp them to some wood so they don't spin on you.  Good way to get hurt or to bend the part.

Edited by minnmarker
addition
Link to comment

Rgedds,

I think maybe you are like me and over thinking/analyzing it. Curse my engineering degree.

I'm sure there is enough play in the walk over that you could move the bracket over an inch or so like minnmarker suggested and get the screws to hold. Another option might be to glue/epoxy a small 3/8" piece of black HDPE to the underside of the walkover and attach the bracket to that. 

Let us know what you find that works.

Link to comment

@rgedds:  to repair a stripped hole in fiberglass, you can use 'fiberfill' & epoxy resin.  Fiberfill is basically shredded fiberglass cloth which allows you to mix up a slurry and fill the offending hole with a substance that has the same structure as before.  You will want to make sure it is clean and clear of foreign debris (J-B Weld perhaps).  You can get the stuff at a local automotive paint supplier and through several online composites vendors or simply find on ebay.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Quick update. So I filled the holes with the fiberfill and epoxy resin. Bought Heli-coils and drilled new holes, tapped the holes with the provided tool with the Heli-coil, placed a little epoxy on the outside of the Heli-coils and then inserted them. Let everything set and then screwed the plates back on. I replaced the 60lbs gas shocks on the rear lockers with 30lbs gas shocks. I had to replace one shocks due to the arm being bent when the bracket stripped out. I went with the 30lbs struts because after watching the locker covers go up and down and watch how much torque is put on the small little bracket with three crappy little screws it's no wonder why the screws stripped out!! The panel only weighs 30lbs max anyways so why put a 60lbs shock on there? Seems to be working well right now. If things start to fall apart again I'll let you know. Thanks for the help!!!

 

Link to comment
  • 6 years later...
  1. So i bought a new strut off E-Bay for Ranger rod compartment lid thought it would be 30 second fix. Replaced old strut and closed the lid could hear fiberglass cracking
  2. opened the lid and the strut tore the bracket completely out because it was an 80lb strut I did not realize, who needs 80lbs for a rod locker lid? Now I can't rivet the bracket back on the lid
  3. can't bolt thru the lid or you step on it so what epoxy can I use to move over with the bracket and either rivet back or use a plate to attach the bracket to then rivet the plate to the
  4. bottom of the lid? Rear lid in battery compartment screws all stripped out I can epoxy them just dont see a way for either to clamp down to cure.
Link to comment
  • 7 months later...

Just bought a 2009 23 LSV with some locker bracket issues, although, my center walkover is in good shape. My solution was to use a marine plastic mounting block with larger #14 x 2" SS screws, then mount the strut bracket to the block with longer mounting screws #10 x 2". I don't feel the screws protruding to the vinyl on the other side. The block is 3/4" thick. Only time will tell if it holds. I do think it looks nice though.

Plastic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M6CJQNR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsspacer.png

  • Like 4
Link to comment
3 hours ago, Nmeier said:

Just bought a 2009 23 LSV with some locker bracket issues, although, my center walkover is in good shape. My solution was to use a marine plastic mounting block with larger #14 x 2" SS screws, then mount the strut bracket to the block with longer mounting screws #10 x 2". I don't feel the screws protruding to the vinyl on the other side. The block is 3/4" thick. Only time will tell if it holds. I do think it looks nice though.

Plastic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M6CJQNR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsspacer.png

 

this is EXACTLY what I did, except I made my HPDE wider and then carpeted it grey to match.  Although the match is slightly darker grey but I'm over it and it has been holding on mine for 3 years now

 

Edited by hawaiianstyln
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...