Help! Poor fitting engine cover

[SafeGate]

Has anyone satisfactorily fixed their engine cover hatches on an axis? I have tight spots due to poor fitment, and gas shocks are destroying the hinge/screw mechanism.

 

Full details and photos are here: https://www.wakegarage.com/forums/topic/205-help-engine-cover/

[granddaddy55]

Already a big thread on this or axis site, 

its all about when you feel that stress or bad fitment as it closes that you tighten screws on piano hinge

Obviously you need to get offending stripped screws by shock reset

some use anchors and larger SS screws, I was able to angle mine and get re bite with out that with original screw plus I baby it by slowly pulling from strap or other end built in grab cushion indent  and not even letting the stock handle the last 8 inches of opening travel 

some chsnge the hardware at anchor point of shock but if that’s the case you or previous owner never tightened the hinge screws and abused opening the hatch regularly

once I noticed my original problem after fixing it I baby it!!!!!!!

once I notice that odd closing on bad side again  , I break out screwdriver at home and tighten screws, stay on top of that and they don’t strip because they rebite in less than 1/2 a turn with driver

Edited January 31, 2018 by granddaddy55

[SafeGate]

That's definitely part of the problem and part solution.

 

Bigger problem is fitment. I just tightened the hinge screws. The cover still rubs the cup holder vinyl really bad. To the point the vinyl material has rubbed away. I could recover it, but it would just rub away again. The cover needs to move away from the cup holder and other associated pinch points. There's a photo in wake garage showing the tight points. 

 

Maybe there's a way to "shim" the hinge? It's like a household door that's rubbing against the jam. Ya know?

[Ndawg12]

Don't know your specific boat and haven't read the other posts but I'm fighting similar issues as I'm trying to put mine back together after a full re-skin.  Have you tried opening and closing the hatches with the shock disconnected?  Are you the original owner? If not, how do the hatches look at the transom?  Any wear marks or signs on the gelcoat that the hatches have been removed and reinstalled and slightly shifted forward?  Same with the big rear seatback, how does the transition to the next seatback look?  Same on both sides?

[SafeGate]

1 hour ago, Ndawg12 said:

Don't know your specific boat and haven't read the other posts but I'm fighting similar issues as I'm trying to put mine back together after a full re-skin.  Have you tried opening and closing the hatches with the shock disconnected?  Are you the original owner? If not, how do the hatches look at the transom?  Any wear marks or signs on the gelcoat that the hatches have been removed and reinstalled and slightly shifted forward?  Same with the big rear seatback, how does the transition to the next seatback look?  Same on both sides?

All good thoughts there. Thanks.

 

Yes, closing fitment improves with the shocks disconnected. Not original owner, but the boat had 30 hours when purchased and the hinge looks factory installed/not tampered. Forward and back would help, but it would open up a gap in a different spot. It really needs to be rotated. Only Idea i've had is a washer behind the hinge towards the front of the boat. That might help out with the angle. Maybe the hinge is worn out and replacement would fix it...?? It does seem that the gas spring is way too strong and would put strain on that corner of the hinge.

 

The gas springs are 60 lb. I'm thinking about trying to find an under 30 pounds and an inch shorter. 

[SafeGate]

Incase anybody wants to know the solution:

 

I replaced the factory 20", 60 pound gas springs with 18.5", 40 pound units ($20 Suspa Shocks made in  USA) . FIXED. 20 pound units were awful and didn't work. The engine covers are no harder to open. Infact, the hinge takes a lot less pressure and no more popping/binding/scraping. Wind may blow them down, but I don't plan on leaving the engine covers up. Worth the tradeoff.

[Ndawg12]

1 hour ago, SafeGate said:

Incase anybody wants to know the solution:

 

I replaced the factory 20", 60 pound gas springs with 18.5", 40 pound units ($20 Suspa Shocks made in  USA) . FIXED. 20 pound units were awful and didn't work. The engine covers are no harder to open. Infact, the hinge takes a lot less pressure and no more popping/binding/scraping. Wind may blow them down, but I don't plan on leaving the engine covers up. Worth the tradeoff.

Glad you got it sorted out.  if you're interested in selling those 60 pound shocks, let me know. Thanks!

[SafeGate]

In a couple months after I can test the new ones more, they're yours if you pay shipping. 

[granddaddy55]

As an original owner experiencing the exact same problem that I caught early , I still think babying the last 8 inches of travel for the hatch as well as not pulling too hard and fast from the front strap or  back hand groove at stern i.e baby it when opening or closing it!!! Even now that you have fixed it.  

It didn’t take replacing parts to fix problem fir me though I admit if abused and trying to recover a problem that you probably were brilliant in your decision

but  maintenance to the piano hinge anchor screws quarterly or more frequently is what keeps it in working order