2019 VLX21 wake tower alignment issues

[nolans86]

hello Malibu crew,

The seat of my wake tower on the driver side seems to have shifted and it's affecting my tower locks and Bimini bar sliders, they are so difficult to lock and extend.

Has anybody run into this before and fixed on their own through loosening and tightening screws, or is this an issue I have to get serviced in my local dealer?

for what it’s worth, I have no idea how this happened.  I’m assuming I missed it during the walk-through when I purchased and the seller did not disclose. in that case, if anybody believes they have an opinion how this could happened, do you think it could’ve been hit, and how concerned do I need to be about the gelcoat stress fractures around the base of the tower? 

thanks all, I’m not too well-versed on the history, maintaining’s and the mechanics of this boat yet so any feedback is appreciated

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by nolans86
Edit

[23LSVOwner]

Loosen bolts/nuts under the gunnel on each side. Center the tower and retighten. Test the locks, etc.

Adjust position as needed. Once you get it where it needs to be remove 1 bolt/stud at a time on each side and blue loktite.

[nolans86]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:21 AM, 23LSVOwner said:

Loosen bolts/nuts under the gunnel on each side. Center the tower and retighten. Test the locks, etc.

Adjust position as needed. Once you get it where it needs to be remove 1 bolt/stud at a time on each side and blue loktite.

I’ll give this a shot, appreciate you taking the time. I’ll update on status.

[nolans86]

I’m ‘in it’ but only getting deeper.  Still can’t kick out starboard front-side of tower seat.  I am amazed by lack of build quality of the tower bases where they attach to the gunnels. Both starboard and port side are cavitating outward when bolts loosened

Edited July 6, 2023 by nolans86

[23LSVOwner]

14 hours ago, nolans86 said:

I’m ‘in it’ but only getting deeper.  
 

can kick out starboard front side of tower seat, and I am getting amazed by the lack of build quality of the tower bases where they attaches to the Gunnels. Both starboard and port side are cavitating outward when bolts loosened

The shim should slide also. Do the gaps close when you tighten the bolts up?

[nolans86]

23 hours ago, 23LSVOwner said:

The shim should slide also. Do the gaps close when you tighten the bolts up?

I suppose yes, they do.
 

My concern is around long-term effect on the gunnels and the fiberglass that's already showing stress cracks around the tower bases.   Wondering if whoever put the shim on the port-side to begin with realized the bases were a little narrower than the tower ends?  Based on where the lock impressions hit the underside of the tower at the pivot, if the shim wasn’t there, the tower wouldn’t be able to even lock.  It would just repeatedly strike the underside of the tower, to the boat cabin side... The lock arm wouldn’t be able to go into the cavity where the lock bar is.  

Hypothetically, if the tower and bases were locked together and then lower down onto the gunnel for the very first time, they would rest on a place wider than where seated today. the tower base bolts would go through the gunnel at slightly wider holes than are machined into the gunnels today.

The poor ‘fitting’ creates significant and unnecessary outward tension at the pivot point and across the join when tower is locked to tower-base on gunnel. The force/stress transfers to the gunnels then it’s fiberglass VS METAL with the tower trying to rest in its natural position when raised-locked.  Either the tower is machined too wide OR the gunnel bolt holes were bored too narrow and the tower bases are seated too narrow.

Reattaching a photo of the port side with shim. If bolts fully fastened to the gunnel without shim, the base would kant inward and the locker arm would strike the underside of tower-end. The tower could never safely lock. 

I guess what’s disappointing is that the shim suggests this was understood at the factory or dealership, but only (and literally hoped to) passed the buck with a port side metal shim.

In hindsight, when we purchased Used last year, the rep struggled locking the tower.  We didn’t know better, but that was actually a sign of what we’re experiencing now - stress cracks, bimini arms are a struggle to extend and turning the lock handles are like playing a game of tug-of-war each time to lock and unlock.  
 

All said and otherwise, we’re loving the boat.  I believe the boat is still under warranty and hopefully the dealer will work on my behalf with the manufacturer to properly inspect, fix the gelcoat and replace the tower.  

i’m re-reading a couple times in hopes it explains what I’m observing, hopefully this makes sense.  Of course, if you see that I have a blindspot somewhere, by all means, call it out. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by nolans86

[COOP]

I truly hate these tower latches. They are just crap. Hard to align to make the them work properly, and they break/bend way to easily.

[nolans86]

Thanks for thoughts. I retightened everything and I’ll be taking into dealer. 
 

Question to those with warranty experience.  
 

In this case the gel cost cracks are certainly caused by tower forces, and in my observation from poor engineering and machining of tower pivot joint, and machining and assembly of tower base to boat gunnel.

With boat warrantied through April 2025 would you expect Malibu to fully cover tower and gel coat hull repair?  Just curious if anyone had past experience because dealer is already hedging that Malibu is “funny” about covering gelcoat repairs.
 

I’ll be reading warranty coverage. Thanks

Edited July 7, 2023 by nolans86

[COOP]

1 hour ago, nolans86 said:

Thanks for thoughts. I retightened everything and I’ll be taking into dealer. 
 

Question to those with warranty experience.  
 

In this case the gel cost cracks are certainly caused by tower forces, and in my observation from poor engineering and machining of tower pivot joint, and machining and assembly of tower base to boat gunnel.

With boat warrantied through April 2025 would you expect Malibu to fully cover tower and gel coat hull repair?  Just curious if anyone had past experience because dealer is already hedging that Malibu is “funny” about covering gelcoat repairs.
 

I’ll be reading warranty coverage. Thanks

Gel coat warranty is only the first year. There would need to be structural damage in the fiberglass under the gel. 

[nolans86]

On 7/7/2023 at 9:09 AM, COOP said:

Gel coat warranty is only the first year. There would need to be structural damage in the fiberglass under the gel. 

Good to know, thanks. Headed to service shop today