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| the pedestal bases in my boat are extremely tight, making it a strong-man gymnastic event to get a post in or out of them. (on an 89 Ranger 680)
i'm looking for a fix.
i thought of replacing the bases/pedestals - the bases are screwed down, and it seems like some marine epoxy was put in the screw holes prior to installation - the screws don't want to budge. what are the pedestals screwed down into? if i drilled the screws out to get the bases out, would i be shooting myself in the foot?
alternately, is there a good way to lubricate the seat posts to allow them to work with the current bases?
thanks!
-m |
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Posts: 1279
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | For screw removal, clean out whatever is in the slot with a small pick. Then get an impact driver with the correct size phillips bit and give it a few whacks with a hammer. Should free them up. The screws are usually put in with loctite to prevent them from vibrating out and that is what makes them difficult to remove. You should reapply some when reinstalling. Also, some CAREFUL application of heat directly on the screw head may soften the loctite enough to aid in removal. Good luck! |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | You have to consider what is under the floor covering first. There are "I" spurs running crossways in most boats (aluminum) and coming in contact with one is not all bad provided you hit the flat of it and not the edge or the center. The "BAD" scenario is cutting out the 3-4" hole for the recessed portion of your pedestal base and finding out you're cutting a 4" section out of your spur. YIPES! It's not a matter of the floor of your boat not being able to support a pedestal base. It's a matter of knowing where the structural elements are in your floor so you don't compromise the strength of the boat. There are boat riggers out there that can surely help you with this do-it-yourself project. Especially if you are dealing with a glass hull instead of aluminum. I've done all my own work but sure ask a lot of questions before I cut and drill. Good luck. |
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Posts: 3486
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I have been having the same problem with my alumacraft. I have 1.77 inch pedestal bases, and found that a little cleaning and WD-40 seemed to work well. If they are tight right now and you need to get them out, you could try spraying the base and pedestal down, let the stuff penetrate in and see if you can get them out that way.
I found that if you clean the base really well (I got a bunch of black residue out, that things seem to work better. It's a shot that might work for you as well.
Steve |
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| after getting all the carpet up and looking at them again, i'm thinking that replacing the bases/pedestals is a bit much - and hopefully not necessary. i'm going to clean and lube the bases real good, and then if necessary i figure i can sand the pedestals down a bit to get 'em to fit better again.
anyone ever do anything like that? |
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