1987 Ski Centurion Tru Trac II - First Time Rebuild - Floor, Engine, Dash, etc.

[Woodonglass]

I re-read your thread and now understand the question. T-Nuts are fine as long as they're stainless. I'd use the screw in type instead of the claw foot. Another alternative is Garelick Toggle bolts They work great and are easy to use. Might consider them whichever you use I'd recommend Drilling oversized holes,filling with PB and then redrill to proper size. Seat bolt holes are notorious for leaking and damaging the wood.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Are the motor mount bolts what holds the angle to the stringer? What goes through the top motor mount holes? Lag bolts?
If you’re securing the angle iron to the stringer with carriage bolts from the blind side, you could tap the angle for the motor mounts. In this way, both the motor mounts, and angle iron could be removed if necessary.

 

[ACon977]

Where are you using the T-nuts?

I was planning on putting them on the outside of the stringers, this would lock my through bolts to the stringers, but still allow me to un-thread the bolts if/when I ever need to pull the engine again.

The reason the MFG's use dimensional lumber is...It's Cheaper!!! Plywood IS the best and strongest way to go but either will work. If you go dimensional make SURE it's Douglass Fir. Mush more water resistant and Stronger than Pine. If Plywood use two layers of 1/2"

The boss has spoken, AlabamaNewbie you should listen lol, WOG is one of the best on here.

 

[ACon977]

I almost mentioned tee nuts yesterday, but I wasn't sure I understood all of the problem. Next time I will just open my mouth and put it out there lol!

Well feel free to throw out wild and crazy ideas! Im always down to try something thats a little off kilter. No idea is a bad one... just some of them dont make sense at the end of the day lol.

 

[ACon977]

I re-read your thread and now understand the question. T-Nuts are fine as long as they're stainless. I'd use the screw in type instead of the claw foot. Another alternative is Garelick Toggle bolts They work great and are easy to use. Might consider them whichever you use I'd recommend Drilling oversized holes,filling with PB and then redrill to proper size. Seat bolt holes are notorious for leaking and damaging the wood.

Good thought with stainless. I was gonna run to HD and see what they have there. I agree that screw on would be better than clawfoot. that was just the image that popped up.

I already drilled oversized and filled with resin before pushing the bolts in. they should be waterproof. I filled the top ones with epoxy 100% and will drill out to put my lags in. Having water get into the stringers is my number one fear. Thus why Im trying to think as much through as I can beforehand.

 

[ACon977]

Are the motor mount bolts what holds the angle to the stringer? What goes through the top motor mount holes? Lag bolts?
If you’re securing the angle iron to the stringer with carriage bolts from the blind side, you could tap the angle for the motor mounts. In this way, both the motor mounts, and angle iron could be removed if necessary.

I put PB down between the angle and the stringer. This is holding it in place, but not truly attaching it. I currently have the through bolts going through my side holes, which will hold the motor mounts to the angle AND the stringer. I dont trust mounting to just the angle. Further back in this thread I talked about my thoughts for doing the angle vs, not. Its just to distribute the load evenly between all the bolts, so that there isnt one that has more force than the others.

I was looking at doing carriage bolts, but then it would be very difficult to get the motor out If I ever had to again. I would have to take the mounts off the engine, and then slide the mount off the stringer. This way is a little easier with mounting the Tee nut in the stringer, and removing the bolt, then I can just lift the motor straight up with the mounts still on the block.

My goal is to have the angle stay attached to the stringers. and Tapping it for the threads is already long gone since I drilled oversized holes in it to not have any interference with the motor mounts.

 

[fibersport]

Austin, haven't been around and just caught up. Got two comments for you, first don't use silicone around your exhaust outlets. No need for high temp as they don't t get hot, and most silicone is not meant for below the waterline. I would use either a role caulk or 3M 4200, not as strong as 5200 but will deal fine. As for your mounts, why not weld nuts to a plate, say quarter inch and either screw it bond to the stringer? Strong enough and allows for easy removal.

 

[ACon977]

Austin, haven't been around and just caught up. Got two comments for you, first don't use silicone around your exhaust outlets. No need for high temp as they don't t get hot, and most silicone is not meant for below the waterline. I would use either a role caulk or 3M 4200, not as strong as 5200 but will deal fine. As for your mounts, why not weld nuts to a plate, say quarter inch and either screw it bond to the stringer? Strong enough and allows for easy removal.

Glad to have you on board.

I appreciate the recommendation on type of sealant for the exhaust. I will move forward with the 4200.

Regarding the mounts. Simple answer is that I don't have a welder. But a T-Nut with screws through it should have the same effect as a plate with a nut welded to it.

 

[ACon977]

Well about time for an update.

Unfortunately we had a lot going on this past weekend, Two single day backpacking trips and our friends got engaged on one of them! This is all fantastic, but less time for me to hobbit in the garage. Below are a few images which are fun. but the smoke in Colorado is pretty thick right now. It rained most of the weekend which helped but still not quite the clear skys we are used to.

 

[ACon977]

Regarding the Engine mounts. I did have some time last night to get out and get on them. My wax layer on the bolts worked PERFECTLY. Super excited when every stingle one turned fine. I even turned them inwards to break the threads which allowed them to turn in the hole.

I ended up going with the "toothed" T nut, rather than the one with screw holes. There just werent any of the screw ones at HD. But I think they will end the same so long as I layer some PB over the edges to hold them in place. I drilled the outer side of the stringer holes to allow for the collar to fit inside and threaded the bolt back in. I planned on putting a PL Marine caulk into the holes but my gun bent and stopped feeding the caulk after I got 80% of the way done with the exhaust ports. So I didnt finish these up to take pictures.

I also drilled out the top holes, where I plan to put my Lags back in. Again no pictures as they are just holes in the wood. but will once I get it all back together.

I did snap off a drill bit in one of the lag holes.. not proud of it. anyone have a clever way to get it out? or should I just seal it off?

 

[ACon977]

And then my last project I half-ass completed was the exhaust ports. I was hoping these would go in better, but one of my holes was millimeters off and I couldnt get the port to seat all the way against the hull. which is not going to work.

The images below are when the bolts were partly in and I thought (foolishly) that everything was going to go smoothly.

 

[ACon977]

Well busy week but finally another open weekend! Planning on getting the motor mounts finalized, exhaust ports in, start running cables and wiring (since it needs to go beneath the floor). and then getting 3/4" plywood cut to shape and rough fit it into the boat. If I can get everything done I would like to glass the bottom of the floor and maybe tab it in? that would be super exciting!

Also, HF always has sales, but I got fed up of my old compressor and sprung for a big ol tank! Should be more than I need for what I do with it, but hopefully it will last a long time.

 

[ACon977]

Big update tonight.

Was able to spend most of the day out in the garage and got theBig update tonight.

Was able to spend most of the day out in the garage and got the exhaust ports in for good, tested out the T nut concept, got all the cables, hoses, and wires run back through the boat, and finally got the front section fitted, ground down, filleted, and glassed in.

feeling much better about where the boat is now. I've got pictures I'll post for each portion.

 

[ACon977]

Starting with the exhaust ports.

I struggled to get the first posts to line up with the holes the last time I posted. And ended up bending the posts to hell. Once I had increased the size of the holes to fit all 4 through all the way the back piece didn't fit on since all the posts were bent... very frustrating, but self inflicted.

I eventually got it to work and then put in my marine grade adhesive. It's essentially firm, flexible caulk from loctite. I have a picture of it but I cant see the whole label because its zip tied into my gun (it's cheap, and kept bending out of alignment which messes everything up). First one i had too much caulk in there, I wiped the excess off and w
cleaned with acetone. No harm no foul. 2nd one I sized up perfectly and it looks good.

word to the wise. Dry fit everything multiple times. I had some bolts that got in the way of my washer ring fitting on the back and so I needed to fit the washer first. Also, make sure that it can go all the way through without forcing. Next advice. Put the caulk on the hull. Not the port. Helps to keep it cleaner.

 

[ACon977]

Next up is the t nuts.

I first tried to just pull them through the fiberglass. LOL good one. Those suckers bent so fast. Which is great for my stringer integrity, but not great for putting the t nuts in. So I decided to drill out the epoxy in a wide enough circle so that all the teeth would go into wood rather than through glass.

after that was cleared up I threaded the bolt through the hole and once it was through the other side, I filled that pocked with the same marine PL caulk. Then on went the t nut and got it threaded 90% of the way through. Then I took my mini sledge and hammered the t nut part way into the wood. Finished it up with my new air ratchet wrench to dig that t nut into the wood. And then smoothed out the PL that had oozed out around the t nut.

 

[ACon977]

Next is the hoses that I ran through the boat. I ended up getting a new steering cable through iBoats and it fit perfectly with the adapter kit for the steering column. I fed everything through the piece of hose that went from the front bulkhead to the front floor. Then fit that piece through the bulkhead and floor. I ran the steering cable and throttle cables on the port side of the engine. And all my wires on the starboard side. I may put little caps over them to hold them out of the center. TBD. I did buy PVC to do that.

I did PB the hose into the front bulkhead.

also wanted to throw a pic out of my new air setup. Super pumped to have air accessible on a real and have a tank big enough to run tools without the compressor having to run all the time.

 

[ACon977]

Last on the day was doing the front section of flooring. This piece was still in great shape when I pulled it out and figured I would just reuse it. It took some time to get it all fitted back in, but I'm glad I didn't throw it out.

standard grinding, cleaning, fillets with PB, then CSM, and finally my cloth. This was by far the easiest glassing I've done. No sharp corners. And not much vertical. Everything went down super smooth.

 

[oldrem]

Looks like good progress Austin. Fitting on anything new often has some pitfalls - glad you got them worked out.

 

[ACon977]

Thanks oldrem I dont mind making the mistake, I should have drilled oversized holes to begin with. But hopefully describing what was good/bad will help someone else who finds this thread on theirs to not make the same mistake

 

[fibersport]

Austin, glad you went with a marine adhesive for your exhaust. Those ports look fantastic! Silicone seems to lose its grip and get slimy. Nice jobs, it's great to be able to check things off the list.