Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

[marvinjansen]

I guess I have been beating my 1973 Aristocraft up pulling tubes over wakes. I have loosened the hardtop on one side so it came out of the bottom and top. I had added more machine screw on the bottom but it was not enough. What can I do to reinforce the top ? Maybe a plate from the bottom up higher on the fiberglass top? Glue the top into the aluminum channel with 3m 5200? Any ideas?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

got any pics mj? i don't understand the where the failure is.
did the rail that the hardtop 'slides' slide in come loose from the boat?

these are new hardtop slides...

Glue the top into the aluminum channel with 3m 5200?

that don't sound like a good idea. then the hardtop wouldn't slide anymore?

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

My slides are individual ones and most are still ok. the separation is above the slides where the fiberglass goes into the aluminum frame. It came loose at the bottom and around the left window too. Those new slides look sturdier than the original. Will order some later when I order a windshield. Will take a pic when I get home.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

here's my back slide mj.... starboard side i think...

obviously mine slide is rivoted to my hard top. looks like metal braceing on the inside. rivots go all the way through from outside to inside.
i have personally had to replace several of these rivots as they break free. i assume from the top racking side to side.

where is your's broke at?

i assume that the glass top is through bolted to the metal frame. the slides pop rivot to the metal bracket..

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

It's the four screws that hold the top to the aluminum that are not holding. I put four more screws and thot I had it but it came out again. Maybe I should have glued it in with 3M 5200 or some adhesive first. Your's looks like new. I think I will make and attach a plate from the bottom aluminum that goes up about 3-4"s up the hardtop to give me new material to fasten to. I took pics but they are just like yours except I have extra screws.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

It's the four screws that hold the top to the aluminum that are not holding

i assume the four screws your referring to are really through bolts (oval head marching screws) with nyloc nuts on them? so adding extra through bolts didn't help. hum. i've not had mine apart. but i'm assuming that the green (in my case) hard top extends half way down into the aluminum metal frame. the bolts being high on the frame allows them to literally go through the glass hardtop and hold it there. if extra bolts didn't help. my question would be is the part of the hardtop that rests inside the frame still a part of the hard top or has it perhaps broke off from the top itself. if so, you could bolt it as many times as ya wanted w/o repair as the top would have the mounting ear (for a lack of a better term) broke off. even 5200 wouldn't cure that i don't think.

your idea of fabbing a piece to mount to the frame and further up the hard top i think will work. it just will look like a repair.

imho, from your description, further inspection of the hardtop it self may be in order..

still post yer pics up mj. never know, they might help... + we get to see your pretty blue boat...

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

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pics of the separation.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

so did the window frame pop out because of the top coming loose from the slide?

if it were mine, i think i'd contact Aristocraft 1st and see what their take is for the repair. also finding out what kinda glue they used, if any. i'm pretty sure i got sillycone around the perimeter of my frames.

your window frame looks like it left behind some kinda rubber. maybe aristocraft used some sticky rubber to help seal the frame to the top? like window frame adheiseve???

as for the broken mounting ear for the top.
hum.... your 5200 idea looks to me like it'd work. glue the top into the frame. only thing that bothers me about that idea is the permentness of the 5200. maybe use some epoxy to build the top (mounting ear) back up? i'd be nice if ya could get it to be one solid ear again w/o holes in it. then ya could drill fresh holes. + maybe some glue, epoxy, flexset (marine tex) fiberglass repair?

might post them pics over on the restoration forum too. i bet someone will have a good idea there as for a good repair that is solid..

i'm guessing you'll be able to get something that works.. myself. i'd use the 5200 idea as a last resort... but i can't think that 5200 wouldn't work.. just permanent..

 

[rbarr11]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

these are new hardtop slides...
Where could I purchase those slides? Also I was looking at some pics of your boat-very nice by the way-and I noticed the extra soft top that was buttoned on, Where could one of those be purchased.
Thanks

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hardtop loose on Aristocraft 19

ya get them new slides from Aristocraft. hopefully they got some already made up for ya, you'll just have to contact them to see what they got. same goes for the aft curtain. Aristocraft had some of them made up a few years ago. don't know if they still got any. contact them... hope they do. it really is a major thing to be able to go under full cover when it gets crummy out for weather..