Shutter install

[dozerII]

I did a serach and have read a few threads on installing replacement shutters in a 120 Mercruiser and after taking mine apart was, having a heck of a time trying to figure out how to fasten the new ones in the exhaust tube. Some have used bolts, but I didn't want to go this route and taking the tube off is not a project I wanted this year. I came up with this method and it worked out real well. I used the appropriate size of Aluminum / Aluminum rivets. As seen in the photo, remove the shank of the rivet, and trim it so the length will be about a 1/4 inch less than the rivet length. The rivets for mine needed to be about 5/8 in, I didn't have any so I just shortened 3/4 in. As in the photos place the shutters in the tube and use a small pair of vice grips to hold the shutter bracket tight against the tube, it helps to bend the brackets a little so the grips have to pull the center in. Then using a larger set of vice grips and using pressure inward to keep the head of the rivet tight to the outside of the tube squezze the rivet a little at a time, tightening your vice grips till the rivet is completely crimped.