Rear Tower Pads Sliding Out

[Sluggo]

Last night was the second time I have had to replace rear tower pads due to them working their way out from under the base. Somehow there is a lot of pressure forcing them to rip through the bolt holes and they slide inward. I check the bolts a couple times a year to make sure they are tight, is it possible they are too tight?

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Not quite sure what you mean... pic?

[Sluggo]

This is the pad between the rear tower foot and the boat. Here is a pic of the old pad, hopefully you can see how it ripped through the bottom two bolt holes as the pad was forced toward the inside of the boat. Anyone have any ideas? Torque specs?

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Did you use a backing plate? What about some sort of adhesive?

Mine are really squished, but they have not moved, and I have them really cranked down.

[Sluggo]

The first time I replaced them I found that one side did not have a backing plate so I had to order one. The pads come with adhesive on one side so I stuck that to bottom of the tower foot and the non-adhesive side contacts the fiberglass. I do have some 5200, but I was afraid to put it down given I figure these will have to be replaced some day due to normal wear and tear. Any suggestions of other adhesives to try and keep them in place? Should I have put them in adhesive side down?

[saltare inverts]

I recomend duct tape. Just kidding. I would check the backing plate and make them tight. My tower has never had to replace the plates. It is seven years old on second boat. I made 3 in by 10 inch backing plates.

[jonyb]

hmmm... Mine is doing this too. After seeing the way that everything else is put together, I won't be surprised if there's no backing plate.

[Sluggo]

I checked mine again this morning and one side is already starting to shift ever so slightly. I wonder if it is because there are only three bolt holes? The corner that moves the most is toward the front and intoward the boat which is the corner without a place for a bolt. Anyone know if adhesive side should be directed toward the fiberglass or tower foot?

[techsledder]

That’s a stock Supra tower, right? Did you call Supra on it? Looks to me like the thru hole on that gasket is too close to the edge of the gasket, thus breaking through (cracking) when the force of tightening the hardware is applied or that thru connection is stressed from a the rider pulling on the tower. I bet this will happen time and time again if you keep buying that style gasket. Is the tower touching the boat’s gunwale when you’ve noticed this? From the pic I don’t think so but looks can be deceiving from an angle. When skier or boarder is being towed and they make a hard cut, do you see the tower’s aluminum mounting pad hitting/touching the boats gunwale (swishing the rubber gasket)?