rear compartment doors..

[kodybyron]

Ok,
I'm sure im not the only one on here that has had this problem.
After many uses of opening and closing the rear compartment doors the screws have ripped out of the doors. (where the hydraulic shocks are mounted) I moved the shocks over and re screwed in a new location. Once agian they have ripped off. any help on how to sturdy this area im screwing into...or certain screws or just hell any advice! im tearing up the back of the compartments. (im talking about under the sun deck on my 02 22' SSV)

thanks in advance!

[Fman]

Kody, my recommendation.... dont use screws, use a bolt/washer/locking vinyl nut combo and you wont have this problem. The washers will also a little strength to the area. I had SC replace my "screws" with this combo for my walk thru platform because they kept coming loose. Screwing into fiberglass should be avoided when possible, it will eventually come loose or break.

[kodybyron]

ya but how do i get a bolt and nut on that door? i mean one side you have the wood or some other kinda compressed wood looking material and on top you have the sun deck's vinyl?

[jonyb]

Travis he's talking about the interior pieces, and doesn't have access to behind that area.

Just another crappy design, that's all. It's just a matter of time before all of mine quit. Then what?

[jaywidhalm]

What about backing them out then using a wood glue or Gorilla glue to keep them from turning/moving? Are they stripping from repeatedly having to retighten them, or just from the force of opening the doors? If it is from them vibrating loose and then retightening I would try the Gorilla Glue. Just a thought...

[jonyb]

What about backing them out then using a wood glue or Gorilla glue to keep them from turning/moving? Are they stripping from repeatedly having to retighten them, or just from the force of opening the doors? If it is from them vibrating loose and then retightening I would try the Gorilla Glue. Just a thought...

Maybe that would work, I don't know.

What's happening is that the screws are self-tapping screws, so when there's force put on them, the hole they're in are "wollered" out, if you know what I mean. All folding panels in my boat have those. I've replaced all the ones in the rear with stainless nuts/washers/bolts, and it's much more sturdier. Why can't they just spend the extra time to do that right the first time at the factory?

[kodybyron]

ya! the screws are just ripping out of the material!! i moved the locations over 3" and after this weekend trip...they ripped out agian. the underside of my sun deck doors look horrible now. i can put in nuts and bolts cause i dont want to mess with taking off the vinyl or having the hardware cut threw the vinyl.....this is the crappiest design ever..if anyone has any suggestions that they have done...please help a brotha out! for now ive just taken off the pressureized arms that hold up the storage compartment doors. UGH!!!

[saltare inverts]

Maybe glue and screw a aluminum plate to the hatch bottom then attach shock arm to that. Will spread out stress points and cover old holes. It will also be held by glue and screws, much more strength. Could even paint it or polish it.

[Hematoma]

They make plastic anchors that you put in the hole and when you screw into them they flair out inside and will keep them from pulling out. I'm pretty sure you can find them for #10 and # 12 screws

[jedwest]

July 24 was the day I saw my screws come out on my rear hatch. You are correct. Very bad design. I am starting to really question my purchase of my boat. The first Supra Launch 24V I got had a wiring problem. I invoked the lemon law after three times and got a completely new boat. This boat I've had for two seasons and have had problems with the wake/trim plate lever working and now it works but the wake / trim plate doesn't stay in the position I put it in. Now the screws are coming out. Seems this is like Microsoft and we are the testers of software we have to buy. Screws in fiberglass?? Wow. I'd love to hear if there are more Launch owners with the screws coming out problem.

James

[Fman]

ya but how do i get a bolt and nut on that door? i mean one side you have the wood or some other kinda compressed wood looking material and on top you have the sun deck's vinyl?

Kody,

First off I agree, not a great design... they should have done this with a bolt/locking nut combo before putting the vinly on the panels at the factory. Few options here...

1. One option to get a nut/bolt combo in there is to have an upholstry shop strip the skins and then bolt them up with a locking nut then have them restretched back on the piece. Probably $50 each I would guess. If mine starts to do this I will be doing this.

2. Jay also had an idea of using some type of glue/adhesive to stop the screws from coming out, this also might work. Give this a try, it would be a cheap alternative to taking it to the upholstry shop.

3. Could you relocate the bracket plate to a different area of the panel to allow new holes to be created?

4. Go with a larger screw? and apply the glue/adhesive when doing this? possibly use a PVC glue? that stuff seems to hold really well but is messy and probably permanent.

Just a few options... if I can think of anything else I will post it up.

[Fman]

How are other boat manufacturer's mounting them onto there panels? Anyone have any idea or pictures?

[saltare inverts]

I talked to mastercraft. They use aluminum backing plates.

[wakejmpr]

i've had just about every screw possible come out of my boat because when they build supras they think that they can just screw into fiberglass or wood and it will hold. Lame is what i say. Just last week my swim platform came off because all the screws that hold both L brackets to the platform were gone. Lucky the thing floats. drilled through it and put flat head meatal bolts down through it. Bolted it to the brackets with nylock bolts and put a rubber coating on the heads. As for the compartment covers i think your refering to the three hole bracket that screws to the underside of the deck cover. the best solution is to get a toggle bolt with a butterfly backin. You'll have to drill a slightly bigger hole to push the butterfly part through but shouldn't be a problem because the metal plate should cover it. Once you start to screw that bolt in, the backing will grab the otherside and you'll never have a problem, plus you don't need to mess with vinyl and you can stop drilling new holes that are only going to rip loose. Did it to both my hatch covers last season and they hold up great. Tried other options first like bigger screws and they just rip loose because there is no support from the opposite side. This is your best option if you don't want to pull the cover apart set it with a plate and nylock bolts and restich your vinyl.

[kodybyron]

thanks for yalls input...ill try those butter fly bolts wakejmpr. ill let yall know how it goes...dang boats..always something!!!

[Fman]

i've had just about every screw possible come out of my boat because when they build supras they think that they can just screw into fiberglass or wood and it will hold.

Wood? I hope they did not put any wood in your newer Supra! I agree, aluminum backing plates would be a great idea for the self tapping screws. SC should start using this on the new boats.

The butterfly setup looks like a possibility, I would use caution about having that backside stick up to far and poke a foot or knee when putting pressure on the pad. Also, how is that bolt not going to come loose with the butterfly style? How does it lock in place?

Let us know how it goes, hope you have success with the butterfly setup.

[wakejmpr]

Just a pic I could find of the style of bolt I was talking about. I would absolutely use a short bolt. Once you tighten the bolt down the butterfly back threads down and grabs the backside of the decking and allows you to tighten and secure those bolts. Worked like a champ on my 24 ssv. Two seasons strong now.

[jedwest]

Used slotted bolt 1/4 inch by 1.5 inch (way to long, use 1 inch or less with lock washer and 1/4 inch nut. Had to whittle out the holes just a little bit to get the bolt through, but it was cheap and worked like a charm. Mine already had the metal hinge (2008 model 24 SSV). Did some of yours not come with a metal hinge? Took about 10 minutes. Easy fix. Praise the Lord.

[Fman]

Used slotted bolt 1/4 inch by 1.5 inch (way to long, use 1 inch or less with lock washer and 1/4 inch nut. Had to whittle out the holes just a little bit to get the bolt through, but it was cheap and worked like a charm. Mine already had the metal hinge (2008 model 24 SSV). Did some of yours not come with a metal hinge? Took about 10 minutes. Easy fix. Praise the Lord.

Do you have some pictures of this? I have an '08 22, are you taling about the metal hinges that is screwed to the locker door? or did they add a backing plate to later models?

[jedwest]

There is a metal hinge with five screws. One part screws into the locker door and the other into the fiberglass of the boat. The ones I replaced were the ones screwing into the fiberglass of the boat. Sorry no pics. Guess I could take some.

James

[Fman]

There is a metal hinge with five screws. One part screws into the locker door and the other into the fiberglass of the boat. The ones I replaced were the ones screwing into the fiberglass of the boat. Sorry no pics. Guess I could take some.

James

I believe Kody is referring to the screws that go into the ski locker door itself, not the lower fiberglass mount section. The lower section is much easier to replace, its the upper section on the ski locker where access is a problem.