- Joined
- Oct 12, 2017
- Messages
- 4,234
- Reaction score
- 1,467
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Manasquan Inlet NJ
- Website
- www.youtube.com
- Model
- Express 265
Something so simple....riiiiight
Existing supports had "ZAMAC" feet. Zamac is an old Chinese word for "shitthatdontbelongonaboat"
Chromed ZincAluminumMagnesium alloy. Grady used SS on every piece of hardware on this boat except those supports.
You can't get off the shelf SS supports. They have zamac or plastic feet. They say direct replacement, whatever that means...
I measured both supports--11" and 6.5". You can get 11" with plastic feet for $22. Can't get 6.5"
Two 11" and cut one & reinstall foot would be $45. Hopefully not ruin the foot removing it.
four plastic replacement feet would be $28. I went with that.
Removal:
All screws snapped off in aluminum windshiled frame trying to remove them
Managed to get one nub out with vise grip. Other three could not drill out. Cut them flush with a buzz tool.
Two drill bits were broken in this process.
Mind you, a right angle drill was a must.
Installation:
On 11" support I had ALREADY sanded and painted and installed new feet.
Had to move slightly to drill new holes in windshield frame. That of course means I had to remove the brand new foot and cut the pipe with a pipe cutter. Actually. Could not get it out without destruction so cut the pipe and then removed foot . There was a buzz tool involved at one point.
On 6.5" I thought it would go easy the way I loosely test fit.
However, once the internal screw was installed in the top foot it became evident that it doesn't bend that way...only the other way...
Again I had to remove a new foot and cut the pipe. Flipped the upper foot around and it worked.
Still need to remove, sand and paint the short one. Need a Home Depot trip for new SS #10 x3/4" pan head screws.
This was one of THOSE projects.
Lesson learned- remove them first and figure out the size you need AFTER you have to move the screw holes because they snapped off.
On the 265, you cannot go longer on the long one because the cabin lid clearance and the short one is already at the top of the frame.
Existing supports had "ZAMAC" feet. Zamac is an old Chinese word for "shitthatdontbelongonaboat"
Chromed ZincAluminumMagnesium alloy. Grady used SS on every piece of hardware on this boat except those supports.
You can't get off the shelf SS supports. They have zamac or plastic feet. They say direct replacement, whatever that means...
I measured both supports--11" and 6.5". You can get 11" with plastic feet for $22. Can't get 6.5"
Two 11" and cut one & reinstall foot would be $45. Hopefully not ruin the foot removing it.
four plastic replacement feet would be $28. I went with that.
Removal:
All screws snapped off in aluminum windshiled frame trying to remove them
Managed to get one nub out with vise grip. Other three could not drill out. Cut them flush with a buzz tool.
Two drill bits were broken in this process.
Mind you, a right angle drill was a must.
Installation:
On 11" support I had ALREADY sanded and painted and installed new feet.
Had to move slightly to drill new holes in windshield frame. That of course means I had to remove the brand new foot and cut the pipe with a pipe cutter. Actually. Could not get it out without destruction so cut the pipe and then removed foot . There was a buzz tool involved at one point.
On 6.5" I thought it would go easy the way I loosely test fit.
However, once the internal screw was installed in the top foot it became evident that it doesn't bend that way...only the other way...
Again I had to remove a new foot and cut the pipe. Flipped the upper foot around and it worked.
Still need to remove, sand and paint the short one. Need a Home Depot trip for new SS #10 x3/4" pan head screws.
This was one of THOSE projects.
Lesson learned- remove them first and figure out the size you need AFTER you have to move the screw holes because they snapped off.
On the 265, you cannot go longer on the long one because the cabin lid clearance and the short one is already at the top of the frame.
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