Guys,
Your input is greatly appreciated ! Sounds like the JB Weld is the first thing to try.
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Guys,
Your input is greatly appreciated ! Sounds like the JB Weld is the first thing to try.
The rivet is still in the hole (just real lose) should I remove the rivet head before using the JB Weld ?
You may ask this question on [url]www.nitroowners.com[/url] It has a great discussion board for tracker and nitro owners. I know that has been asked on there before. Clark
Hi Guys, I could make a living at repairing trackers. The proplem is that they don`t put near enough rivets in their boats. Ok, here`s what ya run into,,,if you weld it you have to remove ALL things that will burn or you`ll burn your boat up. The Alumaweld which I`ve got too, you still have to remove the floor and all foam from close to it,,,and with the large area your working with you can`t get it hot enough for it to work right. I`d say if you can get to the spot, take out the rivet and replace it with a SS bolt with a round head, with rubber washer on both sides and lock nut. instead of JB weld,,there is a product call Labmetal thats great. I`ve used it alot on bass trackers. If you need any help at all just let me know.
Doug
[email][email protected][/email]
[email][email protected][/email]
Not sure it that would be better or not really. Just don't know for sure. But the JB weld will dry and set like concrete in 24 hours. If the rivet post is still in the hole the JB weld will adhear to it and the metal around the hole. I put enough JB weld on my 1/4" diameter hole so that it covered the entire hole and spread out to about the size of a 50 cent coin.
Can you get the rivet out of the hole? I would just push some of the JB weld into the hole with a popcycle stick or something that's clean. A plastic stick or something that won't contaminate the JB weld should work.
The Goop stuff that they sell at the hardware store will clean up the JB weld. Or you can use paint thinner as it will work too. Acetone works as well as Naptha.
Regards,
Moose1am
I have never used JB weld so I don't know anything about that. I had a similiar problem, problems.
To fix the rivet you have to be able to get to both sides of the rivet which means taking out floor the deck. Mind you that there may be foam in there which needs to be replaced with closed cell foam. I got my foam from a boat manufactorer. If you use just any kind of foam it will soak up the water.
You drill a hole in the center of the bad rivet and It will come out of the hole. Then you need to put another rivet in there prefferably purchased from an aluminum boat maker. There are many grades of rivits. Now you need access to an air rivot gun. Tractor trailer and airplne repair places, and an occasional boat dealer will have one. Or you can do it by hand useng a rivit tool that fits over the head of the rivit (the correct size). With you banging on the rivit tool under boat and your buddy pressing a flat steel bar on the flat side of the rivot inside the boat the rivit will form a nice flat surface and pull the two pices of aluminum together. They are called buck rivits I think.
I was told that welding reduces the strength of the surrounding aluminum area. JB weld may hold in the middle of a flat surface but I can't imagine how it will hold two seperate pieces together when you are pounding the waves with three of your buddies in the boat. Lke onemorecast daid there may not be a lot of rivits there so you might consider adding more so you don't have to rip out the deck again.
Considering the amonut of work it takes to rip out and replade the deck including ne carpet JB Weld maybe worth a try. Sometmes though the longest way is the shortest way.
I've got names and numbers of a place that sells the hand tools and rivits if you go that route, give me a shout.
I "know your pain". It really bothers me when a boat will not to the most basic thing it was desighed for which is float.
[email][email protected][/email]
You don't have to remove the entire floor.
This would be a good time to put in a 6" dia deck plate in the floor centered above the rivet. This will give you enough room to put in a new rivet and properly seal it. A bonus is that you will now have an inspection area and vent to help dry out bottom.
If you do pull the floor out, consider using 1 and 2 liter soda bottles for the flotation in place of the foam thats there. I seen many of these boats that have water logged foam due to the open cells acting like a sponge. The bottles will provide the needed floatation and will not get waterlogged thereby extending the life of the floor by keeping it from rotting from the inside.
Thanks for the info. I ended up taking the boat down to onemorecast (Doug) and he is repairing it for me. He seems very knowledgeable on these old Bass Trackers.
>I have an aluminum bass tracker that sprung a serious leak
>this morning on KY lake (took on 20 gallons in 3 hours). I
>found a rivet that holds the center flute pouring water from
>it when I loaded the boat on the trailer. It also leaked all
>the way home from KY lake (200 miles). Can I remove the
>rivet and pack the hole with silicon or do I have to put a
>new rivet in there ? Have also considered epoxy used to fix
>holes in aluminum boats. Any suggestions would be greatly
>appreciated
I have had the same problems whrn I had my bass tracker. I found a great product that was 100% effective with no future problem with the repair (and no, I've never been a salesman, ha) Just follow the simple prep, cleam using wire brush. I does require that you use a small propane torch to heat the area just until the product flows. It comes in a stick form about 3/4" dia. It will be hard when it cools and can be filed or sanded.
I got mine from Cabela's.com and I just checked and it is still available Item # IG-01655 under 10 bucks
good luck
.
Excellent ideas/advice.
Wish I put the deck plate/door in so I could make future rapairs easily.
Peter
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I took the boat to onemorecast56 (Doug Meyer) and he repaired the boat for me. I am leaving in about 10 minutes and heading to KY/Barkley to beat and bang around and hopefully catch a fish or two.