Hi Everyone,
As I was winterizing the boat a couple months ago, when I opened the large sun deck/engine cover one of the gas shocks that hold it open, was barely hanging on by one screw. Two others had broken, and the mounting bracket on the lid itself was all bent. I tried to bend it back, and the final screw ripped out of the wood. The other end connected to the fiberglass on the boat was fine. I used a 2x6 I had to support that side while I completed my winterization and then took a look at everything. I cannot get the shock to compress, but it doesn't appear to be bent. I've got a few questions I'm hoping someone can help out with.
Should I be able to compress the shock with my hands?
Should I just replace it?
If so, probably just do both..? Where is the best place to get them?
Since one of the screws ripped out of the wood, and two others are broken off in the wood, I was considering placing a small square (probably made from 1x4 or something) piece of wood, painting it black to match the underside, then screwing it to the deck lid, then attach the shock mount to it. If I do something like that, should I do it to both sides, so the angle of the shocks stays the same?
Lastly, is this common?
I purchased this boat summer of '10, and while it was in decent shape, I'm just trying to gauge if this is some of the normal wear and tear, or if this is a sign it may have had an abused life previous to my ownership.
Thanks for any and all advice,
nibs
As I was winterizing the boat a couple months ago, when I opened the large sun deck/engine cover one of the gas shocks that hold it open, was barely hanging on by one screw. Two others had broken, and the mounting bracket on the lid itself was all bent. I tried to bend it back, and the final screw ripped out of the wood. The other end connected to the fiberglass on the boat was fine. I used a 2x6 I had to support that side while I completed my winterization and then took a look at everything. I cannot get the shock to compress, but it doesn't appear to be bent. I've got a few questions I'm hoping someone can help out with.
Should I be able to compress the shock with my hands?
Should I just replace it?
If so, probably just do both..? Where is the best place to get them?
Since one of the screws ripped out of the wood, and two others are broken off in the wood, I was considering placing a small square (probably made from 1x4 or something) piece of wood, painting it black to match the underside, then screwing it to the deck lid, then attach the shock mount to it. If I do something like that, should I do it to both sides, so the angle of the shocks stays the same?
Lastly, is this common?
I purchased this boat summer of '10, and while it was in decent shape, I'm just trying to gauge if this is some of the normal wear and tear, or if this is a sign it may have had an abused life previous to my ownership.
Thanks for any and all advice,
nibs
