Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

[jammer]

Hello:

On my Ranger Boat I have a windshield with windshield support tubes. The screws are achord in now with the type of achors you would find for drywall or for wood. That is, you drill a hole and push these things in place and expand when the screw is screwed in. I notice that one the windshield tubes a few are now loose and seemed stripped in the fiberglass. I would have to redrill and put in larger achors. Is there a better way?

Thank you in advance for your opinions.

 

[wcsparky05]

Re: Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

always drill fiberglass counter-clockwise. yes, with the drill in reverse and take your time. this will prevent it from cracking. and those plastic anchors work fine if they are sized correctly.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

have ya got room to the back side. if so, use a backing plate, thru bolted with a nilok nut on the back side, that problaby won't loosen up.....if not. then i'd think yer up against it. maybe some nutserts or something like that. nutserts are basicly rivots that have screwthreads in the middle instead of a rivot mandrel. i'm sceptical about any fastener that is held in by friction only on a boat. to much vibration........

 

[jammer]

Re: Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

have ya got room to the back side. if so, use a backing plate, thru bolted with a nilok nut on the back side, that problaby won't loosen up.....if not. then i'd think yer up against it. maybe some nutserts or something like that. nutserts are basicly rivots that have screwthreads in the middle instead of a rivot mandrel. i'm sceptical about any fastener that is held in by friction only on a boat. to much vibration........

That's exactly what I was thinking. You see the anchors I was using the screws were coming loose. Now I just stopped at Home Depot. I think I found something. They're called Toggle Anchors.

See link below:

http://www.toggler.com/products_hwm.html

5/16 drill through..I get coverage in the front and now the rear. I could even use some 4200 or at best 5200 to seal it also.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

All the rangers I know of are foamed under the deck at the gunwale so you can't access the rear side for proper backing plate, bolt/washer/nut applications. One of the things I didn't like about mine, however the screws never stripped.

I personally have had lousy luck with plastic inserts as they are too soft to do you any good.

Also, I'd be careful drilling thru the deck there as the cable tray runs to the bow under it and you might drill into a trolling motor wire.

Why don't you contact one of Forrest's boys at the factory and get their inputs including where not to drill.

Mark

 

[drewpster]

Re: Recommendations on Achoring Screws to Fiberglass

Just a note, If you are going to use any kind of anchor make sure you discard the screw that comes with it and replace it with a comparable stainless steel screw. The el-cheapo screw with the anchor will rust in short order.
I agree with ziggy on this one. I never depend on fiberglass to support a fastener, anchor or not. I always thru-bolt, use a backing plate, or both. Even thick fiberglass will loosen up over time. Boats vibrate, my wife loves it, but the screws won't.