Formula 311 Rub Rail replacement?
 

Any post about replacing this with stainless, is it easy or challenging?

Thanks

That would be a very time-intensive project. I replaced a majority of the deck-hull bonding screws with thru bolts when I had my 311. Some of them were extremely difficult to reach from the backside. Part of the cabin headliner and upolstery needs to be dropped to reach the back.

You could just rescrew a new one, but I suspect some of the screws are either broken or will break off when you try to remove them. The bond is much srtonger after thru-bolting.

From what I've read on here and what I've seen myself, it's definitely not "easy". It's labor intensive and requires the interior to be torn apart and fixed.
that being said, I'm also curious to hear more detail about the most difficult sections
I'm also curious about the rivets instead of screws/bolts on the silent thunder platform.

I have done this a couple of times on formula and in a couple different ways.

1989 242- replaced rub rail with taco rub rail beacause orginal was beat up. Took three guys to do it (one holding a heat gun, one pulling the rub rail, and the last guy to install it on the boat) and it was an all day event. Turned out OK but seeing that it came in rolls the finsh of the rub rail was a little wavey. The rivets are no bug deal just drill them out and replace with screws.

1989 272- Painted the rub rail. Rub rail was in good shap just wanted white. So I had my painter friend do it. We scuffed the run rail with 600 then sprayed an adhesion permoter on the platic. Then painted it with base and clear. Turned out well but after time showed some wear and needed to be repainted.

1991 311- Painted the rub rail and added stainless insert. Rub rail was in good shap just wanted white. We scuffed the rub rail with 600 then sprayed an adhesion permoter on the platic. Then painted it with base and clear. Over that we installed a 3/4" wide stainless strip with # 8 screws. Looked great and after two years still looked like new. If I was to do it again I would do it this way!

Hope this helps
Don

Don,

Thanks for the help the last way sounds best I just did not know you could paint them. Was the stainless insert expensive? Also were you the person that posted about the gauge changes? I thought I read that i would need to change the fuel sending unit?

No not bad at all. This is the product I used:

http://www.rubrails.com/stainless_steel.html

SSH-75 Hollow Back Half Oval
12 or 16 Ft.
3/4" Width #8 Hole Size

If you do try this make sure to get the hollow back inserts. The solid back is almost impossible to bend around the corners of the boat. This stuff was easy. Then all you need to do is go to the hardware store and buy some #8 tapered screws.

Don

MOERON,

When I replaced all my gauges with Gaffrig, it was recommended to change senders as well. Change fuel gauge and couple weeks later finally changed sender, had problems with accurate reading unitl I changed it.

treads,

Is the fuel sending unit had to get to?

MOERON,

By default, I installed new senders for temp, oil pressure and the fuel tank. The cost of the senders was minor in the scheme of things, compared to the gauges and bezels. Well worth the piece of mind.

Treads,

I had some errors in my last reply! I have heard that the fuel sending unit is hard to get to for replacement, is that true?