RNH

i have a '88 sr311, the deck rails are loose. i can tell a couple of
bolts have fallen out.

does anyone have experience on how to get to the underside of these things and replace missing bolts and tighten the ones that are still in place?

any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Bill272

I haven't had to do that yet, but I'd expect you have to pull the headliner off. There's a trim piece under it around the edges that would have to come out, and on my 89 272, the headliner is velcro'ed to the underside of the deck. The center sections are also held with screws inside the light fixtures. I've never had to access the railing bolts, but that's where I'd start.

HOUSTONPROP

IF THEY ARE LIKE ALOT OF RAILINGS, I HAVE SEEN THEY HAVE A STUD HANGING DOWN /REMOVE ALL NUTS REMAINING AND PULL RAILING OFF BOAT THEN HAVE SOMEONE WELD A NEW STUD INTO RAILING /NOTE YOU MUST USE A TIG WELDER TO DO THIS AND THEN REPOLISH THE STAINLESS RAILING WHERE IT MAY HAVE SOME SLIGHT DISCLORING/I HAVE REPAIRED MANY OF THESE FOR BOAT DEALERS/

DJW

Robin,

I think that if you pull the stereo out you may be able to get to the real loose one on the port side. That was on my to do list. You can get to the forward ones by taking down the wall with the speakers up in the V-berth. Hope this helps.

Dan

Audiofn

What you have to do is pull down the head liner. Then when you loosen all the bolts and take off the rail you will find that the Bolts hook into the railing. On my boat they were made of Galvi and they rusted. I took stailness threaded rod and heated it up and bent that to the same shape as the Garvi stuff and put it all back together. So Far so good.

Jon

RNH

thank you all for the input. this does not sound like its going to be a 15 min. project.

Audio - i owned a car stereo shop for 12 years. it always amazed me how audio installers are always so very good at making somthing work or fit where the normal person would say no way.
like you heating stainless threaded rod to make your bolts.

DJW - want to take a short winter vacation to new orleans?
come help me work on the boat. sun is out today with a high of 60 degrees. maybe this spring randy and i could be your deck hand on your 28 baja. i'm
told tuna steaks are great on the grill!

Audiofn

Who is it that said Neccessity is the monther of all invention It does work very well and then you have stainless instead of Steel, so I figure it will last for another 20years

mfb357

RNH, I have done my deck rail on my 357 (86), many times. There are short studs on some, and screws into others, it depends on where they are on the hull. You will need a deep 3/8 or 7/16 socket with a long extension from the winshield back. Take out your speakers and you can reach two of the forward ones, the rest of the back you can get from the side panels in the cockpit. the ones in the V birth are under the corner dress piece that goes along the edges, just peel back the headliner just a little. And while your under there havw someone on top and check your cletes to.All the hardware you will find should be stainless and the nuts are nylon lock nuts. While you are in the tightening mode.... Go around the entire rubrail and check all the screws are tight. Be carefull not to strip them, do it by hand. On your boat theres only 140 or so. Good luck, Mark

Audiofn

I would guess these things would leek there????

Would this be a good time to really loosen them up and put Sealer in there like a 5200 or similiar????

Mark that is why I took out all the screws and replaced them with through bolts.


Jon

ThirdBird

Audio,
All of the cleats and I believe all of the rails are sealed to the deck by orings under the fittings. If you look closely at your cleats, you can see the orings under them. So, I would put any kind of goop under them. If mine leaked I would pull them off, measure the oring and get new ones. Those little orings are holding up well on my '89 311 (knock on wood)