Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

I have some rot on the wood of the engine cover on my Baja so I am replacing it. I have the cover off of the boat and all of the padding and upholstery removed from the 5/8" plywood. All of the bolts are screwed into these metal things that are sort of like a combination of washers and nuts with teeth on them to hold them in place on the wood so that you can cover them with upholstery and then screw in from the other side. Does anybody know what you call these things and where you can get them? Thanks! I'm trying to finish by the weekend!

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

They are called tee-nuts... you can find them at Home depot... but I'd look for a cabinet hardware supplier and see if you can get some stainless ones.

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

There's a place by me that sells them in stainless. If your keeping the boat, spring for the stainless. Let me know if you can not find them closer to where your at and I'll hook you up. Stan

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

Don't forget to paint or seal the edges of the plywood. Water will be absorbed there and although it won't rot right away, it'll get heavier than hell.

I didn't on my last boat. Two years after I did it, I had to remove the vinyl and foam to let it dry out.

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

Auto Zone here has em

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

You should be able to find the tee nuts at about any hardware store. In fact most even carry the stainless ones. A word of advice for installation. The prongs on the tee nuts of course just drive into the wood, but it is awfully easy to pust them out when installing the bolts, which is a bad thing since the cover is all installed at that point. So to be safe I use staples around the edges of the tee nut to help hold it in place. Small tacks would work as well if you don't have a stapler, but assume you do if you are going to install the cover back on. Good luck.
John
Sunrise Upholstery
www.sunriseuph.com
38MM LOTO, MO

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

West Marine carries stainless tee-nuts.

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

Yes, I found some at the local hardware store but not in stainless. That is one of the major problems that I had - Baja didn't use stainless ones, although the bolts that go into them are. They were rusted away to nothing and pulled through the wood. If I can't find stainless I was thinking of painting the steel ones that I have now to keep them from rusting. Thanks!

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

If you use stainless steel t-nuts, make sure you use anti-seize compound on the bolt threads. It seams like no matter how neat you are, anti-seize compound makes a mess. Thread galling at assembly is the reason for Baja using steel t-nuts not cost. Also coat the whole sheet of plywood with resin. A quart of resin should be enough. Use the existing plywood as a template for the new one by transferring the the holes through it. The hinge location is the most important. Set the assembled cover on with the transom hinges removed and than install the transom hinges into the cover hinges.

Re: Anybody replaced an engine cover?
 

Thanks for the tip. I have the whole sheet completely sealed on one side and will do the other tomorrow if it is dry. It didn't look like the factory board was sealed with anything - this should definately last longer than the original. I used the existing board for a template so I hope everything lines up OK. I also found when I took the hinge off of the boat that only two of the bolts that attach it actually had nuts and washers on them. @#$%^&* Baja!