snapped bolt in tower

[DIESEL]

Folded the tower last night to put it in the garage and the bolt in the front tower leg snapped. After looking at it closer, I realized it's been in a bind(when folded down) the whole time. I think it's the way the 04 san tower is made.

Has anyone else had or heard of this problem.

[JUST-IN-TIME]

RE: snapped bolt in tower

well
aluminum is not the best thing with stainless bolts

did it break-off flush, or is there something to grab on?

[Christopher-W.-Becker]

RE: snapped bolt in tower

Can you take and load a picture.

[DIESEL]

RE: snapped bolt in tower

I'll take some pics this weekend and load them.

It broke off flush, I had to drill into the bolt and use an ez-out to remove it. I have everything back together now, but when folded down, you can really see where it's going to happen again eventually.

[DanielC]

RE: snapped bolt in tower

Many towers on boats of around that year, and eariler had the towers put on by the selling dealer.
On the hinge at the front of the tower there should be a plastic washer on each side of the "tongue" where it fits into the fork on the upper and lower tower halves. It is a PITA many times to get both washers into the spot where they should be. Sometimes I had to answer why it took me so much longer to put a tower on a boat than others had done it, without bothering to put in the washers.
The washer prevents metal to metal contact, and allows the tower to fold and unfold much easier. It you do not ever drop your tower, the washers are not really necessary, but if you raise and lower your tower a lot, the washers become necessary.
Try to get the plastic washers in your tower when you put it back together. Do not tighten the 3/8 bolt at the tower hinge so tight that it pinches the fork tight to the tongue of the other tower half. You might need to put a threadlock compound on the bolt threads, if the bolt does not stay tight.