Elevator bolt question

[bwaysteve]

Attempting to install my elevator bolts and want to know the proper istallation method.There is a square shoulder under the head.Drill the hole and tighten the bolt pulling the shoulder into the top plywood layer?
Should they be flush with the floor? I tried a couple by using a Forstner bit and countersinking about1/8 in.to be flush.I am using nylon lock washer bolts and I can't seem to get them started without the bolt moving.Should I go back to washer and conventional bolt?What size hole does one drill for the bolt.

[SteveH]

I've used them before on a different project, and I drilled the holes the size of the bolt, pulled them thru till they were flush with the level of the wood, and used a normal nut, lock washer, and Locktite. I had no troubles with them.

[68 TWind]

I used a 1/4 inch drill, same size as the bolts. In most areas the square shoulder would be pulled down into the plywood as I tightened the bolts and the top would be flush. On a few, I guess there may have been a knot in one of the laminations, but the head would not go flush. On those I did do a shallow countersink for the shoulder. I used washers and double nuts. If the head is not flush and you use a vinyl type floor the heads may show through over time. If you want to use the nylon lock nuts, give the head of the bolt a good whack with a hammer to seat the edges of the square shoulder so it won't spin as you start the nut. The spinning is why I went with washers and regular nuts.

[pbearsailor]

I tried the nylocks on mine as well, Steve, but after the same problems I went to lock washers and regular nuts. Used a 1/4" bit after first insetting with a Forsner bit. I didn't particularly worry about depth with the Forsner and when I was done, I filled them all level with thickened epoxy.

cheers,
steve

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

I tried the nylocks on mine as well, Steve, but after the same problems I went to lock washers and regular nuts. Used a 1/4" bit after first insetting with a Forsner bit. I didn't particularly worry about depth with the Forsner and when I was done, I filled them all level with thickened epoxy.

cheers,
steve

My plan for tomorrow! Thanks

[goransons]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

I tried the nylocks on mine as well, Steve, but after the same problems I went to lock washers and regular nuts. Used a 1/4" bit after first insetting with a Forsner bit. I didn't particularly worry about depth with the Forsner and when I was done, I filled them all level with thickened epoxy.

cheers,
steve

Nylon Nuts failed for me too, ended up going the old fashioned way.

[kevinb]

Mcmaster.com has elevator bolts that are slotted so you can use a screwdriver to stop the spinning...
Kevin

[VIKING]

I tapped them in with a hammer first and then put on small fender washers followed by lock washers and nylocks. The lock washers by themselves looked too small for the holes in the frame. That's why I used the flat washers also. I held them with a pair of needle nosed pliers to help keep them from spinning. I used a Dewalt impact driver to spin them on and cinch them down. Most of the heads set themselves into the top layer of plywood pretty well. some needed a little persuasion
It wasn't easy but I think the extra work was worthwhile. If you use regular nuts with lock washers you should bend the bolts over after tightening them. It only takes a little bend to lock everything in place.

Best to you Steve,

Rich the Viking

[jaminalee]

How did you go about removing the original elevator bolts to get the sub floor out? I'm having a heck of a time with them...

[GetOutDoors]

Use fanged elevator bolts: McMaster-Carr

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by jaminalee

How did you go about removing the original elevator bolts to get the sub floor out? I'm having a heck of a time with them...

I used a 1 1/2 in. hole saw on a drill carefully drilling around the bolt to the frame.I marked a depth line on the hole saw to not nick the frame.
I then lifted the plywood up and removed the remaining bolt .There are pics on my thread"gutting the 65"

[Jim Foster]

Elevator bolts were used to hold the plywood deck on our 42' pontoon houseboat. Over the many years we had the boat, many sections of the deck had to be replaced, just like the floor in an Airstream.

The first thing I would do is cut away the bad wood, giving access to both ends of the bolt from the top.
To get the old, rusted bolts out, I used a wood chisel to take a layer or two of plywood out around the head of the bolt. I then used vise-grips to hold the head and a wrench to undo the nut. In many cases, the bolts were rusted to the point that the head broke off quite easily.

Going back together was another story, as I had to get under the boat to install and tighten the nuts.

I never installed used bolts unless they were in near perfect condition.

I drilled a hole in the plywood the size of the bolt, in this case 5/16, then tightened the nut until the head was pulled down even with the surface of the plywood. I used a flat washer and a lock washer.

It is very important that the hole in the wood and the hole in the cross member are in perfect alignment, otherwise the bolt will go in at an angle and will not pull down flush. You won't like that. In some cases I would drill through the wood and right on through the cross member to get perfect alignment.

[68 TWind]

If you get the rotten wood out of the way, a cut-off wheel on a 4 in grinder makes quick work of the rusty bolts. In tight spots I used a dremel with a cut off wheel. Luckly, in most cases, i just grabbed the end with a big pair of Vise-grips and a couple of bends back and forth both them off ( most of my bolts were very rusty )

[wasagachris]

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

If you get the rotten wood out of the way, a cut-off wheel on a 4 in grinder makes quick work of the rusty bolts. In tight spots I used a dremel with a cut off wheel. Luckly, in most cases, i just grabbed the end with a big pair of Vise-grips and a couple of bends back and forth both them off ( most of my bolts were very rusty )

Just what I suggested in his other post. It worked grat for me also. Very fast with no mess or smoke from burning wood.

[Canlib]

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

If you get the rotten wood out of the way, a cut-off wheel on a 4 in grinder makes quick work of the rusty bolts. In tight spots I used a dremel with a cut off wheel. Luckly, in most cases, i just grabbed the end with a big pair of Vise-grips and a couple of bends back and forth both them off ( most of my bolts were very rusty )

This worked well for me too. A few hard to get at spots I used my Fein Multimaster to plunge cut through the bolt. I used flat washers and nylocks and held the bolts with vice grips on the few that wanted to spin.

[StPierre]

Steve,
Did you start your floor replacement from the fender wells then work forward from the rear? Or did you start at the front and work back?
Thanks for the help

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by StPierre

Steve,
Did you start your floor replacement from the fender wells then work forward from the rear? Or did you start at the front and work back?
Thanks for the help

Started at the rear as my bath floor was only 1/2 there.The center piece would be a good place to start as it is not under the channel.