Can't snug my seat mounts in my boat

[BALLSDEEP]

I have an older Eliminator (2001 25' Eagle) I have taken the seats out a few different times to work on the stereo and steam clean the carpet. Each time I take the seats out there are about 20-30 stainless steel screws that fasten each seat to the floor. My problem is that when I remount the seats with the screws they donÂ’t seem to really tighten down, they just kind of turn. Anyone ever have a similar problem, if so whatÂ’s the fix?

[RiverToysJas]

You could go to bigger screws. Put some liquid nails on them when they are put in. Becareful, because if your screws are not tight, you could be getting water in the floor, which will rot.
Another (and best option IMO), is to cut a circular hole in the floor big enough to get your hand through. Then you can through bolt all around and seal the hole back up.
G'luck!
RTJas :D

[Daytona100]

Can you re glass the holes and start fresh?

[Liquid Courage]

I had the same issue in my old Baja. The inner edges of the bolseter were through bolted into the floor. The edges out towards the gunnals were just screwed in to the floor and stripped out (from pouding! :D ) There was an access panel in the middle of the floor under the carpet but you couldn't reach over to the far side of the bolster to put through bolts in (thus the reason Baja didn't do it in the first place).
My options were to go to west marine and buy the access panels and put them in the floor where I could reach the outer mounts. The other option, which I tried, was to use some liquid metal. This worked for a while but eventually they came loose again. What finally worked was I went to west marine and bought those adapters that go into the screw hole, then when you put a bolt into them they open up like a "T" holding the bolt into place. Worked like a CHAMP!!!
good luck with it.

[BALLSDEEP]

Thanks for your input guys, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately I cant really cut the floor and do much since the boat has the gas tank that runs in the middle of it. I may look into what Liquid Courage has recommended with the screws from west marine, that may be my best bet. But if anyone else has any recommendations, please speak up!

[BALLSDEEP]

Liquid courage:
Is this what you are talking about?

[ULTRA26 # 1]

I experienced this with my 94 Warlock 25 Euro. I used a slightly larger diameter screw dipped in resin and the seat mounts held tight.
John M

[BADBLOWN572]

Hands down the best way to do it is to through bolt the seats. If that is not possible, the next best thing to do is to use the next size up screw. You might have to drill out your seat base, but you need to get some screw in there that will have some bite to it. When you go to put the screw back in the hole, I recommend dipping it in some Epoxy Puddy. You can get it at any marine store. It will go in and will bond to the wood. The screw should NEVER come out again. The Epoxy Puddy will also seal the holes up from any water that may get in.

[Racey]

Screws in and out of wood suck and will eventually do this, Wooden matchsticks and glue. then reinstall

[BALLSDEEP]

I experienced this with my 94 Warlock 25 Euro. I used a slightly larger diameter screw dipped in resin and the seat mounts held tight.
John M
If I were to this then can you still get the screws out if you need to or is it more of a permanent mount? The only reason I ask is because I usually pull all of my interior out before each season to thoroughly clean the interior and steam clean the carpet.

[HM]

Are the seats flat on the floor?
If you can afford the mounts to be a couple inches higher, you could glass in something that you could thru bolt. Think of how your stringers work, and you could make mini stringers(for lack of a better word) under your seats and then use L brackets that are thru bolted to the seats and the mini stringers. you could even box out the stringers if you wanted.

[BADBLOWN572]

That's the answer right there.
If it can be done. If a belly tank is in the boat and right below the seat, it makes it impossible to get in there and through bolt. :(

[Liquid Courage]

Liquid courage:
Is this what you are talking about?
Yes, those are the exact ones...They worked like a champ.
Tank

[BALLSDEEP]

Are the seats flat on the floor?
If you can afford the mounts to be a couple inches higher, you could glass in something that you could thru bolt. Think of how your stringers work, and you could make mini stringers(for lack of a better word) under your seats and then use L brackets that are thru bolted to the seats and the mini stringers. you could even box out the stringers if you wanted.
No they are not flat on the floor, They are almost like a mini bolster seat.

[BALLSDEEP]

Yes, those are the exact ones...They worked like a champ.
Tank
Do they come in defferent sizes? Do you just insert them in place of the scres and then get some button head type nuts that would go over them and snug down?

[Mandelon]

1. Fill in the existing holes and drill new ones an inch to either side.
2. Fill in existing holes with an epoxy and redrill.
3. Use larger screws.
4. Use existing screws and existing holes, and coat each screw with an adhesive or even silicone caulking first.
5. Build a flange that can through bolt to the seat base, and screw that or bolt that to the floor. That way you can remove it again later more easily. Use all stainless fasteners and coat em with a rust retardant too.
6 Use really long screws, and go all the way through the hull into the trailer bunks. Take photos and post on ***boat. :D

[roostwear]

If you can cut an access hole and get to the underside, put stainless T-bolts in and you can BOLT them down and forget it.
http://www.boltdepot.com/images/catalog/t-nut.gif

[ULTRA26 # 1]

If I were to this then can you still get the screws out if you need to or is it more of a permanent mount? The only reason I ask is because I usually pull all of my interior out before each season to thoroughly clean the interior and steam clean the carpet.
Without a doubt. The resin just helps to seal and secure the larger screws. Anytime you are tightening a screw into a fiberglass or fiberglass covered wood panel, be sure not to over tighten or stripping will occur.
John M