The bow eye backing block on my 1984 MacGregor 25 has crumbled. Anyone know a source for a replacement? Any suggestion for fabricating a new one?
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The bow eye backing block on my 1984 MacGregor 25 has crumbled. Anyone know a source for a replacement? Any suggestion for fabricating a new one?
thickened epoxy and fender washers
thats what I did... found a 6" or 8" bow eye at WM and thickedend up some epoxy w/ silica and made a paste... let it harden, drilled again, pushed the eye thru, and added some more epoxy and fender washers. some even add a 2nd eye, just in case... YMMV.
thats what I did... found a 6" or 8" bow eye at WM and thickedend up some epoxy w/ silica and made a paste... let it harden, drilled again, pushed the eye thru, and added some more epoxy and fender washers. some even add a 2nd eye, just in case... YMMV.
thickened epoxy and fender washers
thats what I did... found a 6" or 8" bow eye at WM and thickedend up some epoxy w/ silica and made a paste... let it harden, drilled again, pushed the eye thru, and added some more epoxy and fender washers. some even add a 2nd eye, just in case... YMMV.
thats what I did... found a 6" or 8" bow eye at WM and thickedend up some epoxy w/ silica and made a paste... let it harden, drilled again, pushed the eye thru, and added some more epoxy and fender washers. some even add a 2nd eye, just in case... YMMV.
Later97 the warranty must have run out on those bow eyes.
I have the same year Mac 25 and mine loosened up about two years ago. I added some large fender washers, what a pain. It was fine until recently I noticed it starting to loosen again. I may need to cut a bigger access panel and replace the block. Do you have a picture of what is going on inside there? One solution to preventing the bouncing and undue stress on the eye is to strap the bow down to the trailer frame. Frank
I have the same year Mac 25 and mine loosened up about two years ago. I added some large fender washers, what a pain. It was fine until recently I noticed it starting to loosen again. I may need to cut a bigger access panel and replace the block. Do you have a picture of what is going on inside there? One solution to preventing the bouncing and undue stress on the eye is to strap the bow down to the trailer frame. Frank
Later97 the warranty must have run out on those bow eyes.
I have the same year Mac 25 and mine loosened up about two years ago. I added some large fender washers, what a pain. It was fine until recently I noticed it starting to loosen again. I may need to cut a bigger access panel and replace the block. Do you have a picture of what is going on inside there? One solution to preventing the bouncing and undue stress on the eye is to strap the bow down to the trailer frame. Frank
I have the same year Mac 25 and mine loosened up about two years ago. I added some large fender washers, what a pain. It was fine until recently I noticed it starting to loosen again. I may need to cut a bigger access panel and replace the block. Do you have a picture of what is going on inside there? One solution to preventing the bouncing and undue stress on the eye is to strap the bow down to the trailer frame. Frank
bow eye
Timo has the right answer. An all epoxy/glass backing plate has no compression. So it will loosen up again and again. The wood compresses and keeps pressure on the threads of the U bolt. Use lock tight too, or self locking nuts, or better, both. Do use fender washers over the wood block, I use lock washers over the fender washers too. Yes the wood will rot out again. But it can be replaced easy enough. An all epoxy backing plate won't compress, and as it wears will allow the nuts to be loose. Once loose there will be movement and that will cause more wear, thus even looser bolts (U bolt/nuts). You can epoxy and paint the wood block, and if it is dry should last a very long time. If it's not dry you better find the leak anyways and fix that while your in there.
Timo has the right answer. An all epoxy/glass backing plate has no compression. So it will loosen up again and again. The wood compresses and keeps pressure on the threads of the U bolt. Use lock tight too, or self locking nuts, or better, both. Do use fender washers over the wood block, I use lock washers over the fender washers too. Yes the wood will rot out again. But it can be replaced easy enough. An all epoxy backing plate won't compress, and as it wears will allow the nuts to be loose. Once loose there will be movement and that will cause more wear, thus even looser bolts (U bolt/nuts). You can epoxy and paint the wood block, and if it is dry should last a very long time. If it's not dry you better find the leak anyways and fix that while your in there.
bow eye
Timo has the right answer. An all epoxy/glass backing plate has no compression. So it will loosen up again and again. The wood compresses and keeps pressure on the threads of the U bolt. Use lock tight too, or self locking nuts, or better, both. Do use fender washers over the wood block, I use lock washers over the fender washers too. Yes the wood will rot out again. But it can be replaced easy enough. An all epoxy backing plate won't compress, and as it wears will allow the nuts to be loose. Once loose there will be movement and that will cause more wear, thus even looser bolts (U bolt/nuts). You can epoxy and paint the wood block, and if it is dry should last a very long time. If it's not dry you better find the leak anyways and fix that while your in there.
Timo has the right answer. An all epoxy/glass backing plate has no compression. So it will loosen up again and again. The wood compresses and keeps pressure on the threads of the U bolt. Use lock tight too, or self locking nuts, or better, both. Do use fender washers over the wood block, I use lock washers over the fender washers too. Yes the wood will rot out again. But it can be replaced easy enough. An all epoxy backing plate won't compress, and as it wears will allow the nuts to be loose. Once loose there will be movement and that will cause more wear, thus even looser bolts (U bolt/nuts). You can epoxy and paint the wood block, and if it is dry should last a very long time. If it's not dry you better find the leak anyways and fix that while your in there.
If you replace
the eye itself, get one with nuts on the outside, that way you can snug it up if necessary without being a contortionist, I bedded the outer plate in 4200, that should keep it from rotting again. You would be suprised how much water can come in through a loose bow eye. I used locktite on the nuts since you have to thread them down a long way and it's hard on your wrists to turn locknuts that far. Tim
the eye itself, get one with nuts on the outside, that way you can snug it up if necessary without being a contortionist, I bedded the outer plate in 4200, that should keep it from rotting again. You would be suprised how much water can come in through a loose bow eye. I used locktite on the nuts since you have to thread them down a long way and it's hard on your wrists to turn locknuts that far. Tim
If you replace
the eye itself, get one with nuts on the outside, that way you can snug it up if necessary without being a contortionist, I bedded the outer plate in 4200, that should keep it from rotting again. You would be suprised how much water can come in through a loose bow eye. I used locktite on the nuts since you have to thread them down a long way and it's hard on your wrists to turn locknuts that far. Tim
the eye itself, get one with nuts on the outside, that way you can snug it up if necessary without being a contortionist, I bedded the outer plate in 4200, that should keep it from rotting again. You would be suprised how much water can come in through a loose bow eye. I used locktite on the nuts since you have to thread them down a long way and it's hard on your wrists to turn locknuts that far. Tim
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