Grab rail brackets

[Just Say N20]

Is there a source for the brackets that hold the grab rail?

I got all the brackets but the "impossible" 2. The ones just ahead of the ends. :mad: Getting to the end on the starboard side with closed loop cooling in the engine compartment of a 16 was a treat. The end brackets were held in place with slotted screws. How fun is that?

Who has done this? I had to slide feet first into the the ski storage area, and then "roll" over the side of it onto the side of the hull, and then inch back towards the transom until I could reach the forward of the two side mounts.

I'm much to pudgy to slide back in there between the hull and cockpit tub to reach the back ones. I'm almost thinking it would be easier to remove the deck to get these things off.

Has anyone taken some 3/8th aluminum plate, drilled/tapped it, and used some 5200 to attach it to the underside of the deck to hold the fittings?

You could put the bolts into the fitting and then slide them onto the grab rail. Then tighten them down into the aluminum backing plate.

This would allow you to remove the fittings without having to get to the underside to remove a nut.

[MOP]

PM Tommy "Rust & Rot" he can get them!

Phil

[rustnrot]

I had at least one PM lately I trying to find them more later...

[MOP]

One thing you can do to get to the nuts off is to attach a wrench to a piece of tubing, it must be heavily taped leaving the box end exposed. Get someone up top with a screw driver to get the screw out, it is a bit of a juggling match putting it back together. You have to tape the nuts to the wrench leaving the threads exposed and :cussball: a bit but it works. You can drop a nut or two so before hand take an towel and push it in under the fitting it usually catches them just fine.

[rustnrot]

Here is the answer: The ends are still available but barely and the supports, those are the little ones are no longer available.

[Just Say N20]

Here is the answer: The ends are still available but barely and the supports, those are the little ones are no longer available.

Thank you. Bummer. Mine are heavily pitted, and one of them is cracked almost all the way through.

Options? Are there other fittings that could be substituted? I was looking at the Don A. gift to Bill Muncey 1964 Ski Sporter. He had a new grab rail fabricated with "legs" welded to it. Nice, but very expensive I'm guessing.


MOP. Wrench on a stick. Very good idea. The screws they used are certainly long enough. These have 1.5" of exposed thread.

I think I'm going to put threaded backing plates under them. Tiara did this for deck cleats and bow rail stanchion feet attachment.

[MOP]

You can match the ends but finding the matching center fitting is near impossible, a couple sources of S/S not chrome on brass ends below. There are centers but not like the original two sided one.

http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/HARDWARE-Rails_Rail_Fittings.html

http://www.morseindustries.com/products.cfm?productkey=1114&productgroupkey=27&categoryid=3

[Just Say N20]

You can match the ends but finding the matching center fitting is near impossible, a couple sources of S/S not chrome on brass ends below. There are centers but not like the original two sided one.

http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/HARDWARE-Rails_Rail_Fittings.html

http://www.morseindustries.com/products.cfm?productkey=1114&productgroupkey=27&categoryid=3

Thank you. I was figuring I would have to go with the new style center fittings. I appreciate the links.

My rail is aluminum, and is broken through in one spot. Is aluminum original?

[BigGrizzly]

You a r not gong to believe what I did. I took my 1/4" ait ratchet, removed the coupler put on a 12 inch pipe then the coupler and then put a button air blower button to it. I then taped the button of the air ratchet on, mad sure it was turning in the off position (very important:yes:) Slid it under the bolt and pushed the button done deal. I did this after many cuts and holes in my arms and a bump on the head and 3 hours of cussing. It took me a half an hour to figure this out and assemble it. Yes I kept all the pieces for future use.

[Just Say N20]

Truly impressive engineering, BigGrizz. :shades:

I never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity I see here. Different thought processes. Some see the problem, and immediately start looking for different ways to accomplish the task, like MOP's "wrench on a stick" solution.

Too many times I try and figure out how I can get MY HAND in there to get the job done. Last night I'm thinking, if I take the exhaust manifolds off, I just might be able to squeeze in there, and then squish forward enough to reach the nut. Lots of extra work.

I feel so stupid when I hear creative solutions, and realize it doesn't have to actually be MY HAND holding the wrench.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

Thank you. I was figuring I would have to go with the new style center fittings. I appreciate the links.

My rail is aluminum, and is broken through in one spot. Is aluminum original?

My 1971 came with a polished ss rail. Bill

[Speed Racer]

The V-drive has an al- lou-min-ee-um rail, that polished up nicely..
I might have a couple of brackets laying around, somehow I managed to purchase an extra few... If they are in decent shape, you certainly could get them cleaned up and chromed again, which worked really well for me!

[Just Say N20]

The V-drive has an al- lou-min-ee-um rail, that polished up nicely..
I might have a couple of brackets laying around, somehow I managed to purchase an extra few... If they are in decent shape, you certainly could get them cleaned up and chromed again, which worked really well for me!

That would be fantastic. PM me with a price, please. I would only need one to replace the broken one.

I was thinking of replacing the grab rail with SS only because it is in two pieces. There is a break in it at the first support bracket on the starboard side.

[BigGrizzly]

N20 the reason we do figure out this stuff is because we have been there and done that, a lot. Remember MOP and I have been techs for 40 plus years, you forget more things then others have tried. Like a hack saw blad on a stick to cut through awire harness mount under the seat area to remove the harnes without removing the deck. There are a ton more.:)