Loose console

[fishcast]

I have a 20011 pathfinder 2000v.  It appears the console is primarily/only held down with screws at its base.  

The screws I have want to rattle out almost constantly and it’s very easy for the console rocks back and forth on me. 

Wondering if anyone has any input on what to do? I’ve tried tightening the screws in with super glue to keep them from backing out with no luck. I’m thinking of coating them in 5 minute epoxy and inserting them... can I get longer screws to use for a better bite? Any other ideas? Thanks much 

[smooth move]

i put some extra screws in mine, one between each of the existing. that stopped the console from wobbleing, but i have to go around and retighten them every so often. i wait untill one starts backing out, then tighten them all. most of the original screws are stripped out.

[Grant]

If the entire console is wobbling, attempt to get some 3M 4200 or Life Seal into any available space around the base.

Liberally apply 3M 4200 or Boat Life "Life Seal" into screw holes before tightening.  You may need to up-size screws if holes are wallowed out.

Use of additional screws as Smooth Move suggests will help.

Checking the screws throughout the season and especially after any rough treatment is good practice.

[BradM]

MY 1900 was like that when I bought it. I took everything out from under the console and hit the floor and about 3 inches up the console wall with 80 grit. I mixed up some resin and chopped mat and glassed it the console to the floor. I mixed up another batch of resin and filled all the old screw holes....never had another issue.

[fishcast]

Thanks for the ideas so far... if anyone has more keep them coming... 

 

 do you guys think thicker screws and or longer screws would be better for holes that are largely stripped out? 

 

My boats in another state at the moment. I’m forgetting exactly how/where the console screws in but there must be an elevated base under the console that the console screws into or something ... 

[RodWorks]

57 minutes ago, BradM said:

MY 1900 was like that when I bought it. I took everything out from under the console and hit the floor and about 3 inches up the console wall with 80 grit. I mixed up some resin and chopped mat and glassed it the console to the floor. I mixed up another batch of resin and filled all the old screw holes....never had another issue.

This is the correct way to fix the issue.. You can also upgrade the size of the screws. I believe there is an aluminum strip glassed into the sides of the raised portion the console sits down on.  You should be able to access through were your fuel tank access is.

[Lap it Up]

13 hours ago, BradM said:

MY 1900 was like that when I bought it. I took everything out from under the console and hit the floor and about 3 inches up the console wall with 80 grit. I mixed up some resin and chopped mat and glassed it the console to the floor. I mixed up another batch of resin and filled all the old screw holes....never had another issue.

Agreed,  This is the permanent fix.

[Grant]

22 hours ago, fishcast said:

Thanks for the ideas so far... if anyone has more keep them coming... 

 

 do you guys think thicker screws and or longer screws would be better for holes that are largely stripped out? 

 

My boats in another state at the moment. I’m forgetting exactly how/where the console screws in but there must be an elevated base under the console that the console screws into or something ... 

Glassing in the base as suggested will absolutely fix it.

If you want to try more or bigger screws first before you tackle the fiberglass, go with the next size thicker rather than longer.

[Tarpon1215]

What BradM said.

[fishcast]

So to double check when Brad is saying he glassed the console in, he glassed in the space between the raised base and the console itself? Thanks again guys. I’m just getting around to check everything out in detail how.  I pulled all my batteries out and pulled wiring aside 

[BradM]

Hey Fishcast, I don't own the boat anymore or I would post pics. But to answer your question, yes. On the side walls inside the console, I took an an angle grinder with 80 grit paper on it and roughed up the walls about 4"-5" from the raised base, up. I did the same on the bottom of the raised base, but from the console wall in 4"-5"...I did not glass over or near the drain holes at the rear (helm side) of the console. Wear a respirator or at least a quality dust mask when you do this. You can also sand by hand, but I'm always in a hurry. Now cut some mat or roving in strips about 5" wide and as long as each of the 3 sides of the console. Test fit them and get a feel for how it's going to lay out... mix up some marine resin with the proper amount of hardener, and get after it. I use a cheap "chip" brush the rough in and then a roller specifically for glassing, to get air bubbles out (not essential here, but nice). I did a couple layers here. I can't remember how heavy a cloth I used at first, but it wasn't light. Once it kicked, I added another layer, but went further up and with a wider strip...8" or so. I went over those two layers with maybe 10 oz. cloth....and 10" wide. This just cleans up nicer. I never had it come loose after that. 

Oh yeah, run a bead of silicone down in the crack between the raised deck piece and the console. This will keep resin from leaking through and onto the deck, outside of the console. A strip of masking tape or painters tape will work, too. Don't use wide tape, just 1" or so. You don't want the glass job to be compromised. You can mix up some gel coat and fill in your work, but that's up to you. 

[smilemaker]

You do not need to glass  the entire inside perimeter 

I would cut some chopped glass mat into strips about 12 inches  long and 3 in wide

Sand  areas down to glass and soak mat in resin and apply. Any gelcoat will weaken the bond

I would place each side of door 4 along each side and 3 in front

Should hold well

 

[fin-addict]

On ‎4‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 3:40 PM, Grant said:

If the entire console is wobbling, attempt to get some 3M 4200 or Life Seal into any available space around the base.

Liberally apply 3M 4200 or Boat Life "Life Seal" into screw holes before tightening.  You may need to up-size screws if holes are wallowed out.

Use of additional screws as Smooth Move suggests will help.

Checking the screws throughout the season and especially after any rough treatment is good practice.

x2 on the above

[fishcast]

Thanks for all the help guys. For whatever it’s worth I’ll mention what I did...

My console was loose to the point where I literally couldn’t keep it tight at all even with the screws in place and tight as they’d get and the screws absolutely wouldn’t stay in very long.   I run a lot of very rough water and drive a lot of dirt roads at times also.   Sometimes up to 60 plus miles of dirt road trailering the boat one way and On the water sometimes 60 plus miles one way through some big chop one way to a fishing spot. Screws and that kind of vibration just don’t work out well.  

I bought Bondo Hair. It’s the resin/pre mixed fiberglass strands and the harderner that come packaged together.  

The gap between the raised base under the console and the console was very narrow and  it would’ve been a bigger pain to lift it out to sand better but I tried to rough it up a bit with the console in place.

i forced some bondo hair into be very small gap between the raised floor and the console along the entire length of the front of the console through the corners.   I also did the back corners and about 5” past the corners.   So there’s still some gaps to allow water to drain out but the corners and the whole front and part of back got bondo haired in.  While applying the bondo I put the screws in immediately after and I used washers when I put the screws in along the sides.   

After a couple hundred miles on the water including a good amount of it in some pretty good chop, and 70 plus miles of gravel roads I have no wiggle or signs of screws loosening.  

The process to glass it in isn’t easy to do at all because of poor access under the console but it was worth it for me it seems so far for sure.  I love my pathfinder but hate the under console access.  Glad the new model pathfinders have giant access doors for when I get a different one some day . 

 

[BradM]

I had a 1900v for 10 or so years, and know the struggle well! The acces on the newer boats is ridiculous!!!! I don't even know how to act now. Glad you got her fixed and under way. 

[scseadog]

Resurrecting this old post.  I need to add new screws as described and wondering what size screws are the next larger then the factory installed - working on my 02 1900 and won't be able to pull the existing screws until I get it on the work rack.  Will do the glass in solution over the winter.  

[Miss Jazzy]

The factory BOLTS NOT SCREWS are 1/4” by 1 1/2”  with washers and lock nuts. I just done this fix last week. The larger bolts were hard for me to find and I could only reach the ones close to the access door. I added a piece of aluminum angle the I bolted to the console and floor.  

[scseadog]

23 minutes ago, Miss Jazzy said:

The factory BOLTS NOT SCREWS are 1/4” by 1 1/2”  with washers and lock nuts. I just done this fix last week. The larger bolts were hard for me to find and I could only reach the ones close to the access door. I added a piece of aluminum angle the I bolted to the console and floor.  

Thanks Jazzy.  So you added the aluminum angle in the front of the console?  

[Miss Jazzy]

I didn’t realize mine was loose until I added a t top so this is how I fixed it. Took out all the bolts I could reach. Picked up the console/t top as far as I could and propped it up with a 2x4. I couldn’t go much because the t top legs on the front   were secured to the deck but I got it up about 1/2”. I then laid a bead of 5200 under the edge of console. Set it back down and ratchet strapped it down tight. Then drilled out old holes to so the new bigger bolts would fit. Bedded them in 5200 and reset. Then added the aluminum angle. It goes just inside the door all the way across from side to side. I had to trim about a 1/4” off the angle under the door so it would clear the door frame. I bedded it with 5200 and bolted it down. I also had to trim a little off the front edge of the access door to miss the angle but plenty room to screw it back. 
 

[scseadog]

Thanks for the description and photos, very helpful.