Securing old seats to bracket/swivel

[KU_Bassmaster.]

First off I have a boat similar to this.  Please take notice to the seats.

My problem is the screws that hold the seat to the swivel/bracket come loose and eventually fall out if I don't check them often, leaving seat a little unstable and tippy on top of the base.

Here are some more pics:

Here's the bottom of the seat assembly.  As you can see one screw has fallen out.

Here's one that's on it's way out.  When they are like this, they also interfere with the seat swiveling smoothly.

Here's the holes.  You can also see some plastic shavings that the screws have taken out over time.

And here's one of the screws. As you can see, it has stripped some of the plastic out with it

I would like to do every thing possible not to buy new seats.  I have the ones with out pads and thus far I have had no luck finding them.  I am thinking about filling the whole up with some sort of adhesive (epoxy?), then re-screw the bracket back on.

I've also thought maybe there is some sort of plastic filler out there.  Fill the holes.  Re-drill some holes, then attach.  The more I think about that though, I don't like it unless maybe one of you guys have done something like this.

Suggestions???

Epoxy ... yes/no??

[Gatorbassman]

How are the pads attatched?

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Huh?

My seats do not have pads ... I like that.

I am not sure about the others.  I have never paid attention to that when I have seen them in person.

I see what you may be getting at ... rip the pads off???

But those things are like $30+ a piece.  $60+ for a couple cheap plastic seats just doesn't sit well in my mind for some reason. :

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey KU Walmart sells high back plastic replacement seats for around 8 bucks and a 20 padded version. Either way replace the seat because I tried filling in the old srew holes they just crack again. When you put the new bolts in paint a good epoxy glue over the head onto the hole it stops em from backing out. DO NOT CRANK THE BOLTS TOO MUCH thats what I was dioing and it was stripping the screw holes and causing the plastic to crack.\

They dont have the molded seats on line but they always have them by the trooling motors and boat supply for around 8 bucks heres the padded ones:

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=4125&search_query=boat+seats&ic=24_0

[Hale]

use fatter screws so they dig into the existing plastic. It wouldnt hurt to add an epoxy as well.

When you put the new bolts in paint a giood epoxy glue over the head onto the hole it stops em from backing out. DO NOT CRANK THE BOLTS TOO MUCH thats what I was dioing and it was stripping the screw holes and causing the plastic to crack.

Muddyman was right on about that too ^

[Gatorbassman]

Duh. I read "with" not with out. lol

What you need to do is go to Home Depot or Lowes and get you some anchor nuts the same width as your screw hole and the bolts and a washer to go with them.

Drill a hole through the seat at the location of the existing screw holes. The hole needs to be big enough so the anchor nut will slide in. then put the anchor nut in the top and the bolt and washer in the bottom and that should do it.

Let me see if I can find a picture of an anchor nut for ya.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Yeah Muddy, I think I have seen those. Are they the one's that don't fold down??

I would prefer the ones that fold down because they have to go in my vehicle when en route. I know, I am so particular : ;D

That is by far the best price on those seats I have seen though. If I end up buying new seats, I will have to go check-out Wal-Mart. Thanks.

[Gatorbassman]

It looks like this, but I would get one without the spikes or flatten them out.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

How come a moderator gets away with posting pictures of his nuts?

[Long Mike]

I would suggest using a bit having the same diameter as the existing bolt holes and drilling all the way through the seat.  then drop in a rounded head bolt from the top side and secure it with a nut and lock washer.  The rounded heads of the bolt should not be too uncomfortable to sit on.  If they are, simply cut a 1/2" thick piece of closed-cell foam rubber to fit the contour of the seat and glue it down.  Closed-cell foam will not absorb water.

[Gatorbassman]

How come a moderator gets away with posting pictures of his nuts?

Almonds or Pecans? You're making me hungry.

[huskertko]

KU,

I found the seats like that without the pads at the Wal Mart on 135th and Blackbob.  In fact I bought one that I am going to put on my personal pontoon.  They are pretty cheap, cost wise, I think I paid $11.  If my experiment on my boat doesn't work, I will have one that I would sell you, along with a new swivel mount.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

KU,

I found the seats like that without the pads at the Wal Mart on 135th and Blackbob. In fact I bought one that I am going to put on my personal pontoon. They are pretty cheap, cost wise, I think I paid $11. If my experiment on my boat doesn't work, I will have one that I would sell you, along with a new swivel mount.

:o :o

I am out the door RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Thank You ....... maybe ;D

[huskertko]

No Problem.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

BTW - An "experiment" not work???? Never. ;D

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

KU- I did exactly as Hale suggested and had my first yr of not having to break out the big phillps head every 3 trips.

If you go with the "do this once and forget about it" solution of Flukes, go a hair short with the bolt so it stays flush.  A drop of loc-tite and you'll never touch them again.  Be careful prying that bottom pad out, if you break a clip, you're buying a seat.

Good luck!

[huskertko]

BTW - An "experiment" not work???? Never. ;D

I should have clarified, I KNOW that i can mount the seat to my boat, what I don't know is if the COG will be too high for my fat butt and make the boat unstable. ;D

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Well I didn't find any seats last night.

So, first I think I will try some fatter screws.  That seems the easiest and least invasive on my seats.  If that fails, then it's time to do something like Fluke and Mike suggested. Thanks

[fish-fighting-illini]

Not until I saw Muddy's link did I realize I have the same seats and same problem. KU if you don't want to go to the trouble of the drilling first you might try some crazy glue in the hole that has the right size hole and screw. I think the glue will stick to both the plastic and the metal. For ones that don't you might fill the whole hole with epoxy and re-drill but you might as well go the permanent route for that much work.

In the link that Muddy posted those $22 seats look like they fold to me.

If you go with new seats I'd put crazy glue in with the screws and coat the top of the bolt like they suggested. Anything to get rid of that annoying bolt hassle is worth it.

[snapperd1]

Might want to try some 3M 5200 it will take several days to setup but it should be perminent when dry.

TD