Aluminum Jon boat seat install

[Luke Barnes]

I have a Tracker Topper 14 and have two seats in Swiveleze pedestals. I bought a cheapo rivet gun to rivet the base to the seat platform but am worried about the aluminum being too thin and them pulling out. How has everyone mounted seat bases to aluminum?

[Scott F]

In my opinion, rivets will not hold. The bases should be bolted down, preferably with a backing plate. You may have to cut a hole in the platform to allow access to put a wrench on the nuts.

[optimator]

I use a couple of these. I like to be able to take my seats out for duck season.

 

[BrianMDTX]

3 hours ago, Scott F said:

In my opinion, rivets will not hold. The bases should be bolted down, preferably with a backing plate. You may have to cut a hole in the platform to allow access to put a wrench on the nuts.

Or (as he has a rivet gun), install nut plates. But you need quality rivets, not standard pop rivets. Bucked rivets would be best, followed by Cherry Max rivets. 

[Luke Barnes]

3 hours ago, optimator said:

I use a couple of these. I like to be able to take my seats out for duck season.

 

I was gifted these for Christmas but my boat doesnt have an edge or tapering to the platforms so they didn't hold. 

 

@BrianMDTX would those higher quality rivets hold better than cheapo ones? I really dont want to cut holes in the platforms for a bolt, washer, nut setup. But i do agree that would be the best and most secure way of mounting them. 

[BrianMDTX]

1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said:

I was gifted these for Christmas but my boat doesnt have an edge or tapering to the platforms so they didn't hold. 

 

@BrianMDTX would those higher quality rivets hold better than cheapo ones? I really dont want to cut holes in the platforms for a bolt, washer, nut setup. But i do agree that would be the best and most secure way of mounting them. 

Cherry Max are aviation “pop” rivets. The actual nomenclature is blind rivet. In sufficient diameters for the material and the correct grip length, they are very strong. The only issue is that you can install them with a pop rivet gun. 
 

Bucked aluminum rivets are even stronger. But you need a pneumatic rivet gun and a bucking bar for that. 
 

But if you had access to that tooling, it would work great. 

[GreenPig]

13 hours ago, Scott F said:

In my opinion, rivets will not hold. The bases should be bolted down, preferably with a backing plate. You may have to cut a hole in the platform to allow access to put a wrench on the nuts.

I agree with the above statement. I'm assembling a 1436 LT and to mount my seat bases, I'm cutting access holes in the back of the seats which will be covered with aluminum. I'm also putting .125 aluminum under and on top of the factory seat to strengthen it. The factory seat is only slightly thicker than a beer can.

[Dogface]

20 hours ago, optimator said:

I use a couple of these. I like to be able to take my seats out for duck season.

 

I have two and have been using them on my john boat for a long time and have not had a problem rather than movement.

 

To prevent movement I ran all-thread through the bench seats from front to back after I lined it up with the lower inside corners of the clamp. I put a wing nut and washer on each end. 

 

If your seat has a lip you might not need all-thread. 

 

I would not use rivets or anything like a riv-nut on a boat seat because the aluminum is so light. The constant rocking, vibration and boaters weight bouncing around would tear up the aluminum quickly. 

[BrianMDTX]

7 minutes ago, Dogface said:

I have two and have been using them on my john boat for a long time and have not had a problem rather than movement.

 

To prevent movement I ran all-thread through the bench seats from front to back after I lined it up with the lower inside corners of the clamp. I put a wing nut and washer on each end. 

 

If your seat has a lip you might not need all-thread. 

 

I would not use rivets or anything like a riv-nut on a boat seat because the aluminum is so light. The constant rocking, vibration and boaters weight bouncing around would tear up the aluminum quickly. 

You’d have to make a doubler likely above and below the seat in order to prevent it from oil canning and cracking. 

[Luke Barnes]

So basically the only way to keep it from tearing the aluminum is reinforce the crap out of it or get some kind of clamp that you bolt into the seat platform?

[BrianMDTX]

When you sit on the current seat, your weight is distributed across the entire seat into the support structure of the hull. If you bolt or rivet a pedestal directly to the seat, your weight will be distributed to the fasteners supporting the pedestal. Every time you sit, bounce, etc, you will flex the metal of the seat until it cracks, unless it has additional support to spread the load. 

[SeaCrow]

I used large screws made for metal to mount my bases to the aluminum deck. Maybe I can explain what I mean, they're not self tapping, just large screws made to be used on metal. The ones I used have at least a 3/8 to 1/2 in. head. They've held up great with no issues of pulling loose. As far as mounting the seats to the bases I just used 1/4 in nuts and bolts with lock washers. 

[Luke Barnes]

The seats are mounted to a 12" pedestal base with a swivel between the seat and pedestal base. Was able to aquire the hardware for that at my work. But getting the pedestal base mounted to the boat platform itself is my quandary. 

[Herbert Lorenzo]

Just screw down a 1×6 on top of the aluminum  bench . Attach to that . My seats have been on for 7 years with no problems . Hope this helps .

[Luke Barnes]

Just now, Herbert Lorenzo said:

Just screw down a 1×6 on top of the aluminum  bench . Attach to that . My seats have been on for 7 years with no problems . Hope this helps .

What kind of screws did you use to attach the wood to the aluminum boat seat platform?

[Herbert Lorenzo]

55 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

What kind of screws did you use to attach the wood to the aluminum boat seat platform?

I went to the marine store and bought screws that are for marine use . I don't remember size number . The board distributes your body weight nicely . I weigh 250 lbs and pedestal use not a problem .

[Luke Barnes]

3 hours ago, Herbert Lorenzo said:

I went to the marine store and bought screws that are for marine use . I don't remember size number . The board distributes your body weight nicely . I weigh 250 lbs and pedestal use not a problem .

How long of a piece did you use? What did you use to attach the seat base to the wood?

[HenryPF]

Or lets just over-engineer the installation like I did.

 

Boat is a 1648 Tracker - the rear and front of the boat comes with a Attwood Swivl-Eze  3/4'' Pin Bases installed but I wanted another pin base to the left of the rear center base to sit in while driving the tiller engine and reinforce the base so it can't possibly rip out.

 

I cut a piece of 17/32" plywood the length and width of the back bench less 1 inch on each side (not marine plywood, too expensive). Wrapped it up in vinyl and cut out two 3" holes to mount the pin bases.

 

Cut out the section of the bench on the boat to accommodate the 1/4x20 SS machine screwed, washers, nylon locking nuts, giant washer/support bar and ground away some of flotation. Then screwed the whole thing down with 10x2" SS flat head screws every 10 inches using SS finish washers for a clean look. I designed it to hold my fishing buddy who weighs like 400lbs and not have it rip out or break when he leans back on seat/pedestal.

 

Here is a pic of it before I mounted it down on the bench with the 10x2" SS screws.

 

Would take a pic of it installed but lent the boat to neighbor as I got a new one.

 

 

[Herbert Lorenzo]

On 6/30/2020 at 9:51 PM, Luke Barnes said:

How long of a piece did you use? What did you use to attach the seat base to the wood?

Sorry I took so long to get back to you. The wood is about 3 maybe 4ft long . Attach pedestal or swivel base by facing bolts up from under wood before screwing wood down. Lock wood base down useing flat strap of metal on top of wood. Bend down 90 degrees over side of aluminum base . Then bolt down with marine grade screws side and top .  Then attach seat . Hope this helps. 

[Catt]

Mine are installed with 3/8" countersink screws with washer & locknuts. You will need a backing plate of aluminum or wood, glue it, & use only the 6 mounting screws (some only have 4) but use larger outside diameter washers.