All the ones I have done use the stainless screws that came with them and I haven't seen one fail.
Hi Mikidymac,
I have an Aqua Step Model 1095XPD that I just purchased brand new for a 1996 Sea Doo GTi and I have never installed one before and I have all the required tools from the tool list. But the printed instructions that came with the step doesn't specifically mention to "note the length of the screws and only drill to those lengths". The instructions in pdf form online say in Step #3, "
DRILLING: Note length of the screws(I measured them at 1 1/2" from the flange to the tip). Only drill the length of those screws!" After this warning. it goes on to say "Mark the spots. Drill straight and true. Make sure nothing impedes your drilling. Drill for the other holes.Yada Yada Yada." It then goes on to say again at the end of Step #3, "Note length of the screws: You'll only need to drill the length of those screws!
When I put on the supplied white nylon washer onto the 1 1/2" screw and put it through the mounting plate from the step and the black plastic back plate. There was 1" of the stainless steel screw left to install into the transom when I measured it. When I looked into the siphon holes from the pump since it is removed right now. It didn't look like the hull's wall was 1" thick. But more like 3/8" from that area. I don't know if it's thicker in other areas though. Such as where I need to drill the holes. But I'm thinking I need to drill ALL the way through the wall into the engine bay.
So I am not 100% sure what to do here! More like instinctively, 90% drill all the way through as I think about it and with the measurements of the screw with hardware installed and what's left over of the screw to bite into the transom thickness and 10% only drill partially into the hull
So with that all being explained. I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind.
1.) Do I drill all the way through the hull until I've punched through into the engine bay or do I stop at a certain point and not drill all the way through the hull? If not, what is the depth that I need to stop drilling at?
2.) Do I put silicone onto the stainless steel screws and drive them into the hull to prevent leaks or do I just put silicone around the drilled holes or on the flange of the stainless steel screws?
3.) What is the thickness of the transom?
Thanks for your time!