Broken weedless grate on 97 challenger. How to fix?

[scooper77515]

Thinking about mig welding it back together, and maybe reinforcing with a strip of other metal running along the trailing edge.

Other option I have thought of was to pull the entire cable out and disable the weedless system and just run a stainless wire up into the hull, anchor it, and silicone it all closed.

Any other suggestions?

Not replacing the part because the don't make it anymore.

 

[seadooya]

from the looks of the last pic, you got enough thread there to work with. Also, it looks like its in the "close" position, if so, then why not clean the threads and get a longer "heim", then attach it to grate, or getta "female threaded spacer", thead it to the rod, then get female heim, and thread it into the spacer, but probably the spacer cant be too long?

 

[Dr Honda]

:agree:


You either need to make up a little spacer, or check on McMaster Carr's web site, and see if you can find a ball joint that is just a little longer.




http://www.mcmaster.com/#

 

[Adam X20]

This small part would be best to have it TIG welded.
To try and MIG weld this small you would only be able to tac in 2 or three spots. (minimal penentration with lots of perocity)

TIG would enable a full weld around perimeter & controlled penetration.

 

[scooper77515]

I will pull off what I can and hit the hardware store.

We have one in Freeport that sells all kinds of marine and stainless stuff. Might be able to get it in brass...

Thanks for the suggestions! I was leaning toward something more permanent, but your suggestions are better, if I can find the parts.

If not, I have a 2" long threaded stainless bolt, cut the head off, and weld it like this -=- with the extra bolt layed on the trailing edge. Just tack the two existing pieces together, then lay the bolt on the back overlapping both pieces, and then weld along both sides filling in the length of the grooves made by the 3 pieces.

 

[voodoo]

That looks like a welding job, I shopped slowly before buying my 97 single engine and this weed gate is something that seems to be in very few hulls - I would not defeat it unless you know you will not want to use it.

 

[scooper77515]

I just got back from the local hardware shop...didn't need to do the hour drive to the marine shop.

I got a ball joint, a 2" long screw that I will cut the head off of and make it "all-thread", then a coupler to tie the all-thread and the last couple threads of the existing cable. The pieces all added together come out to pretty darned close to the overall length of what was there in stock form. So if I just cut the all-thread the right size, I can thread it in and out until it matches the right length and VOILA!!! :hurray:

But, not stainless, so it is a temporary fix. I may hit that website and buy the same pieces in stainless, and paint POR-15 over all of this for the short term.

 

[scooper77515]

Thanks guys!!! :hurray::hurray::hurray::cheers:

Not perfect, but it works!

The ball joint puts a slight angle on the cable, but overall, it should work just fine!

Best part...$10 and 10 minutes worth of work!:reddevil:

 

[RFoster130]

Good fix!!