New TM mount; fastening tips?

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MikeA57

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My wife works for a specialty metal fabricator and I drew up some plans for a trolling motor mount and had them build it for me. It's made out of aluminum, but I'm wondering how to fasten it through the front deck of my 1448 Lowe Big John. My idea was to use carriage bolts through the new mount, through the deck, and then through the extra plate I had them make underneath with lockwashers keeping it from coming loose. Does this sound like a good plan or does anybody have any better suggestions? I'll try to post some pix of it tonight.
 
Sounds like it should work w/o any issues if all of your measurements were accurate. You can always adjust the height, etc., using wally world cutting board material as shims or spacers.
 
Over the years, I've gotten away from using lock washers. I've gone to stainless steel nylock type nuts and SS bolts. Just a lot easier for me to slip on in tight spots.

I have no doubt that the old fashioned, cheaper, lock washers work just fine. Rich

p.s. One thing that I did recently find, though, is to NOT try to put a SS nylock onto a galvanized bolt. I sheared the galvanized bolt right off. I now use both SS bolts and nuts.
 
I riveted mine to the boat and took all of a few months to loosen up and crack it. Just had a new one built and welded on today. Cost me $35 to have it welded on which is what the rivet gun and rivets cost me in the 1st place.
 
DrNip said:
I riveted mine to the boat and took all of a few months to loosen up and crack it. Just had a new one built and welded on today. Cost me $35 to have it welded on which is what the rivet gun and rivets cost me in the 1st place.
Are you talking about riveting the mount straight to the bow or a piece of metal to the bow. I am also working a project to put a pinpoint or ipilot motor up front. Going from a transom mount motor I have ran for year cant wait to see the difference. Anyway, my intention was to have a piece of thick aluminum or even a piece of heavier metal bent to form a raised platform to mount a quick release bracket on. Im gonna rivit that to the bow using some heavy guage rivets.
 
I riveted it straight to the bow. Was no way of getting a nut onto the bolt if I went this route . My problem was I had to cut the mount to fit and this created a weak point which caused two big cracks in the mount. The rivets mounted to the bow worked loose from moving the motor up and down regardless so that is why I welded the new mount. If you use rivets check them often. I can't believe how fast mine worked loose. Here are some pics of old mount and cracks and new mount. The new mount is also 1" wider so the trolling motor bolt holes aren't on the edge.

photo 2.jpg
photo 1.jpg
photo 3.jpg
photo 4.jpg
 
I see what your saying. My plan is to just blunt up to the lip on the bow. If anything it could probly sit a bit higher than flush with the lip. Im a stick with a rivet gun. I own 3 or 4, even have the "big daddy" rivet gun which is great for big solid rivits.
 
Ah I see what your saying too. I was entertaining that idea on this most recent mount but went with this way instead. This way I can get 6 bolts on the trolling motor instead of the 4 on the last mount. The two additional bolts are the ones sticking through that are taped.
 
Thanks guys, yeah, I guess I was wondering about Galvanized vs Stainless bolts & Nuts. So stainless is OK huh?

Here are the pictures I've got of the mount and where I'm planning on placing it. Nothing is final yet although I have cut out some of the foam that's up under the front deck.

https://s240.photobucket.com/user/MikeA57/library/TM Mount?sort=3&page=1

From a couple of the pictures you can tell that I started sanding the plate getting ready to paint it.

A couple other questions I have are:
1. There is a slight gap between the top of the gunwale to the bottom of the mount (Although I provided precise measurements and even a picture of the tape measure as I measured it.) and I'm wondering if I need to build that up at all or what. It's about 3/16" to 1/4".
2. I've read a number of articles about prepping aluminum for paint but I'm wondering if there are any "gotcha tips" that anyone can add about their experiences doing this?
3. Is there any reason to paint the support plate that will be underneath the deck?
4. How necessary is it to replace the foam that I took out from up under the deck and how would I get it installed?

Thanks!
 
I just cleaned mine with TSP substitute, sprayed with rustoleum self etching primer and then sprayed painted it with the factory paint.

I wouldn't worry about that little amount if foam. You can but I wouldn't.

I wouldn't worry about spraying the underneath plate.
 
DrNip said:
Ah I see what your saying too. I was entertaining that idea on this most recent mount but went with this way instead. This way I can get 6 bolts on the trolling motor instead of the 4 on the last mount. The two additional bolts are the ones sticking through that are taped.
Have you thought about using the quick release plate. It is 4 bolts but yea I see the front wouldnt be really braced or bolted if the mount just blunted up to the lip
 
In the past, on a few occasions, I mounted a trolling motor on to an oak board. I then had a lot more flexibility on where to mount the whole rig.

I used stainless steel T nuts under the oak board.
 
get it welded and be done with it... I had mine bolted using those rubber isolator anchor screw things.. gave me fits.., went through 2 sets.. they wouldn't stay tight... I went and had a riser built and welded so I can now through bolt with lock nuts...
 

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[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363639#p363639 said:
Dark3 » Yesterday, 07:50[/url]"]
DrNip said:
Ah I see what your saying too. I was entertaining that idea on this most recent mount but went with this way instead. This way I can get 6 bolts on the trolling motor instead of the 4 on the last mount. The two additional bolts are the ones sticking through that are taped.
Have you thought about using the quick release plate. It is 4 bolts but yea I see the front wouldnt be really braced or bolted if the mount just blunted up to the lip
No I never really entertained the thought. I have no needs of taking the motor off and on. I store it in the garage and when not in the garage I'm on it so no need to worry about thieves. I did think about instead of running the mount over the gunwale to just 90 degree it down and weld it to the gunwale. This way the mount sat flush with the gunwale.

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363749#p363749 said:
marshman » Yesterday, 23:04[/url]"]get it welded and be done with it... I had mine bolted using those rubber isolator anchor screw things.. gave me fits.., went through 2 sets.. they wouldn't stay tight... I went and had a riser built and welded so I can now through bolt with lock nuts...
This is the conclusion I came up with finally. Weld it and be done. Cost me $35 to have the 7 rivet holes welded and sanded and mount welded on. Now I don't have to worry about checking rivets or bolts for tightness.
 
DrNip said:
[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363639#p363639 said:
Dark3 » Yesterday, 07:50[/url]"]
DrNip said:
Ah I see what your saying too. I was entertaining that idea on this most recent mount but went with this way instead. This way I can get 6 bolts on the trolling motor instead of the 4 on the last mount. The two additional bolts are the ones sticking through that are taped.
Have you thought about using the quick release plate. It is 4 bolts but yea I see the front wouldnt be really braced or bolted if the mount just blunted up to the lip
No I never really entertained the thought. I have no needs of taking the motor off and on. I store it in the garage and when not in the garage I'm on it so no need to worry about thieves. I did think about instead of running the mount over the gunwale to just 90 degree it down and weld it to the gunwale. This way the mount sat flush with the gunwale.

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363749#p363749 said:
marshman » Yesterday, 23:04[/url]"]get it welded and be done with it... I had mine bolted using those rubber isolator anchor screw things.. gave me fits.., went through 2 sets.. they wouldn't stay tight... I went and had a riser built and welded so I can now through bolt with lock nuts...
This is the conclusion I came up with finally. Weld it and be done. Cost me $35 to have the 7 rivet holes welded and sanded and mount welded on. Now I don't have to worry about checking rivets or bolts for tightness.
Thats cool, I think I will follow your lead and "learn the easy way" lo. Can you just let me know one more thing; the metal, did you have it braked, bought as is,ect???
 
The 1st one was an Alumcraft mount that I tweaked to fit. The 2nd I had a local company make. I had it made with thicker .125 metal and 1" wider. Cost me $70.
 
I think it's best to find a fab shop with a brake and have the metal bent.. much cleaner look.., mine wasn't bent.. it was built out all flat plate.. it's a little rough around the edges and not exactly how I wanted, but it will work fine... I recently moved to a new town and there's not an aluminum fab shop on every corner like where I used to live..
 

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