wantsa311

Has anyone had any luck getting the screws at the base of the bolster legs out of the floor? I took my bolster apart to get the cylinder repaired and I discovered that the weld at the base of one of the legs is broken.

If I can get it apart it can be welded but the screws holding the base to the floor are really stuck - probably corroded. Any ideas?

Ted G

Formula used aluminum backing plates to bolt the frames in and the screws or bolts corrode prety badly in there. The last one I did we just broke them off and then redrilled and tapped the bases, but we replaced the bolsters with a different design. You could just break them loose, then drill out the old bolts and tap for a larger bolt to go back in the same holes.

RedDog382

I had problems with the stantions breaking at the base in my '89 311 too. After welding failed, I pulled them and replaced them with the newer style ones from McLeod Design. Pre-90 stantions were subbed out to another source or made in-house at Formula. These will work with your old bolsters, but you need to drill and tap new holes in the cockpit floor.

http://www.mcleoddesign.com/index.html

RedDog382

Did you try an impact screwdriver (big heavy metal driver you rap at the end with a hammer while loading torsionally)?

I think the screws are stainless ... they would be a bear to try to drill out and retap if they are.

wantsa311

Thanks for the suggestion - I haven't tried anything yet. I also was thinking an impact driver might do the trick, maybe some penetrating oil on it first. You mentioned drilling and tapping new holes if I got new supports from McLeod. Is there a steel plate in the floor? Will the new supports cover the holes from the old supports?

RedDog382

There is an aluminum plate below the cockpit floor. The newer McLeod stantion holes will hit over the plate. Made me nervous as hell tapping these, but turned out great. Much more solid.

The old holes will be visible, but you can seal them with white marine sealer or gel coat them. Then a new carpet from R&R Textiles.

Audiofn

If anyone needs a leg I have one. I purchased brand new ones.

Jon

ThirdBird

I had to re-weld the legs on my 311 also. Had no issues getting the screws out. The factory welds are very weak, they used a half-azzed fillet weld under the plate that only fused to the very edge of the leg tube (thickness of the tubing). I had a friend put a nice looking full fillet weld on top of the plates. It's nuclear-grade now.

wantsa311

You must be livin' right. If the weld was a strong as the corrosion in mine it never would have broke. My boat saw some salt water use in it's previous life so that's probably why. Did you have to use an impact driver like RedDog suggested?

ThirdBird

No impact required, just an appropriately fitting large phillips head and some muscle.