Tower bolt stripped

[NickB]

Well it’s only been out 3 times and yesterday I was unable to go out due to a stripped bolt and bolt hole on the tower. This side seemed a little tough from the day I took the boat but assumed it just needed to be used a bit, guess the problem was it was already going. So I called my dealer during normal business hours and the whole place was empty except a guy answering the phones. He explains to
Me that everyone was at the lake for a party. Guess the guy who drops 40k on a boat should expect 0 service from his dealer on a normal operating day. I am really up in the air about this. Pissed about the bolt and pissed my dealer was not there when he should have been. Debating on contacted Yamaha and reporting the dealership, that’s horrible customer service. Kicker..
They never even called me back. Thanks a lot complete marine phx Arizona.

 

[B0at1n]

Well it’s only been out 3 times and yesterday I was unable to go out due to a stripped bolt and bolt hole on the tower. This side seemed a little tough from the day I took the boat but assumed it just needed to be used a bit, guess the problem was it was already going. So I called my dealer during normal business hours and the whole place was empty except a guy answering the phones. He explains to
Me that everyone was at the lake for a party. Guess the guy who drops 40k on a boat should expect 0 service from his dealer on a normal operating day. I am really up in the air about this. Pissed about the bolt and pissed my dealer was not there when he should have been. Debating on contacted Yamaha and reporting the dealership, that’s horrible customer service. Kicker..
They never even called me back. Thanks a lot complete marine phx Arizona.

I stripped my tower early on as well, don’t remember the thread size now, But I went and bought a tap from Lowe’s and fixed in in about 2 mins.

 

[robert843]

@swatski

 

[bronze_10]

@swatski

@robert843 was gonna do the same thing! Lol

 

[BigAbe75]

Well it’s only been out 3 times and yesterday I was unable to go out due to a stripped bolt and bolt hole on the tower. This side seemed a little tough from the day I took the boat but assumed it just needed to be used a bit, guess the problem was it was already going. So I called my dealer during normal business hours and the whole place was empty except a guy answering the phones. He explains to
Me that everyone was at the lake for a party. Guess the guy who drops 40k on a boat should expect 0 service from his dealer on a normal operating day. I am really up in the air about this. Pissed about the bolt and pissed my dealer was not there when he should have been. Debating on contacted Yamaha and reporting the dealership, that’s horrible customer service. Kicker..
They never even called me back. Thanks a lot complete marine phx Arizona.

For sure, they should have called you back. But, I’m not sure it’s reasonable to expect to talk to someone in charge every time you call. I know I am away from my desk a fair bit at my work.

Granted, if it had been me I would have said they were at a dealer event or training seminar, or something other than “party at the lake”. Of course, that could also be the sour intern’s perspective of a training event where he had to stay back and man the phones. .

Hope you get it resolved, one way or another!

 

[swatski]

@NickB @B0at1n those AR tower handwheel bolts have been known to be an issue, those threads can be damaged by practically anyone from factory to dealer to end user to service people.

The AR190 tower is less weight and different angle than 240, and have not been as much of a problem so far. But I would replace the bolt if cross threaded and keep an eye on it - for sure.

Here is one possible fix that works very well, in third season now with zero issues (after a catastrophic one).

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2015-ar240-tower-fix.16089/

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[haknslash]

One thing I found was always an issue with my AR192 tower was that the mounts or tower base were not quite lined up with the width of the tower. The port side bolt always went in easy and without any need to manipulate the tower to line up the holes but my starboard side I always had to pull the tower inward to line up the holes as I was screwing in the bolt. Otherwise it would not go in without ruining the threads. I would also pull it inward when removing the bolt so that the tension and force would come off the bolt. Port side would always be lined up. My hunch is on my boat the port side was the first mount used to mount the tower and the starboard side the installer did not get it quite right. I know most of the holes in the hull are cut by the robot in the plant but I’m not sure if the tower bolt holes are as well. If so then something it not right with the program or the boat deck is not quite lined up on the jig. We will never know other than these designs are a pain and I’m glad my new boat I no longer have to worry with bolts lining up!

Is your boat a 2015? That was a completely different design tower and folded to the rear of the boat. I’m not too familiar with that year tower and any issues it might have compared to my forward folding 2016+ version.

 

[swatski]

The fix I posted involves loosening bolts holding the tower bases/inserts (blocks) - working inside the gunnel, under the tower cap - that procedure realigns tower base inserts for a perfect fit with the handwheel bolts.

Also, check this for additional info, different model and tower but same bolt mounting base mechanism:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/warning-all-tower-owners-please-check-your-base-mounting-bolts.14898/

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[B0at1n]

Mine was user error, I was holding the tower in the low position while my wife installed the shipping brackets so we could use the shipping cover, kinda a pain. Now we have the Black morning cover so tower never gets lowered.

 

[Ancient canoe]

Sounds like the dealership closed down one day for a company party? Businesses are allowed to do that. They may also have horrible customer service to boot, but I wouldn't necessarily hold them not being available one particular day against them.

 

[NickB]

One thing I found was always an issue with my AR192 tower was that the mounts or tower base were not quite lined up with the width of the tower. The port side bolt always went in easy and without any need to manipulate the tower to line up the holes but my starboard side I always had to pull the tower inward to line up the holes as I was screwing in the bolt. Otherwise it would not go in without ruining the threads. I would also pull it inward when removing the bolt so that the tension and force would come off the bolt. Port side would always be lined up. My hunch is on my boat the port side was the first mount used to mount the tower and the starboard side the installer did not get it quite right. I know most of the holes in the hull are cut by the robot in the plant but I’m not sure if the tower bolt holes are as well. If so then something it not right with the program or the boat deck is not quite lined up on the jig. We will never know other than these designs are a pain and I’m glad my new boat I no longer have to worry with bolts lining up!

Is your boat a 2015? That was a completely different design tower and folded to the rear of the boat. I’m not too familiar with that year tower and any issues it might have compared to my forward folding 2016+ version.

2019 and the tower has on been put down 3 times by me for storage very carefully done as well. This is absolutely ridiculous, these Engineers at Yamaha need to fix this and install a better locking mechanism.

 

[NickB]

Sounds like the dealership closed down one day for a company party? Businesses are allowed to do that. They may also have horrible customer service to boot, but I wouldn't necessarily hold them not being available one particular day against them.

They should have the party on the day they are closed, Sunday.

 

[swatski]

They should have the party on the day they are closed, Sunday.

They also close for trade shows etc. I would not form an opinion of a dealership based on them being occasionally unavailable, unless it's a habit.

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[swatski]

2019 and the tower has on been put down 3 times by me for storage very carefully done as well. This is absolutely ridiculous, these Engineers at Yamaha need to fix this and install a better locking mechanism.

They know it, but their priority is liability mitigation not customer service.
Unfortunately there will be no fix, they'll just phase it out.
In the meantime the fix is a longer thread on the handwheel bolt, no ideal but it works. If you do not need to fold the tower, clamp the base bolts under the hull cap and you are done.

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[Ancient canoe]

They should have the party on the day they are closed, Sunday.

You may be completely justified in your anger for lack of customer service, but all companies close from time to time during normal business hours for various reasons, and no they can't just do everything on Sunday. You calling one of those times isn't indicative of horrible customer service, and it doesn't warrant reporting them to Yamaha is all I'm saying. Not that Yamaha would even given what I read on there customer service complaints here.

 

[NickB]

You may be completely justified in your anger for lack of customer service, but all companies close from time to time during normal business hours for various reasons, and no they can't just do everything on Sunday. You calling one of those times isn't indicative of horrible customer service, and it doesn't warrant reporting them to Yamaha is all I'm saying. Not that Yamaha would even given what I read on there customer service complaints here.

Those bastards told me they were doing a demo on the lake.. I drop 45k and boat and goodies and no invite.

 

[NickB]

I picked up the tools to fix it myself for now because they said they can only work on it during the week being short staffed and I don’t have time to take off work to drive my brand new broken boat off during the week when most folks work to be able to afford new stuff so they don’t buy old stuff that breaks.

I know.. I’m tough on them.. but it’s what I do when I pay for anything with my hard ass earned money and get poor service.

Anyway.. it’s going in after tapping hole and threading bolt but it’s not pretty as it should be.. not as smooth as the other side.

Lesson learned for my next boat.. get the dealers service department hours.