Anyone have problems attaching wakeboard racks to their Alpha Z tower?

[IDBoating]

I installed my Tige static wakeboard racks to my Alpha Z tower today. To be more precise, I installed one of them. I tried to do this a couple of days ago but the factory bolts were too long. Now I have the proper length bolts, but....

The starboard rack installed just fine. But the port rack doesn't line up with the hole in the tower. If I line it up so the bolt can start threading into the hole, the rack is not sitting down and around the tower. It's spaced quite a ways off the tower, making it necessary to use a longer bolt just to engage a few threads. Definitely not how you'd want to leave it.

If I seat the rack on the tower properly, the hole is far enough off that the bolt cannot thread.

Since the racks are not symmetrical, I cannot swap them to see if it's the tower or the rack. I suppose I could elongate the hole in the rack, but then I risk not leaving enough material to engage the bolt head.

Anyone else seen this problem? How did you fix it?

[robert theisen]

Do you have any pictures?Are the racks from tige or aftermarket?

[light200]

Are you absolutely sure you have the port/starboard orientation correctly? Double check that, then make sure you don't have them upside down...that could cause misalignment as well. Not sure but I bet if one of the above is wrong, that makes the other wrong as well.

It's also a good idea to run a tap into the hole carefully first before mounting the bolt in there, a VERY good idea because of the mfg process the black paint gets into the threads and even some metal shavings need to be cleaned up in there. Its also a VERY good idea to use some loctite on the bolt once you are ready to install!

[IDBoating]

Do you have any pictures?Are the racks from tige or aftermarket?

No photos but I'll take some. I'm away from the boat until the middle of next week and I'll take photos then.

They are Tige OEM racks, purchased from the dealer on the same day as the boat. But since the boat had to be shipped 2800 miles, they didn't install the racks (no sense in risking them falling off).

Thanks!

[IDBoating]

Are you absolutely sure you have the port/starboard orientation correctly? Double check that, then make sure you don't have them upside down...that could cause misalignment as well. Not sure but I bet if one of the above is wrong, that makes the other wrong as well.

I'll double check, but the holes in the racks and tower are at an angle. The racks cannot be mounted upside down, so there's only one possible orientation. Therefore, if I had them swapped left for right, it would put the fingers of the racks to the inside of the tower instead of the outside.

It's also a good idea to run a tap into the hole carefully first before mounting the bolt in there, a VERY good idea because of the mfg process the black paint gets into the threads and even some metal shavings need to be cleaned up in there. Its also a VERY good idea to use some loctite on the bolt once you are ready to install!

I've definitely noticed that! And Forte's mentioned the Loctite, even going so far to say that they tap in a set screw to hold the main bolt in place. Apparently there are a few of these racks on the bottom of lakes.

Thanks!

[Ewok]

I removed my racks for the drive up here and when I went to reinstall I noticed the aluminum threads in the tower were stripped by the last guy to install it. I'm going to re-tap them with timesert or some other type of steel thread insert so the holes will line up better and not risk stripping the aluminum tower again if and when I want to remove and re-install the racks again.

[shawn74]

first weekend out with boat when new one of the racks with 2 boards in it jumped off and the starboard side and barely missed a passenger.when i went to reattach them the threads had been galled due to overtightening and bolt to short,the dealer removed them and tapped next size up with the longest size bolts that would fit and theyve never even squeaked.i noticed the new ones have a small bolt in from the side probably for backup ,i plan on doing the same cuz i am supprized my passenger wasnt hurt baddly wen it came off going 30to40mph .i just installed new retrokit to tower hinge replacing black twist knob with chrome threaded style like on new tower and drilling and tapping tower was scary easy (soft alumminum) having said all that i would DIY with caution and add backup bolt maybe someone with newer tower could post pick of it .goodluck