Can you help me figure out how to apply butyl tape when I remount my traveler track?

[jjccp]

Originally Posted by team karst

With a salt water boat, I would consider delrin fender washers. Very tough, no corrosion issue. Stacking SS washers increases the surface area susceptible to attack. Plus that direct contact of Al to SS is not optimum.

Another great tip, thanks. We're in the sweetwater here. No salt, no sharks, no hurricanes.

[jjccp]

Holes in the fiberglass are chamfered. Here's how I pre-loaded the track with butyl

[Spot]

Originally Posted by jjccp

Holes in the fiberglass are chamfered. Here's how I pre-loaded the track with butyl

Looks good, I think you will get a good seal between the washer and the bottom of the track well. I appreciate that you posted your solution too, adds closure and generates ideas for others.

[jjccp]

Originally Posted by Spot

Looks good, I think you will get a good seal between the washer and the bottom of the track well. I appreciate that you posted your solution too, adds closure and generates ideas for others.

Thanks Spot, I agree, it helps to see the finished product. I hope it helps others too. I'll post more pics when I'm done. I'm waiting on a helper to tighten it down. I enjoy when the butyl squeezes out and you pretty well know it's sealed.

[team karst]

That will work nicely. Can u turn the nuts and keep the bolts fixed?

[jjccp]

Originally Posted by team karst

That will work nicely. Can u turn the nuts and keep the bolts fixed?

Yes, that's the plan. Should have a helper later today.

[wyb2]

Originally Posted by jjccp

Holes in the fiberglass are chamfered. Here's how I pre-loaded the track with butyl

I’m partway through rebedding 100% of the hardware on a new-to-me MacGregor 25, those pictures look like they could have come off my phone. Nothing I’ve done so far has shown any signs of leaking, I think you’ll be in good shape.

Having a helper to tighten is huge. I’ve been converting to allen (female hex) head screws, then placing the short end of 1 Allen key on the screw I want to tighten, and the long end of a 2nd key on an adjacent screw. When I tighten the nut from below the 1st Allen key bears against the 2nd to prevent spinning. It works perfectly well, but it’s a time consuming pain in the butt.

[jjccp]

Originally Posted by wyb2

I’m partway through rebedding 100% of the hardware on a new-to-me MacGregor 25, those pictures look like they could have come off my phone. Nothing I’ve done so far has shown any signs of leaking, I think you’ll be in good shape.

Having a helper to tighten is huge. I’ve been converting to allen (female hex) head screws, then placing the short end of 1 Allen key on the screw I want to tighten, and the long end of a 2nd key on an adjacent screw. When I tighten the nut from below the 1st Allen key bears against the 2nd to prevent spinning. It works perfectly well, but it’s a time consuming pain in the butt.

Thanks the input. I know what you mean. I've thought of several ways of doing it myself, but if one little thing goes wrong, then you're up and down redoing it and cussing a lot. Using butyl is amazing once you understand the method and how the chamfer works to make it's own O-ring seal. Like I said before - not one leak on my entire deck from last year and that was the first time I tried it myself.

[wyb2]

Forgot to include in my last reply: I’ve been putting a little PTFE dry-lube on the nuts before install after having a couple gall up and having to snap the screw to remove. Any light lubricant would probably be fine, but I’m wary of putting anything directly on the screws that could wick up to the butyl. The dispersant in the dry-lube dries in a matter seconds so it doesn’t really slow you down, and it won’t wick anywhere after drying.

A guy at my old job used to use chap stick to prevent galling, said it never failed him.

[jjccp]

Originally Posted by wyb2

Forgot to include in my last reply: I’ve been putting a little PTFE dry-lube on the nuts before install after having a couple gall up and having to snap the screw to remove. Any light lubricant would probably be fine, but I’m wary of putting anything directly on the screws that could wick up to the butyl. The dispersant in the dry-lube dries in a matter seconds so it doesn’t really slow you down, and it won’t wick anywhere after drying.

A guy at my old job used to use chap stick to prevent galling, said it never failed him.

Another good tip, thanks. In cases where I'm concerned with galling, I've been using Tef-Gel on the threads with good results.

[jjccp]

All surfaces cleaned with acetone. Track mounted and screwed tight. The end caps were the hardest to figure out how to pre load the butyl because they needed to seat into the end of the track then get pushed down at the same time. After a couple of tries I got them in.

Pics show the butyl squirting out at the screw heads and also at the bottom of the washers. I'll tighten just a bit more in a day or two then clean up the excess butyl.

I don't know why the pics get rotated when I upload them, but you get the picture. ha ha

Thanks for all the help and great ideas.

[CarlF]

Chamfering the fiberglass was important. It greatly increases the contact area for the butyl.

Another really important suggestion from Rod on MarineHowTo is to tighten each bolt several times. Wait at least a day between tightening. This gets the butyl to flow into the crevices. Doesn’t take much - 1/4-1/2 turn each time

[SofaKingFishy]

I’m a pro rigger & we never use B tape- bed with 4000 & locknuts. 4000 is the same as 4200 but has better UV resistance and doesn’t yellow.

[robbjd]

Check out this link, it shows you how to properly re-bed hardware using butyl tape.

https://marinehowto.com/bed-it-tape/