Putting in a new bow eye !!

[catfish123]

Oh what fun this can turn into on an XB2003 that has the original chrome looking one that gets "all chewed out" in a short period of time by your winch hook. Went to put in a new one, 3/8 diameter which is a larger diameter than the original piece of ............ Could barely drill the holes larger because of the angle, the trailer bracket was in the way. Finally got them drilled or I thought so.......began to tap the new bow eye into place and I wasn't smart enough when it started to tighten up, to pull it back out and do some more drilling. I THOUGHT with a few more taps it would go all the way through........WRONG........it did not and it got wedged in there extremely tight..............about 3 hours later, after nearly exhausting ALL ideas on how to get it out...........if finally came out. What a nightmare, and now the one I put in isn't quite long enough to fully get all threads of the inside nuts caught............am I the only one who has these types of issues????????????????? Please be gently if I am. I was to the point I didn't think it was going to be possible to pull the bow eye out OR hammer it all the way through..........oh what a day.............but thank you Matt for "hanging in there" with me on yet another "gone wrong" project.

 

[Bobalouie]

I think you are lucky if you have someone who can fit all the way up there under the bow to do that stuff. I have to put a new troller on mine this winter and even if I lost 100 lbs, I still wouldnt fit up there to tighten the nuts on the thru bolts.

You have to look for the silver lining in everything catfish.

 

[allimax]

Catfish, you

 

[catfish123]

The studs on my original one were only about 1/4" in diameter so unfortunately, drilling was necessary.

 

[silverbullet02]

My original came out real easy when one of the studs broke. Fortunately I found it in the garage instead of when I was tightening the winch at the lake.

 

[SLOmofo]

Mine was loose for so long it damaged the gel coat and into the fiber glass. I got a SS U bolt and after repairing the damage I had to drill new holes.

I feel your pain!

On my XB2003 there was enough room to reach the Trolling motor nuts. I pulled the panel that holds the switches and plug socket. Maybe not on a XB2002.

 

[white03]

need to change mine on my xb2003, after 17 years its about due just as a preventative measure. appreciate the info!! gonna call Bill and go back with an Allison replacement...that should go in without any drilling right??

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

Ahh yeah....think I'll check ours. Thanx for the reminder.:wink

Bob
:at the bar

 

[IBHUFFY]

Ordered a new one from Bill and did mine last spring. You can reach the nuts through the front panel. Just have to lay at an awkward angel and wiggle your arm up to it. Easier than access from under the front deck for me. I put a little silicone around the back of it where it touches the gel before installing.

 

[RedAllison]

need to change mine on my xb2003, after 17 years its about due just as a preventative measure. appreciate the info!! gonna call Bill and go back with an Allison replacement...that should go in without any drilling right??

Doubt it. Somewhere around the 2000yr model Darris switched from the previous "block/cast" bow eye to the present loop. (I assume the block style is what cat had?) If you replace your old "block" with the new loop then don't forget your drill. My 99 XB03 had the block type & it broke before the first year. I used to use a ratchet strap under it to snug the bow down so I'm sure that helped break the bolts off. The added benefit of the newerloop is you can use the turn buckle like the factory to snug up everything.

 

[catfish123]

Yep.........I had the "block/cast" type and you do need a drill if going with a more standard 3/8" u-bolt. I have "adjusted" the trailer on mine so I don't need a turn buckle to force the nose of the boat down to the roller.

 

[allimax]

Looks like some great info here on something that seems so simple. I purchased the replacement last summer (2012) directly from Allison. I don't remember if Bill asked me about what my old one looked like or not, I didn't know there was more than one style. Mine would be the block style, it's on a 1999, and the replacement was exact. Catfish, take a pic if you get a chance, it could help save someone else a bunch of time and aggravation.

 

[catfish123]

I will try to get pictures of the old, "chewed out" block style one that I had and the new, 3/8" "U-bolt" style that I am replacing it with. Over the years, I have installed 3 of the block style ones, only to have them all get chewed out and nasty looking in a short period of time, and only trailer my boat a few hundred miles each year. My son's SS2000 has the U-bolt type and that is where I got the idea.