DIY: Tower Pad Swap Out

[mmobius2001]

ok, so after seeing a thread about this i decided to do it and take the digital camera with me.

Boat: 2006 Mobius LSV

Bring all these into the boat with you:

7/16th Wrench
Pair of good scissors (mine werent that great)
Philips Screw Driver (dont mine the tape measure i didnt need it)
Fiberglass Cleaner (I like to use Starbrite Super boat spray)

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/7and16thWrench.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/Scissors.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/Philips.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/SuperSpray.jpg

[mmobius2001]

Goto Walmart and goto there Towing section where they sell the hitches etc.

Brand is Reeses and they come in a 2 pack for around $7

they will probably be laying in a box just piled up

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/SureStep.jpg

[mmobius2001]

Ready for Step 1:

Here are pics of the old pads and the reason why we have to do this:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/OldPadBeforePort.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/OldPadBefore.jpg

so 1st things 1st put some towels down and put the tower down:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/PutTowellsdownfortower.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/FoldedTower.jpg

[mmobius2001]

Step 2: I did this entirely by myself so i used my back cushion to support some of the tower weight just enough so it wouldnt lay on the part of the tower where the pads are attached

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/UseBackCushiontoSupport.jpg

i then for more working room removed the tower arms:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/RemoveArms.jpg

now locate the screws from the tower to the boat:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/LocateScrews.jpg

i guess my camera didnt save my next pic so i'll explain it the best i can

take your wrench and you'll have to hold it like a pencil or chop sticks to wedge it in there, but under the vinyl (above where the speaker is mounted) you'll feel around and feel the locking bolts that are attached to the screws

[mmobius2001]

unscrew all the screws/bolts not hard to loosen them, just a pain because its a tight fit. BE CAREFUL do not lose your locking nut and there should also be a washer that is bent to fit in that space, make sure you loosen until you can do it be hand to have the washer/nut fall into your hand.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/ScrewsRemoved.jpg

then it should basically pop up a bit or off the the side.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/RemoveOldPad.jpg

remove pad just by picking up the bar a little bit and pulling it right off, make sure you check for pieces still stuck on the bottom.

then take your cleaner and clean the bottom of the tower, and the space that the pad is covering.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/CleanedOff.jpg

[mmobius2001]

Take the old pad and use it as a template to cut your new pad

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/OldPadAsTemplete.jpg

peel the 3m stuff of the back and using 1 hand lift the arm best you can, use the other to stick the rubber to the tower arm (remember sticky side faces upward to stick to tower NOT boat)

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/NewPadon.jpg

my scissors werent that sharp and i never was a very straight cutter... but at this point you can use your scissors and cut around the metal of the tower to make it an even closer fit which i tried to do.

[mmobius2001]

next grab the tower and pull it tight to the boat, get it where you think it should be, and i took my screwdriver and just popped it right through the hole of the tower to make a hole into the rubber for the screw and went into the boat. i didnt want to use a drill because if i was off i didnt want to start drilling the boat! small pressure on the screwdriver will punch right through if your lined up right.

then using 1 hand to hold the tower close and 1 hand with the screws 1 by 1 pop them into place, dont tighten anything the tower should stay fairly still.

grab your washer and nuts 1 by 1 and tighten just like you loosened.

it will feel like you dont need as many rotations because this rubber is much thicker than the OEM pads, but make sure its nice and tight.

[mmobius2001]

Here are all the after pics

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/AfterStar5.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/AfterStar3.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/AfterStar2.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/AfterStar.jpg

[mmobius2001]

Port side was easier because 1: already did the other side 1st, and 2: on my tower the tower popped up more naturally for more room to put the new pad on and cut to fit

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/AfterPort2.jpg

[mmobius2001]

And the Final step to put the tower all back together, when you take the arm off like i did you'll notice 2 plastic washer that come out, and since they both go on each side of the arm you'll think its impossible to get them back in there.

well what i did is i used plain scotch tape and taped them in place, inserted the arm and screwed it back in.

[mmandley]

nice work mmobius i have been reading this as your been posting and had to keep refreshing to make sure you were done before i posted LOL. I like this idea and i will be doing it soon as my port side pad is walking out again.

[08LSV]

Good Job! Thanks for the DIY. I don't need to replace mine yet, but I am glad to know where to look for info when i do.

[rdlangston13]

I was told by a someone that a lot of manufacturers are not even using the pads anymore?

[Bbarri2]

Mmobius thanks for writing this up. Just did it the other night and it was very quick/easy to do thanks to your information.

Much appreciated!

[motosno963]

Need to have several tips for constructing a brand new Pc. Any recommendations for on line shopping pc parts ?

tia.????


well my question for this DIY..i have a few spider cracks and one nice crack on the gel coat from the tower..if i do this pad for under the tower and possibly the under side where the nuts are will this prevent any more cracks?

[gonracn]

Can this also be used on the XLV? I need to replace my pads and do not want to wait on ordering if I can just go to Wal-Mart!!! Please let me know if anyone has used these on an XLV

[Boonejeepin]

I have not needed to swap out the pads but I see no reason why it would not work.

I do have the same pads on the top surface of the boat to give people a target to hit with their feet when boarding the boat.15322

[mk_deuce]

Good write up on the process however I posted those extact same traction pads a year or so ago & they lasted about 6 months before they started to "walk-out" like the OEM pads did. Hope yours last longer than mine.

[millerda68]

Thanks for the write up on this one! I noticed ours are starting to walk out on our 2010. Probably something I will tackle in the off season. I appreciate the images and the step by step.

[moombahighrider]

Goto Walmart and goto there Towing section where they sell the hitches etc.

Brand is Reeses and they come in a 2 pack for around $7

they will probably be laying in a box just piled up

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/sickstack99/SureStep.jpg

How are these tower pads holding up for you? I need to do mine and trying to figure out what material to use. I have the rubber from the oem swim step that i removed still, so I may use that....

[mmobius2001]

UPDATE: Ok so, i had to re-do my port side yesterday! the pads are working great, the starboard side is still looking like it did the day i put it it, but the reason for the port slipping out, was i cut the pad too small, the outside screw/bolt cut its way out of the pad because there was not enough space from the hole for the screw to the edge of the pad, it cut out, hence pad started to eventually slip out.

so i made the pad cut a little bigger, showing about 1/2 inch of pad on each end of tower, i also tossed the wrench and got my socket set out, 7/16 w/ extension bar and a swivel socket, was able to tighten down MUCH better, i even re-tightened the startboard side just for good measure and was amazed on how loose i actually had the screw/bolts.

So my advice is make the new pad cut alittle bigger than your original pads and have them stick out a bit more so the screw holes cant slip and get "cut out" as easy and also get a swivel socket to tighten down a little better where it pushes/squeezes down the pad a little that should help w/ movement and slipping.

[E4NASH]

Yeah, I just had the dealer do this for me...so much easier.

[mmandley]

Yeah, I just had the dealer do this for me...so much easier.

HAHA we had the dealer do it the first 2 years, on the 3rd i did it myself lasted till i sold the boat.

[snyderaaron]

Its nice to have someone will small hands too. It was hard to get the screws back on underneath.

[mcdye]

Its nice to have someone will small hands too. It was hard to get the screws back on underneath.

Isnt that what kids are for? :) Everytime I asked my son to come to the shop, he first comment is "where do I have crawl into"?

[saskie99]

Isnt that what kids are for? :) Everytime I asked my son to come to the shop, he first comment is "where do I have crawl into"?

hhahhahahha this is too funny!