Platform Brace Question

[rca]

My platform has been moving quite a bit recently. I had the boat home this weekend to do some maintenance and decided to take a look at it. I replaced the pins at the bottom of the bracing with nuts and bolts a long time ago and I get some movement there, but I noticed these screw holes at the top of the brace that I had not seen before.





They look like they are for bolts to be used to tighten the platform against the braces on the boat. Are there supposed to be bolts in these holes? Anybody run bolts there and if so what size?

[trayson]

I don't have those threaded holes in my bracket, but I'd imagine they're for exactly what you're thinking.

As far as figuring out the threads, do you have a tap/die kit? You could thread a couple of the taps into there and see if they go in smoothly. or take a guess at some of the more common diameters like 3/16, etc.

[rca]

Slap's forehead! Why didn't I think of that.

Now if I can only find my tap and die....

[wolfeman131]

If I remember correctly, my OBV brackets had set screws there. Sorry, not sure on size.

[5:00]

If they were in there at one point it may work best with a Jam nut? Those things move a ton.
If all else fails I use a stiff composite shim pounded down between the bracket and brace from the top and snap them off. Works great and you don't notice it unless you are looking for it.