stripped screw bimini bracket to windshield frane

[liv2ryd]

Not a major problem, but as we know, minor problems can become major if left unattended. One of the screws holding the bimini frame bracket to the windshield frame has stripped, basically a steel sheet metal screw going into aluminum. What would those in the know recommend for making the screw hold tight again? I imagine there's something I can put in the hole so the screw can get purchase.

 

[Kay Lee]

The simplest solution would be to use some J-B Weld to reduce the size of the hole. A larger screw might work but you may have to drill the hole in the bracket larger and the head of the larger screw may not fit in the bracket. Check before you go that route.

Larry

 

[skibum]

The best solution would be to drill the hole to the next larger size and use a tap to cut new threads. All you need is a new (slightly larger) screw, and a tap with matching threads. You just need to use a drill bit that is big enough to make the hole round again (if it is elongated), and remove the existing threads.

Remove the screw and look carefully at the edge of the (stripped) hole in the windshield frame. If you can see any remnants of the old threads, you should probably redrill the hole. If the screw has been "tightened" a lot prior to totally stripping the hole, then it may have already removed all of the threads, leaving a clean hole that you can cut new threads into without drilling first.

10 minute fix.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I like the idea of the larger screw. However, a few words of CAUTION: Be EXTREMELY careful to NOT contact the edge of the glass window. Just one, tiny little contact from the drill bit, or even the screw will immediately shatter your window into thousands of tiny little pieces. Remember, EXTREMELY careful. EXTREMELY. You will not get a second chance on this one if you're not careful.

That being said, I would, personally, still use a larger screw. Good luck! :smt001

 

[skibum]

Good catch, Peter. I forgot that the hole was likely to have glass behind it.

You can use a drill stop. If you don't have one handy, put the bit in the drill and measure how much of the it is exposed. Then, find a block of wood about 3/16" shorter (use something less than the distance to the edge of the glass - the actual thickness of the metal frame plus 1/32" or 1/16" would work) than that and drill all the way through it. Now, you can use the block as a drill stop. It will do a better job than a metal drill stop because it will prevent any accidental marring of the WS frame around the hole. I've seen metal drill stops leave rings around the hole where it contacted the material being drilled.

 

[liv2ryd]

Problem is that this is a thin aluminum frame that was not tapped to begin with, it's a sheet metal screw that goes into it, there's not enough material in the aluminum frame to tap in the amount of thread needed for a machine screw to catch.

 

[fwebster]

Pop-rivit

If you can run a screw into it; you can pop rivit it. The problem is that the aluminum frame is too thin to hold either machine threads tapped into it or sheet metal screws.....as you found out.