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Is this normal


I'm referring to the bolts being crooked

No, Not normal and Not good.

Pull your outdrive and check the alignment before you try to do anything. I'm guessing it is way off.

As to why they are like that? There must not be any solid meat in the stringer for the bolts to hold into. Not good.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Don't panic yet. Start by checking if they are tight / will tighten, and if there is any sign that the motor mount has shifted.

It could just be sloppy workmanship. These are just Lag bolts drilled and screwed into the wood. Could have been drilled crooked from the start.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Mounts seemed to be tight but I'll check again tonight and they dont look like they have shifted at all. As for the alignment I'm not sure I'll have my marina check
No signs of any problems boat drives an shifts great

Okay so I pulled two lags out, one on each side, I drilled a little and seemed to be dry
At least one of the 4 lags won't completely tighten and all of them are crooked, it did in look like it was ever straight. The mounts them selfs look okay besides having the lag washer only make some contact

What am I looking at to fix this


98 horizon rs

What I'd consider doing:
Get some thinned epoxy (CPES from rot doc) and soak the wood in the mounts with it, give it as much as it will take. This will kill any rot spores and firm up the wood. Let it dry out for several days at least. Use a fume respirator, it is really stinky stuff with wicked carrier solvents. After that I'd fill the holes with thickened epoxy (rot doc's epoxy is very good, you can thicken it with sawdust.). Let that cure again for several days. Now you can carefully re-drill the holes straight. When you replace the lags, make sure to use sealer like Boat Life Sealer or 3M 4200 (Not 5200). This all assumes that there is not significant rot in the mounts. Wear a fume respirator as I said, you can develop an allergy to epoxies. Gloves and eye protection too.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

One of the mounts has a small chip in it at the base should I also replace the mount

Something about this whole situation looks bad.

If the bolts were installed that crooked at the factory....

Is this the original engine in the boat?

What engine/drive does it have?

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

My 97's (with 5.7GL) bolts are not too dissimilar to yours.
They're tight, dry and engine alignment is perfect.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

mine are just like yours. every thing is all original

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1989 245 vista
5.7 cobra

Okay so how do I fix the one lag that won't grab. Do I just use a slightly larger bolt or should I appoxie and re drill

You really could do either, I'd make my decision on the condition of the wood in the mount. If its dry and not rotted, you can use a longer bolt, but if there is any sign of wet rotted wood I'd do it the right way, because down the road that will save you from having to rebuild that whole mount (ie, cutting off the top of mount fiberglass, digging out all the old wood, and re-glassing the mount top--a lot of work)......

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Fixed!

Good job, did you use sealer?
The lack of sealer on fasteners, causes more rot in boats with wood cores than anything else.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II