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The bimini top anchors on my 290 Horizon are loose. The plastic barrel inserts are blocking the sheet metal screw heads. How do I access the sheet metal screws? I cannot get the inserts to budge & don't want to damage anything. Anyone have any tips/suggestions?
Thanks,
TG

I presume these are the same as on my H220 and I have had this problem a few times. The plastic inserts are able to be tapped out with a punch (or tip of a screwdriver) and hammer without damage to reveal the screw top. On mine, that is the easy bit! I then have a very hard job to get my hand up under the gunwhale to hold the nut with something while tightening the screw from above.
Good luck!

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Brian
2006 Horizon 220
350mpi Mercruiser
Jeep Grand Cherokee V8

Thanks. Mine are anchored by sheet metal screws into the top stainless steel rail above the side panels of glass. One vibrated comepetely loose and the others are about ready to come off. I'm going to re-secure with loctite in hopes of keeping them tight for good. I will try the punch method; I just wanted to make sure they were not glued in. The tricky onese will be the three that are still attached and loose.

Sheet metal screws ( = self tapping screws in Europe) are a horrible (cheap= quick) way of attaching things; is there enough metal to allow you to tap in a proper thread and use a machine screw instead? Even perhaps using a very small Helicoil thread insert?

Graham

The problem is gaining access to the underside of the stainless steel header. It looks like these have been re-tapped at least once. They are very short screws so they don't come in contact with the glass. I wish the radar arch had an integrated bimini; would have been a much better design.