Topic: 360 Installation is loose??

[RonnieB]

I have installed the 360 SSI per instructions and the bolts are tight, but the unit sitting in the bracket is not tight and rattles alot. It has 2 bolts that secures 360 inside of the bracket. The only way for the 2 bolts to tighten against the 360 would be to tighten them with enough force to bend the bracket in against the 360. Even if I tried this, I think bolts would break before it would actually bend the bracket.

I have contacted CS several times and even sent them a video, but haven't heard back since. Any suggestions?

[ITGEEK]

Maybe find some brass or stainless steel washers.

[Jimmy B]

Just installed 360 on my boat, same condition as yours, body of unit does not tighten to bracket, must have been designed that way, be interested to hear from Greg on this issue.
Jim

[RonnieB]

I thought about the washers. I would have to literally drive them in like a wedge to tighten it up enough. It is loose side to side and front to back.

I think I am going to test it a time or two and see if the height of 360 is okay, then I will mark the holes that it is in, remove 360, silicone 4 nuts on inside of bracket. When silicone dries, mount 360 and tighten 2 bolts on one side first. That will pull the 360 to one side against the bracket. Then tighten the other side. Basically, do away with the 2 ~three inch thru bolts and use 4 ~one inch bolts.The trick will be getting a wrench on the nuts in the middle of the bracket. I may put a large washer on and bend half of it up tight against nut. Then the washer will turn until it hits 360 bracket, allowing bolt to be tightened.   
 

"Necessity, is the mother to all inventions"
 

[ITGEEK]

Here's another idea to take up some of the looseness:
Find some rubber grommets or plumber washers.
You can cut a very thin slize with a razor blade, so the grommet/washer
can open up.
You might be able to slip them in between the bracket
to take up some space.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Its hard to say without being there and seeing it in person but I asked around here and the feeling is that either something was not installed correctly or tightened.
More info: it could be the order in which you installed the bolts.

[RonnieB]

Yes it is hard to explain Greg. I have a video but too big to attach.
But, I have 2 bolts and 2 nuts that are exactly alike and 2 holes that are exactly alike. I do not see what difference it makes with bolts, but hey I'm game  .  So per CS..., I have re-installed the bolts, made sure I lubricated bolts and torqued bolts way more than they should be. One bolt, two bolt, top, bottom, left or right it makes no difference. It is still too loose. The bolts are not going to solve this issue as designed. The bolts do not/will not squeeze the bracket against the rail on 360. Broke a bolt to prove it!    

An analogy for this:  a trailer receiver hitch on your truck. 1 big square tube and 1 smaller tube that slides inside the other. Put the pin thru both of them and tighten it. The inside tube is still loose.   

I think this is what I am going to do: It will be cheap, if not free!!
-Drill existing holes on one side of bracket larger than the diameter of the hole in the rail on 360.
-Put a short bushing(a piece of tubing) on the bolt that will go thru the newly drilled hole in bracket. The bushing will contact the rail but will not go thru the hole in the rail. The bushing should be just long enough that the bolt head should not contact bracket. The I.D. of newly drilled hole should be the same as O.D. of the bushing. 

-Then when I tighten it, the nut will pull the bushing thru the new sized hole in the bracket and against the rail thus pulling the 360 rail against the bracket on the opposite side.

The proper way to make the bolt/bushing would be to put new larger bolt on lathe and mill it down to size leaving a shoulder beneath the head to suffice for bushing. This would provide closer tolerances with the holes and prevent rattling. 

It will be  2wks before I get home but I will post pictures.

[natestricksr]

did you get this issue resolved?.  I just tightened mine down untill it became snug i am havin no issues now.

[RonnieB]

No, I did not resolve issue. I had shoulder surgery, so I'm just letting it rattle for time being.