I was inspecting my beam bolts this morning and OMG were they loose! Two on the back were not even touching the washers. I brought my torque wrench with me and was tightening them to 18 ft-lbs, but I cannot make it ratchet on the inner bolts. I was adjusting the socket position one click at a time manually and I dont seem to be making it anywhere. I can reach it with standard ratchets and tighten it but how do I hit the right torque? Is there a 90 deg adapter I need or just grab a ratchet that works and a fish scale? Thanks.

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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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If the problem is getting a purchase on the bolt head, a wobble socket adapter will let you hit most angles. If you are tightening the bolts but they don't get tight, the nuts are probably spinning in the fiberglass just under the hull. There are several articles on the forum for correcting this.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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rch701

I I can reach it with standard ratchets and tighten it but how do I hit the right torque? Is there a 90 deg adapter I need or just grab a ratchet that works and a fish scale? Thanks.

If you have a “thin socket”, it should work, that is what I have always used. Otherwise a box end, or even open end wrench should work.
Don’t get all wound up over the torque. If the bolts/nuts are corroded, half your torque may be taken up just to overcome the resistance that gives.
From your previous Bolts, you have a pretty good idea what 18ft lbs feels like. Just do the others to that “feel”. The important thing is not to wind the heck out of them.
If you’ve end cAps, make sure they are installed first, otherwise you risk collapsing the tramp track.
The manual does say to re- tighten, especially after the first assembly. They do work loose over time, good you found it.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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If the bolt just spins, as Tom mentioned, the nut could be just spinning.
IIRC they are a brass chip, hence much softer than the SS bolt. So, the other common problem is the brass chip strips the threads, especially if a previous owner didn’t grease them upon assembly. It is easy to cross thread, then screw up the nut. Try running a tap through to clean them up. If they are stripped, many people have used a helicoil, or drilled & tapped one size larger.
It is also important to understand it is entirely normal NOT to touch the washers, especially on the bolts that are on the stern side of the strap. DONT TRY TO FORCE THE STRAP TO TOUCH!
I believe our 5.0 has two that don’t touch.
There are two different length of straps, go into the old manual & read that section. I can’t remember offhand which boat uses which, & some boats use only one size. It is entirely possible you have a “short” strap, where a “long” strap should be used.



Edited by Edchris177 on May 16, 2019 - 06:54 PM.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Thanks guys. I was able to tighten them most of the way with a short ratchet and them finagle the torque wrench enough with the 12-point socket to hit spec. The nuts are not corroded and I hit them with PB blaster before messing with them. The boat is quite a bit stiffer now. I do not have straps over my beams.

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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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