Rail Kit installation

13095 Views 31 Replies 21 Participants Last post by BUSBY, Jul 13, 2009

holorinhal

Discussion Starter · Jun 29, 2009

I remember reading in a thread about how to mount the rails ,But I cant find it.
I thought I remember socal saying to mount paralell to the sringers and cut the plates to achieve the proper angle of the engine in relation to the pump?
Should the rails be flush with the top of the stringers,or set down a certain amount?

I am using a 1/4"x2" flat bar on the outside of the sringer and I drilled the holes in the rail with a drill press, but how do You Guys go about drilling the flat bar to insure that the holes line up. I know, measure the same distances, but if You are off just by a hair when drilling thru the stringer, the bolts will miss. Should I drill the stringer with the rail and use the stringer hole to mark the back side of the flat bar?...Hal

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propless

· #2 · Jun 29, 2009

When we did my rail kit we drilled the outer plates at the same time as the angled rails (clamped them together).

As far as where to put the rails, I put mine about 1/4 in below the top of the stringers (just because it looked good) and trimmed the plates to get the motor where it belonged, like you said.

DuaneHTP

· #3 · Jun 29, 2009

Propless is right, the rails look better about 1/4" below being flush with the rails. Put your holes in the outside plates nice and even. Then clamp them and the rails in the boat and drill through the stringers to mark the rails and finish on a drill press. Makes a nice clean job. NOTE, make sure that the holes are hitting the rails about center or you may get too close to the upper angle and not be able to put a nut on the bolts.

BUSBY

· #4 · Jun 29, 2009

what they said (Jeff & Duane)

tahitijet

· #5 · Jun 29, 2009

like the others said i have mounted the ones i've done parrallel to the top of the stringer but down on the stringer about 1/4" (just before the stringer starts to roll at the top). cut the plates to get the angle. I don't think it looks right with angled rails.

to mark the holes i clamp the rail to the stringer (with holes predrilled in the rail) then drill through holes in the rail and through the stringer. then center the outter plate so the bolts will come out dead center, clamp it all together and transfer punch the outter rail, remove and drill.

jetboatperformance

· #6 · Jun 29, 2009

Kind of like said above.. We "mock it up" ,cut it , fit it , "C" clamp it , mark/scribe it, then remove, precision drill everything and reassemble as a "unit" then drop it back in and secure the whole thing in place ! Tom

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flat screwd

· #7 · Jun 29, 2009

+ 1 as everybody else said but drill half way through the stringer on each side and let the drill meet in the middle and then go all the way through.

johnray069

· #8 · Jun 29, 2009

does anyone resin coat the holes or do you leave them exposed?

LuckyDaze

· #9 · Jun 29, 2009

I use silicone instead of coating them with resin because of all the vibration I don't have to worry about the silicone cracking or flaking out of the hole. Keeps a good seal too.

lbhsbz

· #10 · Jun 29, 2009

As far as getting all the holes drilled in the right spot, I generally clamp everything together....angle/flat/flat/angle, then find a block or something to set up on the drill press as a guide. Then you've got the same hole pattern in everything, with very little measureing.

Shaun

· #11 · Jun 29, 2009

Seams like you would want to mount your rails as low as possible. The higher up they are the more leverage there is to break the glass that holds the stringers to the floor right? I mounted mine about 1/4" below the top of the stringer but i did this because i had too, if i went any lower the pan would hit the floor

moneysucker

· #12 · Jun 29, 2009

flat screwd said:
+ 1 as everybody else said but drill half way through the stringer on each side and let the drill meet in the middle and then go all the way through.

I was going to say this. This is how we drill for bolts on hangers and beam buckets. I would clamp the 2 sides on where you want them,them drill from each side on front and back holes, Bolt those 2 holes and do the rest the same way.

BUSBY

· #13 · Jun 30, 2009

Make sure you get your engine alignment correct ... mount your rails, then build your plates.

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2

holorinhal

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 30, 2009

Thank's Fella's for posting up all the info.
Busby, those pics are great!....Hal

RCB19

· #15 · Jun 30, 2009

BUSBY said:
Make sure you get your engine alignment correct ... mount your rails, then build your plates.

Nice Block!!

BUSBY

· #16 · Jun 30, 2009

RCB19 said:
Nice Block!!

Nothing but the best right there

LostOkie

· #17 · Jun 30, 2009

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't aligning the pump shaft and the crankshaft as Busby has shown in his pics be a little too perfect. I'm seeing some serious harmonics there. I have always set the pump shaft and the crankshaft with a couple of degrees of difference.

BUSBY

· #18 · Jun 30, 2009

LostOkie said:
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't aligning the pump shaft and the crankshaft as Busby has shown in his pics be a little too perfect. I'm seeing some serious harmonics there. I have always set the pump shaft and the crankshaft with a couple of degrees of difference.

It seems to work for us

tahitijet

· #19 · Jun 30, 2009

he might be running a lenco???

you should not be dead perfect. U joints will need a few degress angle in them in order to work or they will destroy themselfs over time.

then agian alot of people run them straight with no problem. I'm guessing you can get away with it due to the fact that there is much less loading and unloading of the u joint in a jet. it's almost always loaded unlike a car.

BUSBY

· #20 · Jun 30, 2009

no lenco ... regular drive line.

this is not a first timer's go round pictured, it'll be just fine

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