Need help on sealant recommendation please

[jisgett]

Howdy all, and I apologize if this is redundant, but I have been searching the forums and read up on the removal and reassembly of my intake grate (2009 RXT). In hindsight, I probably should have simply pulled the pump, but I didn't and now I just want to ensure that I put the grate back on correctly.

As I understand it, I need to apply a small amount of blue loctite to all four of the bolts (1 forward, 3 aft). I need to apply a decent amount of black silicone RTV around all four bolt holes where the hole in the grate and the hull meet. The question is: will any black silicone RTV (permatex, for example) work? The boys at Riva recommend only using BRP's sealant, West Marine says come in to the showroom and they'll show me what works, and a local Seadoo dealer says he uses Superflex Non-corrosive silicone RTV.

I don't want to get this wrong and have my intake grate rip off while on the water.

Please chime in and thanks for the help, as always.

--Jeff

 

[Michael211_2000]

It won't rip off as long as all 4 bolts are in and tight. The silicone is to improve efficiency, to keep water from trying to flow between the grate mount points and the hull causing drag. The blue loctite is to prevent the bolts from vibrating loose and backing out, THAT's what causes the grate to break off of the hull, lost bolts! As long as the bolts are in and tight that grate won't go anywhere the hull isn't going.

- Michael

 

[jisgett]

Went ahead and did the work last night. For future forum members who may be interested in doing this, here are pics of what I wound up doing. I applied about 2 drops of blue loctite to the threads of each of the four bolts. I applied the black RTV around the edges of the bolt holes on the intake grate, and then around the perimeter of the forward portion of the intake grate where it contacts the hull. On the aft portion of the intake grate, I applied the black RTV (silicone sealant) where the ride plate and intake grate make a seam, just to give a bit of a smoother bottom.

Feedback welcome.

Thanks again to all who helped on this little deal.

--Jeff

 

[red2blue]

Okay...I hope you let it dry really well before running it. Also...if you follow the grate into the tunnel...It goes a way up the shoe...I apply sealant there as well. Anything to smooth out the water's path...the better.

 

[jisgett]

I have not yet taken the ski back to the lake. I figure if 24 hours is good cure time, then 96 is probably even better . Regardless, I wanted to give the loctite a bit more time to cure, since there seemed to be a small amount of residual moisture in the thread tunnel for the through-hull bolt.

I will definitely seal up the spot where the grate meets the shoe.

Thanks again,

Jeff

 

[Michael211_2000]

Fill the bolt hole recesses with silicone and smooth it out flush with the bolt heads... a small screwdriver can always be used to cut the silicone out from around the bolt heads if you ever REALLY want to unbolt that thing again. LOL!

- Michael