18SX Wings - Front Tube Strut Repairs Where Meets the Wing

What repairs have you made to the forward support tube to the SX wings? We had the s/b side strut repaired by a commercial aluminum welding...and the results we lousy. We have tied the strut in place...and it's held so far.

Now the p/s strut cracked where it's attached to the wing. Any suggests? Has anyone bought and installed the new struts?

was it just a poor weld job... by someone who didn't take their time ?

To prevent further damange, make sure not to PULL or PUSH on the wings FORE or AFT....

Those big wings just beg for folks to push on them to move the boat around.... folks to sit on while on the beach, etc....

But the welds are made for up/down, ... compression.... not lateral fore/aft movement.

I've got a crack on the aft starboard strut... and the same "leg" has a crack where the rivet goes into the mounting casing...

Haven't figured out what to do with either yet... prob a weld job by someone good.

Just put the boat on the beach for the summer w/o those lovely comfortable wings.

BUT... I'm guessing she'll be faster w/o that extra weight.

The material used is HEAT TREATED!!!! Welding usually will not work as it removes the heat treated tempering.

If it's a SX Wing I would suggest having a new strut fabricated by a Marine Fabricater that makes "Sportsfisherman Tuna Towers" and installing in it. For a "Magnum" Wing .... find a replacement?????

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

I repair my friends wings by having a local machine shop make aluminum inserts that go into the cast piece (which are internally tapered) than this inserts steps up to the I.D. of the tubing.I think they were 6" long.We used an aircraft epoxy and 3/16 stainless rivets to glue this all together.The aluminum inserts were maybe 1/2 wall thickness.I used that epoxy to build up were the tubing broke away from and painted it.You can't really tell that it was ever cracked and about to fail.All of this cost 60 dollars and a few hours of my time.My friend sure likes the repairs...
Bill 404 21 SE

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Bill 404 21SE

Yes, I like the sleeve idea.... I just have to get the casting out of the wing.

Either it's seriously corroded in there, or expoied... maybe a heat gun?

Here's a great primer on aluminium & welding.... all I know is in that.

http://content.lincolnelectric.com/pdfs ... /c8100.pdf

I may get it welded on the idea that even if the welding heat affected zone gets weakened by half... is that still strong enough...

But mechanical fasteners, sleeves and expoxy are better perhaps since they don't alter the original metal.... may go that route, but first have to get the casting out !

Check us out www.osyc.com Got a 20+ mile race this weekend... click on racing.
Cheers.

Bill - 404....

How far into the wing tube does the casting go ?

I'm considering more rivets, further up the tube if they'll still go into the casting.

Tapping on the tube makes a sound like the casting goes 3 or 4 inches into the tube... so more rivets may work.
(my casting seems to be JB welded to the tube, so even w/old rivets drilled out... can't get the casting out..)

Thanks.

Try a little heat on the tubing,even all around and some persistent.Use a round rod or screw driver for leverage through the hole in the cast piece and slowly try to rotate cast piece while tapping parts with a mallet.Give it a little "love".I can check with Mike, my machine shop friend and see if he still has the info to fab more inserts.I think they were 6" in total length.If we went longer than 6" then the tubing starts to curve and that makes fabricating more challenging.He really needed the wings to properly size the inserts.I still had to sand down the inserts to fit the internal taper of the cast piece.I used a 4 1/2 grinder with sanding pad and it took several "dry fits" to fit just right.My friend Greg was very pleased with the repairs and has had no problem.This solution keeps the original look.
Good Luck,Bill 404

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Bill 404 21SE