Now that you mention it for the organizers I would NOT butyl the bolt head, for that reason. I was thinking more about other deck hardware. My apologies.
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Deck organizer question
- Thread starter bsangs
- Start date
a bit of butyl on a bolt thread
Yes, that's the sealant, wrapped around each bolt. Butyl good in this application because thru-bolts get tightened hard.
Yes, that's the sealant, wrapped around each bolt. Butyl good in this application because thru-bolts get tightened hard.
FWIW, I sourced Truss Head ss bolts when installing our new organizers in 2021. Nothing to snag on anything, was my theory.
Slick470
Sustaining Member
To do this right with Butyl, you should remove the deck organizer, clean the bottom of it, the deck, and be careful to remove all old sealant. Personally, I'd put a bevel on the thru-deck holes. This creates a small o-ring of butyl where it matters most.
To re-install I'd push the bolts through the organizer and apply butyl to the bottom of the organizer around each bolt where it passes through the bottom the organizer. Then push the whole assembly down onto the deck and through the holes. Then tighten per above in a few rounds to slowly squish down the butyl. There shouldn't be any sealant at the bolt heads, only at the deck interface.
To re-install I'd push the bolts through the organizer and apply butyl to the bottom of the organizer around each bolt where it passes through the bottom the organizer. Then push the whole assembly down onto the deck and through the holes. Then tighten per above in a few rounds to slowly squish down the butyl. There shouldn't be any sealant at the bolt heads, only at the deck interface.
bsangs
E35-3 - New Jersey
That's almost exactly what I'm going to do. Except I'm planning to cover the entire bottom of the organizer with butyl, not just the area from where the bolts protrude.
I'm in the process of doing the same project on my 27. When I took the old deck organizer off there was a thin piece of wood between the old organizer and the fiberglass. Under that was some sort of sealant that came away fairly easily, I'm guessing the old butyl. The wood piece was obviously in pretty bad shape.
I'm wondering if anyone else has seen something like that? Or would y'all just skip it and use butyl tape only between the deck and the organizer?
I'm wondering if anyone else has seen something like that? Or would y'all just skip it and use butyl tape only between the deck and the organizer?
The sealant under the lower organizer plate is only there to keep dirt out. The bolts only need to be sealed where they penetrate the deck. Personally, I wouldn't use butyl under the plate, as any tube sealant such as 4200 would spread better.
Your wood might be a spacer to raise the lines off the deck, necessary or maybe not.
Your wood might be a spacer to raise the lines off the deck, necessary or maybe not.
bsangs
E35-3 - New Jersey
Damnit guys, stop giving me so much to think about! 
To your point Dave, wouldn't that be the case with anything using butyl underneath it then? Yet I see it used for cleats, stanchions, and other deck hardware. All the tutorials I've read suggest covering the bottom of the item with butyl and don't mention it interfering with bolts fully sealing.
To your point Dave, wouldn't that be the case with anything using butyl underneath it then? Yet I see it used for cleats, stanchions, and other deck hardware. All the tutorials I've read suggest covering the bottom of the item with butyl and don't mention it interfering with bolts fully sealing.
The wood spacer might have been to create a flat surface on a cambered deck. If I recall the 27 correctly the coach roof had some significant camber. I think you’ll be fine either way with the butyl tape. I don’t usually coat the entire bottom of large pieces like a deck organizer.
The Saga of Butyl:
Its great attribute is that it seals well when it can be compressed hard by bolts, such as for stanchion bases and such. It may require further tightening as it expands, and there is often excess to be trimmed off.
For applications when hard compression isn't needed, or possible, such as rebedding portlights, tube compounds work better. They flow with less compression, and are well proven by time.
The deck organizer does not require, or invite, hard compression, since its area is large, and it's only held down by the central sheave bolts.
In the end we can do whatever we want to, which in my case might well depend on the sealant within reach....
Its great attribute is that it seals well when it can be compressed hard by bolts, such as for stanchion bases and such. It may require further tightening as it expands, and there is often excess to be trimmed off.
For applications when hard compression isn't needed, or possible, such as rebedding portlights, tube compounds work better. They flow with less compression, and are well proven by time.
The deck organizer does not require, or invite, hard compression, since its area is large, and it's only held down by the central sheave bolts.
In the end we can do whatever we want to, which in my case might well depend on the sealant within reach....
bsangs
E35-3 - New Jersey
In the end we can do whatever we want to, which in my case might well depend on the sealant within reach....
Maybe I’ll just flip a coin then, since they’re both staring longingly at me - like my dog when I close the back door while leaving the house.
bsangs
E35-3 - New Jersey
The new delrin sheaves sent by Garhauer were too large, unfortunately. So since we’re leaving for Block Island this week, was forced to clean up the old ones and put it back together. Imagine my surprise when I popped out one of the old ones and was greeted with a parade of ball bearings marching across the deck. That was a lot of fun. Cleaned all the hardware, carefully doused the ball bearings in all sheaves with One Drop and reinstalled with Bed-It tape (butyl) on the underside of the screws and the organizer. Will spend a couple days slowly tightening until the excess Bed-It has stopped oozing out. The old sheaves are spinning more smoothly than they ever had previously, plus we had a torrential storm last night and no leak above the port side window, so hope my theory that that organizer was responsible is being proven correct.