Stripped Seat Pedestal Screws

[Seedtree]

Several of the screws that hold the seat pedestal to the floor are stripped. I am having a difficult time even getting them out, even though they are loose and obviously stripped (they turn freely in either direction). Anyone have any tips for getting them out and how to securely refasten the pedestal to the floor?

[jiggster]

I had that problem on my lund. I found out there were no screws. There is a bolt with a nut on the back side. I had to take out my rod panel and I could reach the nuts with a socket.

[Shellback]

Quite possibly tee nuts underneath. They are those washer and nut type things that have a couple spikes in them to grab the wood when you tighten them. Sometimes you can exert upward pressure on the seat base to make them grab the wood. If the screw is frozen in the nut, you may have to pull up the floor. Good Luck!

[tv4fish]

They are those washer and nut type things that have a couple spikes in them to grab the wood when you tighten them

IF they are that type --- use a flat-bladed screwdriver (or something similar) and put some "upward" pressure under the screwhead as you try to unscrew them.

[REW]

In the worst case, if you can get no lift at all on the screws or bolts and if you can't get under the floor; use a grinder.
Use a grinder to grind out the hole in the seat base and then grind off the screw.

Once the base is out (ground out) you will be able to get under the base through the center hole and remove the remains of the screws or bolts.

Then, purchase a new seat base, and use a nut plate under the floor to install the new base.

It is also possible that before you are done; you will find that there is so much rot and decay in the floor that you will need to replace the floor in order to have a good enough floor to safely mount the new base.

Good luck
REW

[4JawChuck]

You can drill the screw head off or use a pry bar and lift the base enough to get a hacksaw blade under there.

If your going to rotate the base and use new tee nuts make sure you "never seize" the bolt, thats assuming the floor is not rotten.

[Seedtree]

Thanks for the help. I'm thinking I'll leave this to the pros as I need to get the boat in the shop (first time in the 8 years I've owned it!) for a couple other items.

[REW]

Seed,
Where in Montana are you located?

[Striper]

I also had a problem on my last outing on my Lund 2025 with my seat. I guest there's a shock inside the bottom pedestal which caused the issue. We took the screws out of the bottom base plate and found that there was a lock nut that came off the rod (which was striped) located in the center of the pedestal, which caused the seat to malfunction and come apart. I don't know if I can replace some of the parts or not. Right now I have no shock absorber working in the seat, not good when your on big water like Lake Erie. Should I replace the whole seat or can I get the bottom pedestal parts.

[REW]

Striper,
Likely the best and quickest thing to do is to pick up another seat pedestal.

If some of the parts are broken or missing on the original, best to replace the entire base.

REW