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Extreme Veteran
Location: Scottsdale, Aridzona | Please see the rear Window Trim thread started by Rico, that somehow wandered into a Rub Rail Insert Topic.
I put pictures of the Rub Rail Inserts I have bought and tried on #120 in the last year or two, in the Photo Albums. Please review those photos before you buy any Rub Rail for your FMC. There are several pictures of the dimensions of the slot that the rub rail goes into. I have no reason to think that those pictures and dimensions of the rub rail on my FMC #120 would be any different from the rub rail on your FMC. The new black, white, and silver pieces of rub rail in the picture Album are the Taco or Barbour part #s listed below.
From my FMC #120 the lengths required for each continuous piece of rub rail is:
20' 9" - Left side from engine bay to driver door.
2' 6" - Driver door.
19' 4" - Left front corner, all around the windshield, back to the Curb door.
2' 3" - Curb door.
11' 4" - Right side Curb door to engine bay.
4"+ 4"- Short down angle pieces, one each side.
56' 10" Total
Rub Rail Insert, of various size and configuration, is often available on E-bay, and Marine/Boat Supply places. As far as I have been able to find out, there are only two actual "makers" of Rub Rail Insert, TACO and Barbour Plastics. They both make an insert that fits the FMC Rub Rail - TACO #V12-0342, and Barbour #98175 -
but, but, but . . . both those inserts are a little different in the extrusion from the original and sit a little higher "out" of the metal rail . . . and stick up a little at the end caps at the latch side of the two doors, and at the end of the angle pieces back by the engine bay. See the pictures in the Albums. Midnite, on a moonless night, from the back of a galloping horse . . . I don't think that is any big deal as your FMC goes by in the opposite direction at warp 5. There are several COLORS available from Barbour that can really enhance the paint schemes on some FMCs, and certainly the black is suitable and "original". I am going to live with the slight mismatch at the two places at the doors, but so far I have NOT found any rub rail that fits exactly the same as what is still on my FMC #120 as it apparently came stock from the factory. Certainly over the last 40 years the rub rail insert has shrunk. A new 70 ft roll is not too too too expensive for complete FULL replacement of something that is just at "eye level", and of course covers all the rivets that hold the top and bottom fiberglass to the aluminum frame. I have several loose or missing rivets on my #120, and will install new 1/4" tribar type as work continues. It takes a BIG 18" or so rivet tool to pull 1/4" rivets.
(I have this one - http://rivetsonline.com/39031-big-daddy-riveter.html - but there are several out there available. Just make sure it says it will pull 1/4" rivets. This link has RIVETS as well at good prices)
http://tacomarine.com/cgi-bin/ccp51/cp-app.cgi?usr=51G2535566&rnd=4...
Taco only has BLACK Rub Rail in the V12-0342 type. They may refer you to one of their Distributors. I have no particular contact at TACO.
TACO has #V12-4155 which is 3/4". I have never tried that Part #. Anyone got a piece of the TACO 4155 ? How does it fit ?
http://www.barbourcorp.com/pdf/marine_catalog.pdf See page 20 for Rub Rail Insert #98175.
Barbour has #98175 available in 70 ft rolls in the following colors:
White (Blue White which is really bright white white)
Black
Silver Streak (think it is the same as the silver piece shown in my pictures, but I can't remember where I got that silver piece. Sorry)
Whaler Gray (Boston Whaler color)
Vivid Blue
Bronze.
To order call Barbour Plastics 800-955-9649, press 1, and ask for Kathy Foley.
There is a roll of GREEN Rub Rail Insert that looks like it would fit the FMC on E-bay right now . . . if you have green in your FMC paint theme.
Let us know what Part Number you buy, from who, co$t, and how it fits please.
Rub ON ! Lou #120
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Contributor
Location: Shoreview, MN | Lou - what grip length did you use on the rail? |
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Extreme Veteran
Location: Scottsdale, Aridzona | Hey Rob,
My #120 had a couple rub RAIL 3/16" rivets installed by FMC, that had the "mandrel pulled" head pop off. They were all at least 0.800" in length, so I think the grip should be at least a .876-1.00 inch. I went to the 1/4" diam. as it would "start" with a better "edge" in the aluminum box when pulling a new rivet, which of course requires opening up the holes to 1/4". I only changed 2 as I only had a few "tribar" (also called "exploding" , or "load spreading") rivets at the time. Now it seems no one makes a "tribar" in 1/4" with that grip range. So if you want the factory 3/16" rivet use a #616 (alum/steel) or a 1/4" #816 (alum/steel) for a .876-1.00" grip. The grip length verse # (like 810, 812, 816) seems to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Look at the https://klsales.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/POP-Rivet-Catalog.pdf to see all the sizes/types, and then shop for Price-Quantity.
Pop ON ! Lou #120
ps: I added another picture to the Rub Rail Inset Album.
Edited by hemi354az 2016-07-30 1:21 PM
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Contributor
Location: Shoreview, MN | Thanks Lou. I looked at the 1/4 rivet gun too. I'm hoping we have one at work that I can borrow. I think I have three that need to be replaced. |
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Extreme Veteran
Location: Scottsdale, Aridzona | There are cheaper "big" Pop Riveters on the nets. Mine is a Marsten (sp?) "Big Daddy". Handle leverage is pretty good, but every now and then . . . it is too big to get in position to pull a 1/4" rivet. If I use a 1/4", it usually is thru a couple layers (like the FMC Rub Rail) and I need the steel mandrel to pull the aluminum rivet tight . . . but sometimes I still smack a finger or knuckle when it finally breaks. I have stepped down to use a couple 3/16" if I didn't have "room" for the "Big Daddy". I have never used Cherry or HyLoc rivets as I don't have those tools. That is what is used on aircraft. Think the Hyloc type was used on the FMC structure to frame at San Jose. I used nut rivets on the Fantastic Vent installation on #120. The fiberglass is over 1/4" thick around the vent hole on my #120, and they pulled up nice and tight . . . and hopefully won't get "screwed" again.
If you are changing rivets, you MUST have several sizes of CENTER DRILLS. They are just great for drilling the head off rivets. Here is a link for a good set of 5 sizes - https://www.google.com/#q=Keo+Center+Drill+Set - like the Keo 1000 set. Don't buy cheap ones, as they will dull quickly, and don't buy CARBIDE unless you have lots of money and plan on Exotic Metals. You can buy a single one of the sizes if you mess one up. They are also available in longer lengths, for working down in a hole, or next to some structure. They are really pretty good cutters, and can be abused "off center" and pushed sideways as you work on getting that rivet head off. Use a pin punch to knock the remaining rivet "in". Of course they also work for what they were originally made for . . . putting in a CENTER start shallow angled hole for a drill.
Rivet ON ! Lou #120 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Hard to beat the Astro PR14 for a rivet gun...they are worth twice the price. http://www.ebay.com/itm/321945248937?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&s...
As Lou mentions be sure and have the right drill bits:
1/4" rivet = Letter size "F"
3/16" rivet = Wire gauge size "11"
1/8" rivet = Wire gauge size "30"
I also buy my rivets on ebay, here's a link to some of the 1/4" that I bought: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361106951949?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&s...
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Contributor
Location: Shoreview, MN | Thanks Len for both of the links. Between Lou and you I am expanding my rivet knowledge. I didn't really use them much until a few years ago when I bought a boat. Old technology but still very useful and in some cases irreplaceable. I had to remove and reinstall the rain diverter above the driver side door as the mastic was disentegrated. 1/8th rivets worked fine but I probably would have used 1/4 if I had them. The diverter looks to have been reinstalled a couple of times and the fiberglass was drilled at least twice very close. It made an 8 shaped hole in several spots so I elected to redrill altogether to get a firm grip. I didn't really want new holes in either the diverter or the rig but also wanted the thing to stay on. I think you FMC guys would notice but the rest of the world is oblivious. I did a little tinkering as the diverter was a little beat up. Anyway the deed is done and in the last downpour it worked great. Now I'm on the hunt for driver door seal replacement. It leaks like a sieve - both air when you're driving (noisy) and rain when the diverter fails. |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | I received the Taco Metals 0303 molding today, it is just slightly larger than stock but with some light trimming to the outer "wings" it matches up to the end rail caps really well.
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
Edited by LCAC_Man 2016-08-01 9:08 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Location: Scottsdale, Aridzona | Hey Len,
How about a "before and after" trim of Taco 303 picture ?
How long do you think it will take you to "trim" 56 feet ?
Thx, Lou #120 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Lou,
I took a few before and after pictures, I'll email direct to you and you can add them to the rub rail picture album.
The trimming is pretty easy, I have a heavy duty pair of shears and it's just a 1/16" or so of the wing on each side coming off. A little work with a file on the rail itself as it gets close to the end helped get the perfect transition height to the cap...that and "setting it" with a rubber mallet.
I'll try and get that stuff to you tonight.
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
My hands are aching but I got all my new rub rail molding installed yesterday...be ready for a workout...this stuff is extremely tight even after trimming the backside wings down. |
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Rub Rail Insert
