Fasteners for door guard

[Amy M]

After I get the leaking windows re-sealed, I need to take off the door rain guard and put it back on with some butyl tape because it it dripping between the guard and the fiberglass. I have avoided buying rivet stuff because I am using bolts instead of rivets where the rivets leak and screws on the windows. I would prefer to use bolts again for the door guard, but I haven't seen an example of this. I guess I would have to make holes through the ensolite (with the drill?) and use very short bolts with acorn nuts on the end. Is there any reason not to do it this way?

[Robert Johans]

After I get the leaking windows re-sealed, I need to take off the door rain guard and put it back on with some butyl tape because it it dripping between the guard and the fiberglass. I have avoided buying rivet stuff because I am using bolts instead of rivets where the rivets leak and screws on the windows. I would prefer to use bolts again for the door guard, but I haven't seen an example of this. I guess I would have to make holes through the ensolite (with the drill?) and use very short bolts with acorn nuts on the end. Is there any reason not to do it this way?

If your Boler is like my Scamp, you have a bunch of rivets holding the drip rail on. Replacing the rivets with bolts make sense, just make sure you're using stainless steel. But rather than exposing the bolt ends and acorn nuts, is there any way to pull your ensolite away from the shell? Use short bolts and locking nuts, then make 'em disappear when you cover them up with the ensolite.

My two cents.

[Amy M]

Ah, another product I was previously unaware existed. Locking nuts. I will look into whether I can pull away the ensolite there. If I can, it sounds like that would be a good option.

Thanks!

If your Boler is like my Scamp, you have a bunch of rivets holding the drip rail on. Replacing the rivets with bolts make sense, just make sure you're using stainless steel. But rather than exposing the bolt ends and acorn nuts, is there any way to pull your ensolite away from the shell? Use short bolts and locking nuts, then make 'em disappear when you cover them up with the ensolite.

My two cents.

[Raya]

I basically agree with Robert. On my Boler, there is actually an air pocket behind the Ensolite there, because it goes from being stuck to the roof further up, to coming "in" to where the door frame is thicker. Yours might be the same way.

In fact, if you do have that air pocket, I would say it could be a bit of a problem to put the fasteners on top of the Ensolite, because you would have to worry about pulling through the Ensolite (it might stretch though; I'm just saying).

Note that the locking nuts are not really different in terms of shape or size; it's just that they have a "locking" component to the inside of them (some kind of plastic) which makes them less likely to come loose. It's like using a lock-washer only you don't have a separate piece. You probably still would want to use a regular washer though.

If you are thinking about putting an awning rail on (or if you already have one), this might be the time to think about those fasteners too, since they are in the same area.

Raya