Bimini top internal eye end repair....

[boatinillinois]

Hope someone can help out there. The mounting eye hole of the end of my bimini tube broke. This is the type that is in the tube with a what looks like the tube has a tubular crimp on it to hold the eye in place. I have found a set to replace it with but for the life of me I can't figure out on how to remove it. My guess it that you need to hack saw around the crimp part of the tube to remove the broken piece out. But if i do that to the one side I'll have to do that to the other side otherwise one side will be shorter. Then how would I keep the new one in without the crimp keeping it in place?<br />Or should i just get the external eye end ones and use the set screw to keep the eye mount on?<br /><br />Thanks, for any help....

 

[gewf631]

Re: Bimini top internal eye end repair....

Do you mean the point at which the bimini mounts to the gunwale? I assume the piece looks like this...

<br /><br />If so, you might have to use a hacksaw to cut the old one off. The ones I have are plastic, and are held in place with a small metal screw that goes through the tube and into the mount.<br /><br />Those pieces are less than $1 each from this site so I'd just replace both sides.

 

[Blk-n-Blu]

Re: Bimini top internal eye end repair....

You might try using a tubing / pipe cutter and cut right in the groove and do both sides of the bimini to stay even.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Bimini top internal eye end repair....

Yep, that's what I'd do. Just take a tubing cutter and ring it off just above the crimp. Do both sides. Those things come in two versions, one is a female that your tube would slip into and be held in place via a set screw that comes with the fitting. The other one is as pictured. Tap it up into the tube and then take your drill and drill a hole throgh the tube and into the fitting. Then take a #6 or so sheet metal screw (1/2") and put it in. Oh, make sure you pick up a flat headed stainless screw.<br /><br />Thom

 

[boatinillinois]

Re: Bimini top internal eye end repair....

Thanks guys. I thought I may need to cut it. But didn't think of using a pipe cutter though, that's a great idea!<br />Thanks for the help!