While lifting up the platform of my 40 the left part of it suddenly dropped and I found the lower bolt holding the platform in place had cracked. It's insanity as this is a bolt thicker than my thumb.
I presume what happened was that the welding of the bolt to the plate screwed to the hull wasn't well done and gave in to excessive forces applied over the years.
The big unknown is now how to best fix this?
I can go and find a place to do the welding but how to get the platform out and back in? It will only fit if the plate (with bolt) is inserted into the platform before doing the screws. But from what I can tell, I can only reach the screws as long as the platform isn't mounted!? >:(
All hints welcome!
Platform (it's the first version, not full width yet):
IMG_4711.jpeg
The broken bolt is from the lower left corner where the platform is pivoting:
IMG_4712.jpeg
These two pics show how the welding is gone. Am I supposed to remove the screws, insert bolt and plate, get it all in place and put screws back in?
IMG_4114.jpeg
IMG_4115.jpeg
The bolt is pretty thick:
IMG_4715.jpeg
IMG_4717.jpeg