Official 400EC thread

Thanks, this is very informative!! This will give me a good start!!

Pull out the top drawer and push up the stove top.
It’s just Velcro in place. Have a look at the water connections under there......should be bone dry.
 
Thanks, this is very informative!! This will give me a good start!!
Here is a couple of pics if helpful; these are behind the refer but for a 400DA which may be similar. There are multiple potential sources for leaks in this area and they can get into that locker in front of the refrigerator. The hot and cold water hoses are for the galley sink. The leak here was from the windshield screws above which to fix was removed and rebedded. Another common leak area is the portlight above the galley.
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Welcome to the 400EC Club!! They are great boats! I have had my 1994 400EC for 7 years and still love her.

I just went through the 'fix' of replacing the factory door slides with a roller setup someone else posted on the Facebook 400 Express group.

First, removing the door is fairly simple. There are two allen head screws on each corner of the door that go into the slide assemblies. Removing all 8 screws will allow you to lift the door up and off of the frame. Be careful, as the door is large and cumbersome, but it is not too heavy.

Unless, they are bent or otherwise damaged, the tracks should be ok. The roller assembly you see below work in the existing tracks. Remove the OEM slides (I had to pry the upper track slides up to get them out of the track (breaking one in the process)) by sliding them to the starboard side out of the end of the track.

The new roller assemblies, which consist of 5/8" shower door rollers, 10x24 by 1" machine screws with lock nuts attached to a generic prepackaged 5/8" metal brace that I drilled the middle hole (ignore the finish washer :) - was holding it there for something else), slide into the track. Note, I ended up not using the middle lock nut on the upper track and replaced it with a regular nut on the lower track for spacing issues. I am also awaiting delivery of 19 MM and 3/4" rollers to give them a try on the lower track as the 5/8" rollers are binding a little in the track.


View attachment 91840

Each roller assembly lines up with one of the two original holes on each corner of the door. I used the outer hole on each corner. To get a 3/8" deep socket over the nut, I had to grind the hole a bit larger using a grinding bit. NOTE, check the mounting surface of the door frame where the slide assemblies attached. The welds on one of the pieces of aluminum used to hold the door to the slide assembly broke and was loose in the track. It would slide to the side making an opening larger than the washer I was using. (sorry no pictures of this right now). I would suggest adding a fender washer on the inside of the door frame and as large of a washer as you can get into the outside of the door frame as well.

Even though it was binding a bit and I am tweaking the design, the door has never moved as smoothly!! I can open and close it with one finger and the lock mechanism still lined up!! WIN, WIN. Best of all, the Admiral is HAPPY! ;)


Thanks so much. This is great information. The starboard side rollers on the top track of mine are completely gone and I don't think there's much left of the port side top track roller. The bottom rollers I believe are in fairly good shape, but I haven't really checked them. I'd like a better understanding of the "prepackaged 5/8" metal brace". Where did you get that? I checked Home Depot for the 5/8" rollers and the only one they had was out-of-stock. The others were mostly 3/4" or 7/8". If the roller is 5/8" and the bracket is 5/8", does that mean that the surface of the bracket touches the track as well?
Also the door lock is pretty much shot, too. I wonder whether someone well-intentioned or otherwise decided there was a need to force entry and ended up destroying the top track rollers and very nearly the lock mechanism. It's marked "KCS" and I think I read elsewhere here that those locks and the parts for them have been discontinued for some time. Do you know of a "plug-and-play" replacement?

Thanks again for all the help. I've been eyeing the 400 EC for a few years now and finally found one in decent shape (except the door) that they accepted my offer for. I know I'm really going to enjoy having her.
 
Thanks for all of the great tips and advice on my QS 7.5 generator. I think I am going to pull it so it will be easier to work on and try to see if I can identify the problem. I'll let you know how I make out.

Here in Mass. the leaves are starting to fall and it was 41 degrees this morning so I'll be spending the next two weekends winterizing and shrink wrapping.

Thanks again
 
Thanks so much. This is great information. The starboard side rollers on the top track of mine are completely gone and I don't think there's much left of the port side top track roller. The bottom rollers I believe are in fairly good shape, but I haven't really checked them. I'd like a better understanding of the "prepackaged 5/8" metal brace". Where did you get that? I checked Home Depot for the 5/8" rollers and the only one they had was out-of-stock. The others were mostly 3/4" or 7/8". If the roller is 5/8" and the bracket is 5/8", does that mean that the surface of the bracket touches the track as well?
Also the door lock is pretty much shot, too. I wonder whether someone well-intentioned or otherwise decided there was a need to force entry and ended up destroying the top track rollers and very nearly the lock mechanism. It's marked "KCS" and I think I read elsewhere here that those locks and the parts for them have been discontinued for some time. Do you know of a "plug-and-play" replacement?

Thanks again for all the help. I've been eyeing the 400 EC for a few years now and finally found one in decent shape (except the door) that they accepted my offer for. I know I'm really going to enjoy having her.

I got the brace from Ace Hardware (any hardware store should have them). Think of it as being half of a door hinge that is used to hold or support two pieces of wood/metal together. I used something like this:

Hardware / Angles, Braces and Brackets / Metal Plates
6d98efc1-2c33-4462-8f0f-4e74dc847cb3




Ace 2 in. H x 0.5 in. W x 1.091 in. L Zinc Mending Brace
Item no.
5292040


I drilled a hole in the middle to accommodate the machine screw into the door. For the lower track I did use the 3/4" rollers I purchased while leaving the 5/8" rollers on the top track. The 3/4" rollers were these from Amazon:

Prime-Line Products M 6151 Tub Enclosure Rollers, 3/4-Inch, 4-Pack





  • 61WcvWfdueL._AC_SX679_PIbundle-4,TopRight,0,0_SH20_.jpg


The track is actually about 3/4", so the metal brace/bracket is close to the track on the bottom, but when the assembly is tight, it does not hit the track.
Also, the OEM setup is better described as a slide not a roller (at least on mine). It is a piece of plastic that slides in the track and is screwed to the door frame. Hence, the use of grease to try to make it slide easier.

Sorry, but I do not know of any replacement for the lock assembly. I discovered the loop on the door frame of mine is broken and I will need to figure out a fix, at some point, too.
 

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I got the brace from Ace Hardware (any hardware store should have them). Think of it as being half of a door hinge that is used to hold or support two pieces of wood/metal together. I used something like this:

Hardware / Angles, Braces and Brackets / Metal Plates
6d98efc1-2c33-4462-8f0f-4e74dc847cb3




Ace 2 in. H x 0.5 in. W x 1.091 in. L Zinc Mending Brace
Item no.
5292040


I drilled a hole in the middle to accommodate the machine screw into the door. For the lower track I did use the 3/4" rollers I purchased while leaving the 5/8" rollers on the top track. The 3/4" rollers were these from Amazon:

Prime-Line Products M 6151 Tub Enclosure Rollers, 3/4-Inch, 4-Pack





  • 61WcvWfdueL._AC_SX679_PIbundle-4,TopRight,0,0_SH20_.jpg


The track is actually about 3/4", so the metal brace/bracket is close to the track on the bottom, but when the assembly is tight, it does not hit the track.
Also, the OEM setup is better described as a slide not a roller (at least on mine). It is a piece of plastic that slides in the track and is screwed to the door frame. Hence, the use of grease to try to make it slide easier.

Sorry, but I do not know of any replacement for the lock assembly. I discovered the loop on the door frame of mine is broken and I will need to figure out a fix, at some point, too.

Got it. Thanks for quick and detailed reply.
 
Cabin door lock — I have not installed this yet - but my neighbor did. A bit of modification, but nothing major to install. Drill two extra holes, and notch out the side/frame. Pricy lock for what it is - but they seem to have the market.

https://www.amazon.com/C150WH-Surface-Mount-Hook-Bolt/dp/B00CXTR4SW/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=lockey+usa+surface+mount+2500&qid=1600300035&sr=8-4&th=1&psc=1

Great lead. Thanks. My cabin door is one messed up piece of work. If I can get the rollers just to get (and stay) in the track and get a secure lock on there, I'll be set.
 
Cabin door lock — I have not installed this yet - but my neighbor did. A bit of modification, but nothing major to install. Drill two extra holes, and notch out the side/frame. Pricy lock for what it is - but they seem to have the market.

https://www.amazon.com/C150WH-Surface-Mount-Hook-Bolt/dp/B00CXTR4SW/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=lockey+usa+surface+mount+2500&qid=1600300035&sr=8-4&th=1&psc=1

Thanks for the link. I've been looking for a replacement lock for three years.
I've used a cable lock to secure the door, it will be nice to have a standard lock.

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Thanks for the link. I've been looking for a replacement lock for three years.
I've used a cable lock to secure the door, it will be nice to have a standard lock.

IMG_2826.jpg
 
You may another option for your door lock. I had issues with my door lock when I bought the boat. I went to home depot and got a simple door and cabinet lock like the one below. I removed the latch from the old lock and screwed it onto the new one and it was an easy install.

One caveat - I don't know if the boat had the original boat lock when I purchased it. However, these locks come in different sizes, so it would be an easy matter to find one that fits. You may need to use one of the latches that comes with the kit and do a little fab work to make it fit.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-L...ess-Steel-13-16-in-Max-Panel-U-9945/100203961
 
You may another option for your door lock. I had issues with my door lock when I bought the boat. I went to home depot and got a simple door and cabinet lock like the one below. I removed the latch from the old lock and screwed it onto the new one and it was an easy install.

One caveat - I don't know if the boat had the original boat lock when I purchased it. However, these locks come in different sizes, so it would be an easy matter to find one that fits. You may need to use one of the latches that comes with the kit and do a little fab work to make it fit.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-L...ess-Steel-13-16-in-Max-Panel-U-9945/100203961

Thanks for the info, and link. I already ordered the other lock, but if it doesn't work out I'll give this one a try.
 
HELP!! Water heater leaking need to replaced.
Question - how does it come out?? It’s an Atwood 11 gal. I am thinking the converter needs to come out BUT will it fit in front of the engines??
Also thinking of removing the jacket on the water heater then remove the tank THEN it may fit in front of the engines.. Any suggestions, please share!!
Tom
 
Have done this twice - two different 400 Express Cruisers. If you break the water heater down, in-place, you can get the actual tank out via the front of the engines. You need to pull the main pully from the water pump (4 bolts) and move your bilge blower hose out of the way. If there is anything else non-factory mounted to the bulkhead - its got to go. Also may need to remove a few screws from the fuel line on the ‘ceiling’.

New unit also needs to be completely disassembled before install. Its tedious and time consuming. Plan on a full 8 hour day - if you have help. Hopefully someone is skinny enough to fit infront of engine - helps to have that vantage point/access.

I made plywood planks - one that fits infront of engine (make cutouts for things so it fits flat), and two planks that go in-place of engine hatch. Gives you a bit more comfort to lay on them while working.

I rebuilt my atwood, while my neighbor bought a new diff model. His was longer (deeper) but still fit, so take measurements first. Longer you can probably do. If its taller or wider - thats a no go, as you literally need to roll the unit on its side to reassemble bottom screws. Also compare where the engine water loop connects to. Mine is/was on the back, while neighbors was on front.
 
This gives me a great start!! This will be my winter project.. Thanks!!
 
Please take a few pics along the way...
Thought others pulled the exhaust on that side to replace the water heater. Either way..no fun.
 
Please take a few pics along the way...
Thought others pulled the exhaust on that side to replace the water heater. Either way..no fun.
Will take some pics, removing the exhaust no good the fuel tanks are in the way. Possibly they can do that on the dancers.
 
How do you access the water faucet mounting above the freezer for the wet bar sink?
Mine is loose and rotated so it is not above the sink, so if the water gets bumped on it runs down the side of the cabinet . . . I've looked around it - the only option that may work is to remove the ice maker to get access to the bottom of the faucet. ( I just don't want to go through that hassle if its not going to work. )
 
Will take some pics, removing the exhaust no good the fuel tanks are in the way. Possibly they can do that on the dancers.

Post #153 on here..
Harold R/R his water heater by removing exhaust and water circulating pump. So, it’s possible. PITA but, possible.
Zero experience on the dancers.
 
How do you access the water faucet mounting above the freezer for the wet bar sink?

You may be able to remove the outside of that ‘furniture piece’ by sliding the entire thing towards the center. Disconnect water, drain, 110v power, and pull the two pins. Its a heavy piece, and depending on how the back of the seat is secured to the floor (I have a raised metal plate that catches the rear lip) you may have to lift it up as you go over that piece. Helps to remove everything from the smaller rear seat - stuff gets caught as you drag. The ice maker side does not really have any plastic slides on it - so it needs more effort to move.

Back to the port side piece - I have not done it, but it looks like there is a set in piece of plywood screwed in place. If you can remove that, it might get you to the faucet. Otherwise pull the icemaker - at this point your half way there. Careful on the water line for the ice maker when disconnecting, reconnecting, and pushing the ice maker back in. If you damage/break the pex-to-ice maker line, I think you’ll have issues finding replacement parts if you have the older pex pieces.

Also mark which hose is water versus drain - They have the same fittings if I recall.

Good luck!
 

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