05 XStar tower advice

[StrmChzr]

I've put about 20 hours on the '05 X-Star I bought in March. The tower seems to be getting a little loose and is starting to squeak.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1152/20120414144950.jpg

A few times I have needed to slightly tighten the hand knobs on tower. I would then check all tower socket head bolts with the appropriate hex key and they were all "hand" tight.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/1459/photo12mb.jpg

The 3 hex socket bolts that attach the front (bow) tower legs to boat all turn relatively easy without holding the nut with a wrench. When I try to tighten these bolts with allen wrench, the nut will turn with the bolt.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5118/photo1ncq.jpg

If I open the bow storage compartment and hold nut with crescent wrench while someone is tightening bolts at base of tower, can we overtighten them and damage my gelcoat or cause spider cracks in the fiberglass?



Should I try to use the existing pad and re-center it after loosening the bolts? Once pad is correctly positioned, how tight do I need these bolts to be without being too tight and causing damage to boat hull?

[magnum]

I have an 06 XStar and the knobs on my tower, never get loose but I do have problems with the front rubber tower pads moving out from the feet and have replaced the rubber pads once but after 2 seasons they are moved right back out , if you snug the front bolts fairly tight , you won't get them to tight with the rubber pads on there, I am trying to find some composite rubber/plastic to make some better gaskets