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Help with Illusion X Bimini...


Big Belly

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I just received my bimini from Metcraft and I've already screwed it up. I mounted all the hardware but when it came to the two small poles that mount into the front of the tower, I didn't grease them or clear out the powder coating before inserting them.

I was having trouble getting the top to fit properly and after trying to make sure the front poles were in all the way, I realized that one of them was stuck........and it wasn't coming out, period!

I sprayed WD-40 into the end of the tube and after an entire day of waiting, WD did the trick and then it came out...but the little pole is destroyed!!! Metcraft has a new one in the mail to me.

For those of you that have the "X" Bimini, did you grease the poles first or clear out the excessive powdercoating...or did you even do anything.

Just want to make sure I didn't screw it up again!

It's really a simple Bimini but, it still would have been nice to have some sort of instructions for dummies like me.

Thanks,

Chad

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Well, my bimini came with the boat, so I guess the dealer dealt with all that. I do notice the holes on the front of the tower where the poles fit look sanded out with sandpaper, so it appears the dealer did this to mine as well. I don't use any grease, they now fit in perfect.

I have the best luck fitting them into the bimini first, then the tower. If I put them in the tower first, it's hard to get them to align perfectly so they click lock into the tower, the little spring loaded "pill" is hard to get to line up with the hole in the bimini.

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Take some 150 grit sandpaper and sand the inside of the holes. Mine are very snug but pull out. You want them to be snug, because at 40mph, my bimini does not make any noise at all.

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When I installed mine, I pushed them with my hand until they stopped, then a few taps with rubber mallet seated them properly. I took it apart a few time and it is a snug fit, but I'd rather have it too snug than the opposite. The extension was another issue altogether.

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I had difficulty deciding which pole went where on my extended bimini. Bob from Metcraft saw my post on MBO and sent me a PM. A quick call to his cell and the bimini was up. I agree that it should come with some instructions.

I will also say that Metcraft totally helped me out and sent a spare part that my dealer forgot. :) At 48 MPH (WOT) I have zero noise coming from the extended bimini. I am very pleased with how it looks and operates.

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I will agree the first time was a little tricky , but after that its all been good. When I first got the boat Metcraft had drilled the bimini mounting holes in the wrong spots. The dealer first tried to fill in holes and retap. It didn't work so I told them I wanted a new tower after all the money I had spent. They ordered me another and all is good now. with one exception. on the last tower the rope tie off turned but did not move up and down, the new one turns ok but moves up and down about a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch.The dealer said that is the way the new ones are. It seems to work ok.

Edited by mibu
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I had to remove the drill shavings from the holes. But after that it seemed to fit great. Snug -- but not too tough.

I did not use any grease --- that sounds like a bad idea to me.

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My dealer had already checked the fit of the bimini before I picked her up. The front post are very snug, but no trouble to get in or out.

But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished. Crazy.gif

I was thinking of getting some velcro and making straps to hold everything together. Then the cover should be much easier to put on.

Anyone else come up with something similar?

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My dealer had already checked the fit of the bimini before I picked her up.  The front post are very snug, but no trouble to get in or out.

But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished. Crazy.gif

I was thinking of getting some velcro and making straps to hold everything together.  Then the cover should be much easier to put on. 

Anyone else come up with something similar?

I have the extended bimini, does it all fit in the boot? I figured I'd have to make a 10 ft tall enclosure.

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I don't have the extended bimini, so i can answer that. Boy would I hate to have to put the bimini plus an extension in the cover all by myself.

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My dealer had already checked the fit of the bimini before I picked her up.  The front post are very snug, but no trouble to get in or out.

But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished.   Crazy.gif

I was thinking of getting some velcro and making straps to hold everything together.  Then the cover should be much easier to put on. 

Anyone else come up with something similar?

I have the extended bimini, does it all fit in the boot? I figured I'd have to make a 10 ft tall enclosure.

My extended bimini does all fit into the boot, but it is tight.

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One or two of the hole's in the tower were not tapped out on mine. I went and got a tap and did it myself. Worked great after that.

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My dealer had already checked the fit of the bimini before I picked her up.  The front post are very snug, but no trouble to get in or out.

But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished.   Crazy.gif

I was thinking of getting some velcro and making straps to hold everything together.  Then the cover should be much easier to put on. 

Anyone else come up with something similar?

I have the extended bimini, does it all fit in the boot? I figured I'd have to make a 10 ft tall enclosure.

My extended bimini does all fit into the boot, but it is tight.

So do you unhook the bimini in the back and boot the front, or vice versa?

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But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished. Crazy.gif

I just un-snap the bimini from the tower and then roll it all up on the engine cover. Then just snap it back in and your done. Way easier than battling that thing while its on the tower.

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But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished.   Crazy.gif

I just un-snap the bimini from the tower and then roll it all up on the engine cover. Then just snap it back in and your done. Way easier than battling that thing while its on the tower.

so it is entirely removed from the tower? I thought I'd seen photos where it is still connected to the illusion tower, but enclosed in the sleeve.

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But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished.   Crazy.gif

I just un-snap the bimini from the tower and then roll it all up on the engine cover. Then just snap it back in and your done. Way easier than battling that thing while its on the tower.

Damn! You mean to tell me I can eliminate all the bad words at the boat ramp.

I gotta try it. Thanks Crazy.gif

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So I've never even tried to put my bimini in the case. I can't wait to try. So, you unhook the front posts and roll the rest up? Where does it rest? Pics????

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My dealer had already checked the fit of the bimini before I picked her up.  The front post are very snug, but no trouble to get in or out.

But boy isn't that thing fun to put back in the boot by yourself when your finished.   Crazy.gif

I was thinking of getting some velcro and making straps to hold everything together.  Then the cover should be much easier to put on. 

Anyone else come up with something similar?

I have the extended bimini, does it all fit in the boot? I figured I'd have to make a 10 ft tall enclosure.

My extended bimini does all fit into the boot, but it is tight.

So do you unhook the bimini in the back and boot the front, or vice versa?

I take the bimini completely off, put it in the boot and bungee tie it to the tower. I've only done this once. I keep the boat in a warehouse 100 yards from the launch ramp, so mostly I just keep it up.

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