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Illusion X Tower Rattle


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I have an 04 LSV with the Illusion X tower that has a rattle that is only noticeable when running through some chop? I first thought it was the racks or the bimini brackets, but it sounds like it is just above the base of the tower. I think there is a spring assembly inside the tower that is causing the rattle. Can anyone confirm this and are there any adjustments/solutions to eliminate the rattle? Thanks!!

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I have noticed the same problem on my 05 VLX with the same tower. I had to tighten the mounting bolts because they were about to fall off and that seems to take care of the noise. I have found that they come loose pretty quick with the lightest of chop. Anybody else have same problem?

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  • 1 year later...

I have noticed the same problem on my 05 VLX with the same tower. I had to tighten the mounting bolts because they were about to fall off and that seems to take care of the noise. I have found that they come loose pretty quick with the lightest of chop. Anybody else have same problem?

Bringing this back up. Took my boat out for it's maiden wakeboaard voyage, and was afraid of this, and one of the reasons i was hesitant to buy a boat with this tower.

Mine rattles with a wakeboarder on there, and chop. It was replaced underwarranty by the previous owner by Malibu in 2009. So the bushings seem to be good, and so do the pins.

I tightened the front bolts down and that helped, but other than that is there anything I can do? it seems like my front bolt hole maybe a bit loose. Besides the bolt in there, there seems to be nothing else, should there be? Can the cable adjustments take out any slack? Do I just put some adhesive backed padding under the rear of the tower to keep it firm?

Thanks

Edited by Indyxc
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Bringing this back up. Took my boat out for it's maiden wakeboaard voyage, and was afraid of this, and one of the reasons i was hesitant to buy a boat with this tower.

Mine rattles with a wakeboarder on there, and chop. It was replaced underwarranty by the previous owner by Malibu in 2009. So the bushings seem to be good, and so do the pins.

I tightened the front bolts down and that helped, but other than that is there anything I can do? it seems like my front bolt hole maybe a bit loose. Besides the bolt in there, there seems to be nothing else, should there be? Can the cable adjustments take out any slack? Do I just put some adhesive backed padding under the rear of the tower to keep it firm?

Thanks

Bump, anyone have input?

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Sorry man. Goes with any Metcraft product... free of charge.

Numerous other people on here with similar problems. Most get past it by replacing the pins & bushings. I suppose if the rattling were let go for very long, it can wallow the holes out to the point that they no longer are round. You can try your idea of putting some padding in there to make it more firm.... which is not an idea I've seen bounced around here at all. Or if you can determine which holes are no longer round, you could drill them out, insert a bushing or sleeve in it, then re-bolt the tower all together.

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Sorry man. Goes with any Metcraft product... free of charge.

Numerous other people on here with similar problems. Most get past it by replacing the pins & bushings. I suppose if the rattling were let go for very long, it can wallow the holes out to the point that they no longer are round. You can try your idea of putting some padding in there to make it more firm.... which is not an idea I've seen bounced around here at all. Or if you can determine which holes are no longer round, you could drill them out, insert a bushing or sleeve in it, then re-bolt the tower all together.

Haha fantastic, thanks.

I did some more research, and really I guess it comes to two things for rattle (mainly).

1. Bushing or pins are worn out- Mine shouldn't be as the tower was replaced in 2009, but I will replace them again, or at least look at them.

2. The bolts holding bases down to gunnel maybe loose. I dont think this is the case. Are these hard to tighten?

I will double check those again. I'll replace the pins/bushings, and add some adhesive back felt or rubber on the rear of the tower legs to take out some "slack".

If that doesn't work, Im surpised no one else has made some non plastic bushing. Some brass round stock, machined down to the id of the a "new" bushing, and drilled to the pin size might work too.

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If that doesn't work, Im surpised no one else has made some non plastic bushing. Some brass round stock, machined down to the id of the a "new" bushing, and drilled to the pin size might work too.

This may very well be your answer. In fact, I think I've read where someone has done this kind of thing already. Maybe you can find an off the shelf bushing at some place like McMaster Carr or Bearings, Inc.?

Or you know the Illusion design was purchased by XTP, who makes towers for Moomba. They did some redesign of it for their own purpose so I'm not sure how much of it will apply to the older towers.

Good luck with it.

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I purchased a thin adhesive rubber mat like you would find on the front step of a bass boat. I cut it to size of the base plate gap of the tower. After it was added in I have no more rattle and the tower works perfectly. By the way, it is tight and I do not have to let my tower down to get the boat in the garage. Hope this helps.

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  • 1 year later...

I bought a 2004 lsv last year and have the same problem. I have not really looked into it, but planning on so this spring. How did the new bushings or adhesive rumber stand up?

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I have an Illusion X tower on my 05 LSV. I had a loud rattle at heavy chop. It went away completely when I did the same thing Glen did. I used some thin rubber and cut washers, essentially to go between the base posts and the tower.

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Same issue here. Replacing the Bushings (cheap fix) and going to either go rubber between the tower leg and the gunnel or put in a backer plate under where the bolt goes through the hole to reinforce it. Got a lot of spider cracks on one side b/c of this issue. Not happy so going to take care of it asap. FYI my bolts were loose by the way.

Claudio

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  • 5 years later...
On 5/24/2011 at 4:04 PM, Indyxc said:

Haha fantastic, thanks.

I did some more research, and really I guess it comes to two things for rattle (mainly).

1. Bushing or pins are worn out- Mine shouldn't be as the tower was replaced in 2009, but I will replace them again, or at least look at them.

2. The bolts holding bases down to gunnel maybe loose. I dont think this is the case. Are these hard to tighten?

I will double check those again. I'll replace the pins/bushings, and add some adhesive back felt or rubber on the rear of the tower legs to take out some "slack".

If that doesn't work, Im surpised no one else has made some non plastic bushing. Some brass round stock, machined down to the id of the a "new" bushing, and drilled to the pin size might work too.

These are not hard to tighten.  I used a 1/2 inch drive deepwell socket, I don't remember what size but it is large, plus an extension or 2 depending on length.  There are 2 bolts per side. 

Mine were loose when I bought the boat in 2012.  Checked them a couple years later and they took a little tightening.  

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have not taken my tower down yet but am curious:

1) is the rubber gasket discussed going between a) the bottom of tower and where it mounts to the boat or b) where the tower is hinged?

2) does someone have a cutaway drawing showing where the various bushings and pins go that are discussed above or is this pretty self-explanatory once I get the tower hinged down?

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