87' Sunsetter Titan III Tower Project

[Ndawg12]

Well the fabricator has the tubing cut and the ends welded into the rear hoop. I'm going to bring the pieces home and start mocking it up on the boat.

They could not get the broken stud out of the one end so I brought it into work and the guys here in our machine shop got it out this morning. Not sure why i didn't start there in the first place! My fourth heim joint arrived yesterday so I'm getting closer!

I need some help from you T III owners. I'm wondering what the following measurements are on your towers....

1. Spacing between the front and rear hoop at center (pipe to pipe at the tow spool)

2. Spacing between the connectors where they meet the front hoop

3. Spacing between the connectors where they meet the rear hoop.

Thanks!

It will be a few days before I can get back to my boat but I'd like some clarification on what measurements you're looking for...?

Edit- Are you sure you want to use the same measurements since your tower is shorter now. Might look better if you proportionally shortened those distances...??

Edited October 13, 2010 by Ndawg12

[skier_88]

Looking good, Matt!! I agree with Levi, don't move the mounts ahead any if you can help it. Its looking pretty sweet as is!!

[martinarcher]

Your really making me start to lean towards getting one of these...

Its gonna look sic! Don't move those mounts forward if you can help it.

Hehe - I do what I can.

It will be a few days before I can get back to my boat but I'd like some clarification on what measurements you're looking for...?

Edit- Are you sure you want to use the same measurements since your tower is shorter now. Might look better if you proportionally shortened those distances...??

Yep, those are the measurements I'm after. You mad Paint skills come through again! I might not use them exactly, but wanted a reference point of where a "stock" TIII is. I agree, with the shorter front to rear I will probably close the gap between hoops a little bit to make it looks a bit better.

Another question, it looks like the connector has a longer piece connected to one hoop and a shorter one on the other hoop. Is there a reason for this? (all I can think it if the short piece is on the front hoop it would prevent a tube that sticks out from contacting the boat when it folds down.)

Looking good, Matt!! I agree with Levi, don't move the mounts ahead any if you can help it. Its looking pretty sweet as is!!

Thanks guys. I'm pretty happy with how it looks just hanging there. I've decided not to move the mounts forward. I think it looks awesome with the windshield line and also keeps me from having to patch and drill new holes. Tonight I think I'll begin cutting the tube shorter on the front. I'll start with a small gap between tubes and then once I get the measurements stock I'll see where I stand.

Just a funny note, last night we mounted the front hoop on the mounts and saw how long it was. We hung it over top of the rear hoop so two hoops lines up on top of each other. We then started thowing around ideas of running it that way permanently and using 4 connectors instead of two (2 vertical on either side of the tow spool, and 2 horizontally on the sides, parallel to the gunnel). My wife walked in the garage and put the kabash on that idea. She can't leave us engineers alone in the garage too long or things get out of hand.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Great job, man. This is gonna look good, and be super strong, when your done!

[Ndawg12]

Maybe send sunriseh2oskier (Jerry) a PM and see if he can get you some quick measurements. Sounds like your progress hit a brick wall and you all most ventured off the course until your wife straightened you out They're good at that

Edited October 13, 2010 by Ndawg12

[SunriseH2OSkier]

I'll try to get some measurements tonight...

Just looking at your drawing above, the dimensions look strange. The distance between the connectors at the front hoop on mine are most definitely narrower than the connectors at the rear hoop. (Your drawing has the front distance at 37, the rear at 27.)

Here's a pic of mine, looking up at the connection...

Edited October 13, 2010 by SunriseH2OSkier

[martinarcher]

Maybe send sunriseh2oskier (Jerry) a PM and see if he can get you some quick measurements. Sounds like your progress hit a brick wall and you all most ventured off the course until your wife straightened you out They're good at that

We were just having fun being creative. Hopefully no welding would have happened, but you never know!

I'll try to get some measurements tonight...

Just looking at your drawing above, the dimensions look strange. The distance between the connectors at the front hoop on mine are most definitely narrower than the connectors at the rear hoop. (Your drawing has the front distance at 37, the rear at 27.)

Here's a pic of mine, looking up at the connection...

Awesome. Thanks Jerry. That will certainly help me out! You da man.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

1. Spacing between the front and rear hoop at center (pipe to pipe at the tow spool)

2. Spacing between the connectors where they meet the front hoop

3. Spacing between the connectors where they meet the rear hoop.

1. 11" (center-to-center)

2. 42.5"

3. 60.5"

These measurements are from an RLXi. For reference (IIRC), rear spread at the base is something like 82.5", front spread is like 69.5", and F/R spread is 77". You might find that the connectors need to be adjusted accordingly to match the spread on your tower.

Edited October 13, 2010 by SunriseH2OSkier

[martinarcher]

1. 11" (center-to-center)

2. 42.5"

3. 60.5"

These measurements are from an RLXi. For reference (IIRC), rear spread at the base is something like 82.5", front spread is like 69.5", and F/R spread is 77". You might find that the connectors need to be adjusted accordingly to match the spread on your tower.

Awesome. Thanks so much Jerry. That helps big time. My center to center spacing right now in the pics above is 10" so I'm really close to where you are. I think 11" is pushing it a bit with my shorter front to rear. I might even go 9" but I wanted an idea of how wide the connectors on a TIII were.

I really appreciate the help. I'll be in the garage measuring 14 times and hopefully cutting once.

My spacing for reference is 87" in the rear, 81" up front, and 59" front to rear.

Thanks again!

[Lance B. Johnson]

They must have changed styles on the Titan 3 at some point. My connectors are tubing with handknobs and release pins (no tools required).

Edit - mine also has the light integrated along with the tow...thingy

Please document your tower stripping It's on my list to do this winter...again!

ndawg....or anyone else...

Can you snap a picture or explain where/ how the wire runs for this light? I would like the install to be as factory as possible.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

If you look at the pic I posted above, you can see the wire coming down out of the bottom of the light, and into the rear hoop. It then routes down the starboard side and exits about 4" above the mount. From there I drilled a hole in the top of the gunnel, and tied into the nav light wiring.

[martinarcher]

Well my center to center is still 10 inches and the front hoop is nice and centered on the boat after taking a total of 22 inches off both front legs. It fits great. Now I just need to get another day off work so I can spend it at the fabricator for some welding time.

I think it is going to turn out awesome!

[Molarbu]

Well my center to center is still 10 inches and the front hoop is nice and centered on the boat after taking a total of 22 inches off both front legs. It fits great. Now I just need to get another day off work so I can spend it at the fabricator for some welding time.

I think it is going to turn out awesome!

It looks great, how's the head room?

[CumminsBu]

That is awesome Love the shorten tower

[Bill_AirJunky]

Nice! I bet the fact that it's a bit shorter will make it even stronger. And have less effect on how the boat tracks.

[Ndawg12]

Looking good MA, btw, did you look into the dimensions of the dl6?

My nav light wiring runs down the starboard side and exits about 6" up or 3-4" up from the weld.

Nate

Edited October 14, 2010 by Ndawg12

[Levi900RR]

The worlds first "chop top" BU

[Ndawg12]

ndawg....or anyone else...

Can you snap a picture or explain where/ how the wire runs for this light? I would like the install to be as factory as possible.

It also enters the gunnel through a fitting like this. Search one of the internets for "deck feed thru fitting".

[skier_88]

The worlds first "chop top" BU

And a classic at that It rocks, a boat is always in good hands with Matt!

[martinarcher]

Thanks for the comments guys. It's cool to see it coming together.

I didn't get the measurements for a DL6 simply because I don't know anyone with one. I guess it's too late as mine's pretty well what it is now. Not that that's a bad thing - I'm really happy with how it's shaping up.

I was thinking the same as Bill, the shorter stance should make it a bit more stout and affect the boat tracking less than a longer tower.

It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to get ti welded tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it done sooner than later! I wanted to use it this weekend, but no way can I get out of work tomorrow.

[martinarcher]

It also enters the gunnel through a fitting like this. Search one of the internets for "deck feed thru fitting".

My plan is to use one of these again like I did on the Skier. I already bought the 4 conductor one again, but now I need two more pins for the light. I found Neutrik makes a 8 pin connector with the same barrel. I'll be ordering one this winter.

[Ndawg12]

MA, how did you get the finish so smooth and does you new one look the same? I've done a small test section, stripped the powder coat, wetsanded with 800, used 0000 steel wool, then steel polish, and then wax. I can still see tiny swirl marks but you can't feel them.

[JDubya]

MA, how did you get the finish so smooth and does you new one look the same? I've done a small test section, stripped the powder coat, wetsanded with 800, used 0000 steel wool, then steel polish, and then wax. I can still see tiny swirl marks but you can't feel them.

What about taking it to a shop and having it soda or corn blasted. I bet it would be much nicer than sanding by hand. Then just polish it out with some finishing cloth or never dull.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

I went with a minimalist approach to routing the wires into the gunnel. I thought about using some kind of a fitting, but prefer the cleaner look. I was careful to protect against spider cracks - used a very small, fine file to put a chamfer on the edge of the hole at the gel coat, then followed up with fine (1000 grit) sand paper to smooth the edge just a bit more.

Edited October 16, 2010 by SunriseH2OSkier

[martinarcher]

MA, how did you get the finish so smooth and does you new one look the same? I've done a small test section, stripped the powder coat, wetsanded with 800, used 0000 steel wool, then steel polish, and then wax. I can still see tiny swirl marks but you can't feel them.

I used a rotary buffer with a compound called Red Ball. It is the same stuff Titan used to polish their towers before shipment. I called them up when I polished my Series I and Luke hooked me up with the name of the polish. It takes a good while to get ti mirror smooth, but it gets there with the right polishing compound and a bit of patience. I actually didn't do any sanding on the Series I, just Red Ball compound with the polisher.

I bought a whole gallon of it here. and have a ton of it left for this tower. I bought some other compound too that rocks for swirl marks on the cars.