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Illusion X tower cracking?


Vettesetter

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I don't know that I would generalize that there are an abundance of towers cracking. Mine did crack, but it's only the second one my dealer has ever seen. I called another dealer near me and he said he has only seen 2 also. 2 of the 3 they saw were on the hoop part. Mine was on the port side leg and the other they said was a impact crack.

I have a picture on my photobucket site;

http://m1022.photobucket.com/albums/pesposito100/?src=www?pbauth=1_uLEBonVPfaLdh1h3YMYz2UnXccxcajZaJbln%2FtRuUaipsZcn3ZcxEPHmboGw1KXW%2B0ueRfIx%2FO6DstkIkyHckAXRwiT%2BYos9wNq%2F1Jc9C4KNgnSzBkMdCODMrKIrCDQJMHtp30dJGtZ98PCnSIuaXjkRuV9T8hjrpsrPsiOc3AU%3D

I did a lot of searching on the net, yep some towers have cracked, but I don't think it is an epidemic number.

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The original Illusion X on my boat cracked at 180hours on my 2004 LSV just above the drivers head at the intersection of the tow bar. The replacement Illusion X which was the newer style 2 board racks a side and a mast light built in made it about 100 hours and cracked in the same place. It also did a lot of damage to the fiberglass when it let go. The boat now has a G3 on it with about 500 hours on it with no issues.

I have pics of both failures and will dig them up. I was diligent on replacing the bushings on the tower as well.

-Dave

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

  • Like 2
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I have heard of this before, but also heard it is was an isolated thing. i would be extremely upset if mine did.

I am curious if there is any correlation between cracked towers and certain activities, people who pull long distance at high speed, people who pull tubes from tower, airchairs etc. in other words, things that might more stress than the average boarder.

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I have heard of this before, but also heard it is was an isolated thing. i would be extremely upset if mine did.

I am curious if there is any correlation between cracked towers and certain activities, people who pull long distance at high speed, people who pull tubes from tower, airchairs etc. in other words, things that might more stress than the average boarder.

I think that the damage seems to be where the bar meets the tower, or at the rack mounting holes. The new Metcraft tower on the Moomba's have additional bars to take stress off of the joint. I would also be very upset if mine cracked and that is why I'm trying research it before that happens. :)
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The original Illusion X on my boat cracked at 180hours on my 2004 LSV just above the drivers head at the intersection of the tow bar. The replacement Illusion X which was the newer style 2 board racks a side and a mast light built in made it about 100 hours and cracked in the same place. It also did a lot of damage to the fiberglass when it let go. The boat now has a G3 on it with about 500 hours on it with no issues.

I have pics of both failures and will dig them up. I was diligent on replacing the bushings on the tower as well.

-Dave

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

Wow, TWO towers cracked, were you pulling more than a wakeboarder on them? Any idea as to why they failed , or what could be done to prevent the failures?
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Saying a tower cracked without knowing how the boat was used (or abused) is only telling half of the story. I suspect there are plenty of owners who will hit rollers or double ups with a tower that is loaded down with speakers and boards. Hitting a pothole or speed bump while towing would have the same effect. Just sayin'.

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My boats original tower cracked at 400 hours with the previous owner. It was replaced with a newer illusion tower. 200 hours ok so far.

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I wonder if Malibu would be willing to work with you if you had a tower failure out of warranty...? I guess the only replacement option would be a G3 tower now..

Any ideas when someone will be making the Titan 3 again??? I would switch to that if I had a chance.

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My 07 Illusion X cracked in dry storage during last spring. I had about 375 hours. We went out for Mother's Day, and I noticed a small crack in the powdercoat. It was wierd. After scratching it off, you could tell it was going to spread.

There were no impacts to the tower - I only have 2 tower speakers, and up until that point, only 2 board racks. We did tow multiple riders from the tower from time to time. There were a few pulls of tubes there - but generally smaller ones where we were trying to go wake to wake. Compared to some of the pics you see with blinged out towers, mine is naked.

Fortunately, my dealer had bought up a few remaining towers for spares before Metcraft bit it, so I came out painless compared to getting a G3 installed. That was just ridiculous. Not that I have any loyalty to Malibu boats per se (other than they are the best boat right now), but I'd pretty much buy whatever they were selling b/c I know they will do what it takes to take care of a problem. And I'm just avg joe customer - I spend money there when I can, but I'm certainly not anywhere near the top spenders. This was the first tower they had seen that spontaneously cracked from normal use.

I'm hoping that it is an isolated incident. It would almost be better to blow the engine from a cost perspective than replace the tower, bimini, speakers, and board racks.

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I don't know that I would generalize that there are an abundance of towers cracking. Mine did crack, but it's only the second one my dealer has ever seen. I called another dealer near me and he said he has only seen 2 also. 2 of the 3 they saw were on the hoop part. Mine was on the port side leg and the other they said was a impact crack.

I have a picture on my photobucket site;

http://m1022.photobu...hjrpsrPsiOc3AU=

I did a lot of searching on the net, yep some towers have cracked, but I don't think it is an epidemic number.

Never pulled a tuber, my normal wakeboard crew weigh 100 lbs soaking wet. Most pull it gets is when we surf. Mine also cracked this off season in dry storage. It wasn't cracked when I pulled it out last year. I trailered it to a dealer about an hour a way for the last minute warranty repairs (warranty was running out), and on the way my GPS sent me down dirt roads with some huge potholes. After the work was done I stored her in my garage. When I took the boat out of the garage this spring the crack was there. No idea how or why, maybe the potholes did it, maybe I clipped the garage door on my way in/out. Nobody knows, but regardless by the time I called it in I was out of warranty.

Mine is cracked between the two rack mounting positions, but not at either one. And only on one side and opposite of where I have my rack installed.

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Here are pics from the fracture the first time. Sorry they are not any better it was taken with my blackberry.

The boat has not been abused and it did not happen hitting double ups or large rollers.

post-3887-0-87347700-1342644247_thumb.jp

post-3887-0-56241500-1342644256_thumb.jp

post-3887-0-74460000-1342644267_thumb.jp

post-3887-0-78229200-1342644282_thumb.jp

post-3887-0-22439900-1342644291_thumb.jp

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I'd have to check my pics, but I think mine originated from one of the mold holes on the outside, near the upper left side where it starts to twist forward and over.

I'd be interested in how the 04 w/ G3 turned out as well. It sounded like quite a bit of work to retro-fit that tower on the 07. Any problems finding a cover, etc?

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I only had to pay for the labor to have it installed at the factory. I was told my boat was the first retrofit of a G3 on an older hull.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

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In looking at the pictures of the cracks, I am not sure I would have seen some of those right away. they almost look like a scratch in the powdercoat or even a spider web.

Did you notice actual movement, anything to tell you it was cracked before you saw the crack?

The towers are cast aluminum, correct?

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  • 2 years later...

The tower on my boat broke on the lake and was dangerously close to hitting my head. It broke in half on both sides and was hanging by the bimini. There were no boards on the racks and we were not pulling anything at the time. I’ve never pulled more than one wakeboarder and never pulled anything else but a wakeboarder from the tower. I heard several of these towers have issues like cracking and breaking. I heard the Illusion XS is worse. I’m guessing this is one reason they don’t make these towers anymore and are unavailable. I did not find how to post pictures or I would have posted, but can seach face book for Illusion X Tower and have some pictures there. Boat was 2004 Malibu with less than 250 hours.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Illusion-X-Tower/1529041033974371

Edited by garymhokc
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