I need a quick favor!!!

[NorCaliBu]

Looks factory. Nice job!

[Sunsetter95]

It looks like you have a screw loose. I mean missing.

Really, It looks great and better yet, you did it yourself.

I love it when a plan comes together.

[Henken]

It looks like you have a screw loose. I mean missing. 

Really, It looks great and better yet, you did it yourself.

I love it when a plan comes together. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the comments

That screw must of fell out or something

[Sunsetter95]

It would have make it allot easier for me if my platform was like yours. I would not have had to by any Teak and piece it together.

We've been out once since I put it in. Sure is nice when the water is still cold.

[whiteVLX]

We've been out once since I put it in. Sure is nice when the water is still cold.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't imagine having to put the wedge down in cold water without the access hatch.

[Henken]

Doug

I need some insight on your Wedge quick release mod,did you have a Machine shop fab it? I checked with my dealer to see if I could buy just the arms, with the new release. Their reply was the measurements where different. According to my measurements there the same.

If I remember right the distance from the center of the top hole to the center of the bottom was 5 5/8ths" Not sure what Malibu was talking about.

[Sunsetter95]

Doug

I need some insight on your Wedge quick release mod,did you have a Machine shop fab it? I checked with my dealer to see if I could buy just the arms, with the new release.  Their reply was the measurements where different.  According to my measurements there the same.

If I remember right the distance from the center of the top  hole to the center of the bottom was 5 5/8ths" Not sure what Malibu was talking about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was told that the Wedge's were different also. I wanted to just buy one.

I would have to measure the top to bottom hole centers to know for sure. I can do that this evening if you need to know for sure. I have some other close ups of the mod also.

My width measurements were as seen in the diagram... I believe they are the final dimensions.

[Sunsetter95]

Sorry, yes, a small shop that has done some work for me in the past has an end mill. I think he charged me $8ea to cut them.

[Henken]

Nice, this is just what I was looking for. The old rod and cotter pin method really sucks.

[Sunsetter95]

Yes it does!

[mrothwell]

We've been out once since I put it in. Sure is nice when the water is still cold.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't imagine having to put the wedge down in cold water without the access hatch.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those of us who ski, just make the poor WBing sap put the wedge down and back up if they want to use it - no access hatch needed.

[Sunsetter95]

We were did that last year, but most of the guys were either smarter than us, or not as smart because the kept saying they couldn't get it.

[Henken]

We've been out once since I put it in. Sure is nice when the water is still cold.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't imagine having to put the wedge down in cold water without the access hatch.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those of us who ski, just make the poor WBing sap put the wedge down and back up if they want to use it - no access hatch needed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yea I use to run with that, untill I got into wakesurfing

[Sunsetter95]

Henken, do you have the old style that is aluminum?

I have a few mods that are not visible from any of the pics.

[Henken]

Henken, do you have the old style that is aluminum?

I have a few mods that are not visible from any of the pics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I do. what do ya have

I have a question for ya regarding the 787, do you know if the stringers are composite?

[Sunsetter95]

Henken, do you have the old style that is aluminum?

I have a few mods that are not visible from any of the pics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I do. what do ya have

I have a question for ya regarding the 787, do you know if the stringers are composite?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you drill the vertical bars or side rails, the OD of the tubing (should be 5/8") use a new or newly sharpened bit on a drill press. The press will allow an almost perfect hole. Clamp it in place. This is very important. The tubing I used had a very close fit to the drilled hole. I thought I would have to stake it to hold it tight but since the side rails were not perfectly aligned from the factory, the slight bind from that misalignment was enough to keep the tubes from turning in the holes.

If you notice from the pics, only the pin comes through the side rail. I only drilled part way through, ground and angle on the end of the tubes to some what fit the angle of the drill bit, and left them slightly long to cause more of a bind when everything was bolted back together. I left about an 1/16"-1/8" of the original pin hole in the side rails.

Leave the tubes a little long when fitting them. You can always grind some off.

I do not know anything about the materials. I'm in Flight Management Systems.

Edited April 26, 2005 by Sunsetter95

[Sunsetter95]

A nice way to get the pin ends round and to size them if needed is kind of back yardish. I put the 1/2" rod in a 1/2" drill and spun it while I used my high speed grinder with an 80 grit soft wheel to grind off the tips and to reduce the OD of the pin. The supplier told me that SS rod usually come slightly over sized.

After I ground off some of the rod, I used a file, then some emery paper on it. It only took a few minutes per pin to get them to slide through the tubes easily.

If the tubing is not seamless, you will have to run a sharp bit through it to clean it out.

I tapped the holes for the bolts to work the pins. When tapping the holes, use a drill bit larger than the recommended one for the tap. I snapped off 2 taps before doing this. Work the tap very slowly cleaning it out with fluid every 1/4-1/2 turn of the tap. I think this was the worst part of making the locking pins.

Also, when I took the bolts out of the Wedge, 4 out of 5 snapped off. I had to use the drill press to carefully drill them out and then re-tap the holes carefully. Remember, it's aluminum.

Edited April 26, 2005 by Sunsetter95

[Henken]

Thanks for all the info Doug, I saved it and will be using it after this quarter ends.

I'm sure I'll have a few questions when the time comes

Edited April 27, 2005 by Henken

[Sunsetter95]

You said that you are at Embry-Riddle. Are you in AZ?

If so, You can get these cut down here before you go back home.