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Installing a Towerbiminis Bimini


Headhunter 2317

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I'm getting close to delivery day on my bimini top and can't wait to get that thing on. Since most of our Members agree that this is a great top but takes some adjusting in the beginning, I am soliciting intallation advice. Any special tools, or techniques?

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Before you start, leave the rubber pads out in the sun for a good while to get them soft. It was a nightmare putting them on in October when it was a little cool outside and cold in the shade.

What tower is it going on?

For the record, I ended up cutting about 6" off the legs of the rear most hoop that mounts to the bottom bracket on the back of the tower. It shortened the width some to, but the plastic mounting eyelet bends the 10 degrees or so easily to accomodate it.

Cheers,

Bryan

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Received mine 2 weeks ago. I am having problems with the middle bar. There is NO tention at all against it, so the bimini is never tight. I am working with them because they are going to have to make me another middle bar. Another problem i am having is that the newer clamps they have designed will not let the middle bar of the bimini go through the tower to fold it out. i have tried adjusting it every which way. I have a titan 2...hope you have better luck. i have had to send them pics and new measurements to get it fixed. It has been very frustrating and I am still waiting for the new bar. Hope you have better luck.

Kraig

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Yeah, when I first mounted my bimini, the rear end of the bimini was about 4" above parrallel. When I lowered it to be parrallel, the rear hoop was too far vertical... maybe 20 degrees instead of the ideal 45 degrees. The net effect is that the middle hoop was way forward with no tension on the bimini.

So I shortened the rear hoop legs and raised the clamp some on the tower to get the bimini snug and level at the rear with a 45* angle. Then I adjusted the middle hoop to be at a 90* angle, and just like that it fit great.

post-153-1146678359_thumb.jpg

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Looking at Slurpee's pic., note how the short support arms that go from the rear hoop to the upper bracket are parallel (or nearly so) to the middle hoop. According to towerbiminis this is imperative to getting a tight fit. I had a very difficult time accomplishing this on my boat until I scrapped the measurements provided in the instructions for mounting the clamps and just moved them up or down until the material was stretched tight.

Also, to avoid added frustration make sure your package includes all mounting hardware before getting started on the install. Mine was missing several of the rubber pieces that go inside the clamps.

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Looking at Slurpee's pic., note how the short support arms that go from the rear hoop to the upper bracket are parallel (or nearly so) to the middle hoop. According to towerbiminis this is imperative to getting a tight fit.

Perpendicular. :)

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Looking at Slurpee's pic., note how the short support arms that go from the rear hoop to the upper bracket are parallel (or nearly so) to the middle hoop. According to towerbiminis this is imperative to getting a tight fit.

Perpendicular. :)

Parallel. Support arm and middle hoop as viewed from the side.

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Looking at Slurpee's pic., note how the short support arms that go from the rear hoop to the upper bracket are parallel (or nearly so) to the middle hoop. According to towerbiminis this is imperative to getting a tight fit.

Perpendicular. :)

Parallel. Support arm and middle hoop as viewed from the side.

Oh, I'm with you now. The middle hoop and the short arm that hooks to the upper clamp. I'd believe that, because I was thinking this past weekend that I could raise the middle hoop ends a little bit farther up the rear hoop to tighten up canvas. That would make it perfectly parrallel.

post-153-1146696073_thumb.jpg

Edited by Slurpee
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Do you guys have the newer clamps, or the older ones?? I still have a problem of getting the middle bar throught the inside of the upper clamps. The middle bar just seems to wide. What do you think?? When you guys got yours...was there a lot of slack in the bimini itself?? All I know is that I cannot pull it any tighter...because of the front mounts. This is just frustrating...especially with the price i paid...

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Slurpee, Thanks for your comments....I will take your advice and see if I can get it to fit. You did not have to cut any of the legs...did you??? Did you just adjust the clamps? Thanks

Kraig

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slight hijack...

HH, what was the lead time on your bimini, and where did you order it from? I'm gonna order one probably at the end of May and am wondering if I should go ahead and get my order in.

Daniel

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Slurpee, Thanks for your comments....I will take your advice and see if I can get it to fit. You did not have to cut any of the legs...did you??? Did you just adjust the clamps? Thanks

Kraig

Before you start, leave the rubber pads out in the sun for a good while to get them soft. It was a nightmare putting them on in October when it was a little cool outside and cold in the shade.

What tower is it going on?

For the record, I ended up cutting about 6" off the legs of the rear most hoop that mounts to the bottom bracket on the back of the tower. It shortened the width some to, but the plastic mounting eyelet bends the 10 degrees or so easily to accomodate it.

Cheers,

Bryan

Seems he did.

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I ordered April 2nd and ship date is May 15th (tentative). I'll have a major case of red a*# if I get this thing and it does not fit right. For that kind of money, it should go get me a beer.

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Hey Slurpee, could you post a pic of your bimmini in the stored position? Or is that possible? Is the top either "on" or "off"?

Thanks, Pat

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I don't think I have a photo of it in the stored position. This is Texas.... you always want shade. I'll try to remember to take a photo of it that way this weekend. It's a bimini in a boot though. Not much else to it. I tend to take it off entirely (in the boot) if I'm not going to use it.

Yup cut 6" of material off the end of the hoop. I was mad, but no where near as mad as when I got that POS bimini through the dealer. And my lead time was 12 weeks!!! So yeah, get your order in before folks start noticing how hot it's getting.

post-153-1146696039_thumb.jpg

Edited by Slurpee
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I don't think I have a photo of it in the stored position. This is Texas.... you always want shade. I'll try to remember to take a photo of it that way this weekend. It's a bimini in a boot though. Not much else to it. I tend to take it off entirely (in the boot) if I'm not going to use it.

Yup cut 6" of material off the end of the hoop. I was mad, but no where near as mad as when I got that POS bimini through the dealer. And my lead time was 12 weeks!!! So yeah, get your order in before folks start noticing how hot it's getting.

...sooo you have to undo 2 thumbscrews, bunch up the fabric and the front hoop with the rear hoop and install the boot, right?

Pat

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I don't think I have a photo of it in the stored position. This is Texas.... you always want shade. I'll try to remember to take a photo of it that way this weekend. It's a bimini in a boot though. Not much else to it. I tend to take it off entirely (in the boot) if I'm not going to use it.

Yup cut 6" of material off the end of the hoop. I was mad, but no where near as mad as when I got that POS bimini through the dealer. And my lead time was 12 weeks!!! So yeah, get your order in before folks start noticing how hot it's getting.

...sooo you have to undo 2 thumbscrews, bunch up the fabric and the front hoop with the rear hoop and install the boot, right?

Pat

Yup, it's pretty easy. You hold the front hoop up against the other hoops and then wrap the canvas around it to hold it in place while you put the boot on. Tight fit.

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slurpee, I tried to adjust my bimini to no success. I am talking with John at towerbiminis and we are thinking of options. He thinks he is going to have to make a new one...at their expense!!! I thought about cutting off some the back hoop, but I have stainless steel ends...which creates some problems. All i know is that i am really starting to get pissed!! Serious cash went out the window and a bimini that does not fit. Just needed to vent!!! Sorry everybody!

Kraig

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slurpee, I tried to adjust my bimini to no success. I am talking with John at towerbiminis and we are thinking of options. He thinks he is going to have to make a new one...at their expense!!! I thought about cutting off some the back hoop, but I have stainless steel ends...which creates some problems. All i know is that i am really starting to get pissed!! Serious cash went out the window and a bimini that does not fit. Just needed to vent!!! Sorry everybody!

Kraig

Yup, that would do it. I remember seeing your post about getting this with the stainless fittings and thinking that was really gonna be a problem for you if they didn't get it just right. Just a suggestion, but consider down grading to the rubber fittings so you have the option of some play in the joint.

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