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Removing pins from Illusion tower


jpk

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Anyone know how to fix the new spring-loaded Illusion tower pins so they can be removed and re-inserted easily?

On the new tower there is a tension adjustment nut under each gunnel. Becareful! If you loosen this nut to much you will defeat the purpose of the neutral balance of the tower.

Before you start playing with you nuts Surprised.gif (Tension adjustment nuts that is); have you tried just lifting up on the tower crossmember when attempting to remove the pins?

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It shouldn't but it does.......

Just crack the tower and adjust the screw in the picture from the link above. We adjusted ours so that it wouldn't come out on its own anymore, but was still at least snug enough for one person to crack the tower by themselves.

DO NOT mess with the spring tensioner underneath the gunnel!!!!!

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It shouldn't but it does.......

Just crack the tower and adjust the screw in the picture from the link above. We adjusted ours so that it wouldn't come out on its own anymore, but was still at least snug enough for one person to crack the tower by themselves.

DO NOT mess with the spring tensioner underneath the gunnel!!!!!

Sounds like there might be a story behind this, care to share? :)

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  • 1 month later...

Can you adjust the spring tension on the Illusion X? Monday I needed to lower the tower for the first time. The first pin came out no problem. The second pin was a bit difficult and I had to pull it out with a pair of pliers as I rocked the tower back and forth a bit ( I ended up bending the ring a bit, which I will replace...They look just like keychain rings). I was extremely shocked Shocking.gif after I removed the second pin and the tower came screaming down onto the dash. Luckily it didn't leave a dent or do any damage. I just assumed that since the tower was spring loaded that it would have to be pulled down. Probably the added weight of the new speakers was too much for the spring settings. I had to put the tower back up by myself. It was a bit difficult and required some acrobatic maneuvers. I slid one pin barely in the hole. Then I lifted the tower and tapped the pin in with my foot as I rocked the tower slightly. It was tough. Anyways, has anyone adjusted the spring tension, and if so how do you do it? Pictures would be great.

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Can you adjust the spring tension on the Illusion X? Monday I needed to lower the tower for the first time. The first pin came out no problem. The second pin was a bit difficult and I had to pull it out with a pair of pliers as I rocked the tower back and forth a bit ( I ended up bending the ring a bit, which I will replace...They look just like keychain rings). I was extremely shocked Shocking.gif after I removed the second pin and the tower came screaming down onto the dash. Luckily it didn't leave a dent or do any damage. I just assumed that since the tower was spring loaded that it would have to be pulled down. Probably the added weight of the new speakers was too much for the spring settings. I had to put the tower back up by myself. It was a bit difficult and required some acrobatic maneuvers. I slid one pin barely in the hole. Then I lifted the tower and tapped the pin in with my foot as I rocked the tower slightly. It was tough. Anyways, has anyone adjusted the spring tension, and if so how do you do it? Pictures would be great.

Just adjust the screw that holds the pin, as described above. Then you'll be able to pull the pin while your holding the tower.

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I was extremely shocked Shocking.gif after I removed the second pin and the tower came screaming down onto the dash. Luckily it didn't leave a dent or do any damage. I just assumed that since the tower was spring loaded that it would have to be pulled down.

We only have 2 small speakers on our tower, and it will fall when the pins are out. The spring tension is designed to make the tower lighter when you put it up and down, not to hold it up.

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I was extremely shocked Shocking.gif after I removed the second pin and the tower came screaming down onto the dash. Luckily it didn't leave a dent or do any damage. I just assumed that since the tower was spring loaded that it would have to be pulled down.

We only have 2 small speakers on our tower, and it will fall when the pins are out. The spring tension is designed to make the tower lighter when you put it up and down, not to hold it up.

Let me tell you, it does not feel like the spring tension is reducing the load when lifting it back up. The thing was still pretty dang heavy. I am not really looking forward to lowering it again tomorrow by myself. I guess I will have to use a rope attached to the rear pylon up to the tower and slowly lower down that way.

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What I'm wondering is if the springs need adjusting as part of the dealer prep once it hits the dealerships & maybe some are getting missed? At the boat show this year, our dealer had a VLX there that I swear a kid could have dropped the tower on, it was that nice. Mine....not quite that way, but I don't think that our boat had all of that adjusted either since the tower was drop shipped from Metcraft & had other issues to work through.

So Stewart, why shouldn't we mess with the spring tensioner underneath? That seems like the logical place to start for people that have to drop their towers.

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Wakegirl your right on, Malibu doesn't mount the towers whole, that is they mount the base plates and then put the tower on. Obviously because of this some of them do not fit right, they're darn close and much better than last year (some of which were a nightmere, don't remind me) but the pins do tend to bind up.

Here are the solutions, first some of the towers once you get one pin in you actually have to pull DOWN on the tower to get the other one to go in. Also you may have to prop up the tower to take pressure off the pins before they come out. If not, carefuelly drilling out the hole the pin mounts to make everything line up is a sure bet, just don't go crazy and keep checking your work, usually the plastic bushing in the middle is the culprit. I wouldn't suggest playing the the spring under the gunnel, it has nothing to do with the pins.

Brim, when you put your tower down next time check to see if there is a cable that runs from inside the base mounts up into the part of the tower that folds down, its possible some one goofed and didn't hook up your springs, but you really should be able to do it with one hand.

Chris

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Brim, when you put your tower down next time check to see if there is a cable that runs from inside the base mounts up into the part of the tower that folds down, its possible some one goofed and didn't hook up your springs, but you really should be able to do it with one hand.

Chris

I will check for this to make sure it is hooked up. I am taking my boat in Monday for the 20 hour service. I am going to make sure they look at this. Folding my tower down is definitely not a one hander.

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The springs under the gunnel that are attached to the tower are made to be adjusted as you add things to the tower you tighten up the tension of the spring to help make it easier to lower and raise. Just like a garage door spring helps to open a garage door. If its not adjusted right its a real B*%C$ to open.

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