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2015 22VLX Plug and Play questions


gahvey

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Hey All - We picked up a new to us 22VLX back in September but I didn't get a ton of time to crawl around in the boat before it had to go into storage with the cold weather that came in :-(.  So the boat is now in storage and I need to order some new ballast but I want to make sure that I get everything that I need so I don't need to make multiple orders.  

I am going to go with the custom Wakemakers bags, which I understand hook up to the existing PNP option in the boat.  I understand that there is a fill line and then 2 drain lines in the bags but what I haven't figured out if there is a vent line on the bags or in the boat.  If there isn't a vent line, do I need to add one?  If I need to add one, what do I need to make it happen?  Anything else that I should know about with this system?  

Also, What is the best prop to have on this boat?  I plan to do mostly wakeboarding but surf as well.  We aren't at elevation and the boat has the 350 engine in it.  

Thanks for any insight!
Jeff

Edited by gahvey
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It has a vent on the tank, not the bag.  You may have to burp the bags every once in awhile but there should be very little air in there once you do it once.  I would run the 2419 prop and 1000 triangle up front with those bags.  That engine will be just about maxed with that set up so you'll want as much prop as possible.

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Agreed, if you are going heavy I'd do the 2419.  Check this for your options: 

https://www.wakemakers.com/malibu-wakeboard-boat-propellers

If you have a choice, have Wakemakers put vents into the bags then you have the option to let the air out.  I have a friend who doesn't have the vents in his PNP sacks and he has to unhook his bags from the line just to let air out.  It's a pain.  I let the air out every time I fill them.  Still waiting for some pics of your boat too!  :boat:

Edit: If you call Wakemakers they'll make sure you have everything you need and don't need to make multiple orders.  They're really good and know what you'll need for your boat.

Edited by Sixer
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The custom bags aren't vented or at least they weren't when I pick them up a year ago. I bleed the air out of them almost every time I fill but it only takes a minute. Running the custom sacs in the rear and about 600lbs up front. 350 with a 2315 prop at sea level and I have never had a power issue.

I would recommend the engine divider reinforcements I was constantly popping the dividers out of their tracks before I added them.

https://www.wakemakers.com/engine-divider-panel-saver.html

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1 hour ago, Sixer said:

Still waiting for some pics of your boat too!  :boat:

I know - I didn't have good weather when I got the boat to get pics of my own and then it went into storage so I have to sit idle until the boat comes out of storage :-(

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If you decide to add a vent line to the top of the bag (:thumbup:), you don't necessarily need to use the same size hose as the fill/drain lines. Those are 1 1/8 inch and are pretty big and not very flexible. I would use 3/4 hose for a vent. That's what they do on the newer models with the vent installed. 

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8 hours ago, t a said:

I would run the 2419 prop and 1000 triangle up front with those bags.  

Interesting - I heard from another person that I didn't need any additional weight up front (I have the 500 lb center tank and the 500 lb one up front that is the stock ballast.  Still need more weight?  I really don't intend to fill up the ballast above stock much except for surfing and the occasional I want to really ride hard set.

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3 minutes ago, gahvey said:

Interesting - I heard from another person that I didn't need any additional weight up front (I have the 500 lb center tank and the 500 lb one up front that is the stock ballast.  Still need more weight?  I really don't intend to fill up the ballast above stock much except for surfing and the occasional I want to really ride hard set.

Your bow tank is 350lbs 

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1 hour ago, gahvey said:

Thanks for that - I thought it was 500 lbs.  So still need the extra weight up front?

The custom wakemakers bags are 1000ish on each side of your engine.  You def need at minimum a 600lb bag up front or you aren't getting above like 9mph lol

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Definitely add vent lines to the bags, otherwise it's a huge PITD.  I added them to my rear bags (front comes vented standard) for like $20 in parts and 30 minutes time.  Totally worth it to not have to lean over into the lockers every time you fill the bags to burp them so they can actually fill.  Oh and +1 on more bow weight.

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36 minutes ago, That Guy said:

Definitely add vent lines to the bags, otherwise it's a huge PITD.  I added them to my rear bags (front comes vented standard) for like $20 in parts and 30 minutes time.  Totally worth it to not have to lean over into the lockers every time you fill the bags to burp them so they can actually fill.  Oh and +1 on more bow weight.

How did you vent them?  Is the stock ballast line easily visible and did you just vent it to that with a Y connector and some check valves?

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57 minutes ago, hunter77ah said:

Cupping

I feel like there should be some sort of joke here but for fear of getting the boot I will refrain and just chuckle to myself :biggrin:

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32 minutes ago, gahvey said:

How did you vent them?  Is the stock ballast line easily visible and did you just vent it to that with a Y connector and some check valves?

Not 100% positive on a Malibu but it's probably nearly identical to my Axis.  The factory lines are just laying in the lockers and you can trace the fill/drain/vent from the holes in the side of the boat to the bags/hard tanks.  I did what you said, added a y-connector and spliced into the hard tank vent line. Worked fine and no check valve needed.  I have also read about people removing the vent line from the hard tank, capping the tank, and just moving that line to the bag.  It was after I vented mine but it sounds like it'd work the same.  Either way it's a cheap and beneficial upgrade. Why they didn't do this from the factory blows my mind.

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1 minute ago, That Guy said:

Not 100% positive on a Malibu but it's probably nearly identical to my Axis.  The factory lines are just laying in the lockers and you can trace the fill/drain/vent from the holes in the side of the boat to the bags/hard tanks.  I did what you said, added a y-connector and spliced into the hard tank vent line. Worked fine and no check valve needed.  I have also read about people removing the vent line from the hard tank, capping the tank, and just moving that line to the bag.  It was after I vented mine but it sounds like it'd work the same.  Either way it's a cheap and beneficial upgrade. Why they didn't do this from the factory blows my mind.

Totally makes sense - thanks!

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Ive yet to see a Malibu or axis that provides factory PnP vent line for the sac. Yes, the tank has one, but not for the sac. Ive also seen quite a few sacs that dont even provide a threaded port for a vent line. 

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do the Wakemaker bags have a vent port on the bags or can they put one in? I don't see any pictures of the actual bags on their website.  Guessing there is one floating around somewhere though.

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If you want to avoid getting a bow sack and plumbing that in and etc you could just get 750's in the rear instead of the custom bags.  If you just had 750's you probably wouldn't need a bow bag.  That's the case in my boat (which is smaller, but just sayin).  When I had my 750's put in at MNI, I thought I'd need a bow bag too, but they told me to try it out first with the 750s, and they were right.  I have a great surf wave, and don't have to hassle with a bow sack.  Just another option.  Probably a much cheaper one too. 

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gahvey, vent lines are options.  I don't know what was STANDARD in 2015, but even in 2017, there is no standard drain line, necessarily.  

The short answer to whether you "need" a drain line is no.  Easy to burp the bags every so often.  Surely its not the travesty that its make out to be to actually visually inspect sacs and burp as necessary.

 

 

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