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Mast base bolt failure on new gear

 
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wmmooney3@yahoo.com



Joined: 18 Sep 2016
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2013 8:00 pm    Post subject: Mast base bolt failure on new gear Reply with quote

Last weekend I was riding with a Chinook mechanical 2-bolt US mast base and the stainless bolt inside the top cap of the UJ separated and my rig broke free of the board.

Thankfully, I caught the board fast and got all slowly back to shore.

I think the center bolt in the UJ came unscrewed, but I'm not sure. Bolt is not broken. The bolt was inside the top cap afterwards. The brass nut threads look worn but still hold the bolt. So, yeah, my guess is it unscrewed.

Oddly to me, this joint was only a few months old and was purchased brand new. I rigged it maybe 4-5 times before this and had no prior issues with it. I inspected it when I bought it and it looked fine but never took the cap off or dissected it.

Two questions here. First, how do you inspect a new UJ to see if there is enough loctite, sturdiness, what-have you, to be considered adequate. I definitely should have inspected more closely and taken it apart before riding. But, not being too familiar with these not sure what to look for. Any tips about what to look for in these is appreciated.

Second, I bought some loctite to fix this old joint up. But before putting it back together, I took a close look inside the brass threads in the bottom and they are worn flat. But the threads are definitely not stripped. There IS a definite side to side/up-down play in the bolt when you screw it into the brass fitting, at least until you hit the old loctite residue. It's as though the bolt is a bit too small. Is this normal? Does the loctite fix this? Obviously don't want to try and fix something that can't be fixed.

Thanks for input.

REMEMBER: be sure and check your UJ's before your ride!

-M
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spennie



Joined: 13 Oct 1995
Posts: 975
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very unusual to have any problems with any Chinook product, their products have long been one of the best. That being said, any company can have an isolated incident like this--maybe an employee mis-assembled it and didn't want the boss to find out, or something. Call Chinook and ask if they'll take care of it.

I wouldn't try to fill bad threads with Loctite. One way you could test it would be to see if it will tighten down and not strip, using a lot of torque. If it holds, take it apart & reassemble using a generous amount of red Loctite (#271), let dry for 24 hours and you're good to go. If the problem seems to be the rubber "hourglass", you can buy a replacement cheap at many online shops.

If that thing fails in heavy winds and the rig gets away from you, you can kiss it goodbye because you'll stay with the board for safety--right?

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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

send this back to Chinook, they deserve to have a look at this.

My guess would be a defect in manufacturing , and they should fix it for you.
Call and make arrangement to return.

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4Boards....May the fours be with you

http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I called Chinook on the phone once and was shocked when a real human answered and talked to me Surprised
They were friendly and helpful.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2013 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No surprise there at all. I will be surprised, though, if they don't repair or replace it free ASAP. Chinook and Dakine set the gold standard for taking care of their customers.
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wmmooney3@yahoo.com



Joined: 18 Sep 2016
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the suggestion. I will call.

Looks like I will need a replacement plastic washer for the space between the joint and the US cup, anyway. Maybe they can send me that.

Cheers.
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