Bolts on doubles may be too long

[tstormdiver]

I'm thinking the bolts on my LP 108 doubles may be a bit too long. I'm using Highland bands & the bolts tha came with it. I can feel them a bit on my back when walking on land with them, not painful, but not comfy either. I the water I do not feel them at all. I do believe they may have snagged a small hole in my drysuit recently; I really don't want to heve to keep patching the suit. Was thinking maybe using some washers or even a hex nut on the back side (against the bolt head) to shorten the length. I realize that I can't shorten the bolt too much or I won't be able to get the back plate bolted on correctly. I really don't want to cut the bolt off, as I'm afraid of messing the threads up. Is this a sound idea or any better suggestions.

 

[devilkitty]

SS washers or a stack thereof are one way, but it's a bit slapdash.

I just needed to shorten the (new) bolts on my HP100s, so I cut them. If you pay attention to what you're doing, you won't screw up the threads (pun intended). Even if you do, they can be salvaged without too much effort.

Here's the step-by-step:

1. With everything assembled, measure how much of the bolt needs to come off. I aimed to have about 1/4-3/8" coming past the wing nut. You could go 1/2" if you're feeling nervous.
2. Take the backplate and wing off.
3. Run a nut (you can flip the wing nuts around and use them) or appropriate die down the bolt past where you're intending to cut.
4. Use a sharp 18tpi blade in your hacksaw and cut off a bit less than you think you need to. Highland bolts saw quite easily; I cut them in place on the bottles and never loosened the bands. Don't remove the hex nut/die yet.
5. File the cut end square, then chamfer or otherwise de-burr the end -- if you don't, you will slice yourself on that feather edge of thread.
6. Remove the nut/die and de-burr again.
7. Done. A thing of beauty is a joy forever (or at least until you need new bolts).

Shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes per pair.
Feel free to PM if there's anything here you're not sure about.

 

[captndale]

I seldom use bolts to assemble my doubles. I just buy stainless threaded rod, cut pieces to length and dress the cut ends with a file.

 

[scubafanatic]

I'm not into the custom bolt cutting thing either.....I'd shop around, plus you have the added advantage of working at a dive shop, (meaning you can tap into the knowledge base and 'connections' you have there) so I'm sure you can find the correct bolts somewhere, even if they're not Highland-branded ones....call the other major tech outfits (Halcyon/DSS/OMS/etc) and either get them to provide their bolt lengths....or risk a little $ and order 'samples' (a spare bolt or two from everyone you can reasonable think of) and see which works....gonna be way cheaper/less annoying than ruining a drysuit.

 

[RJP]

I realize that I can't shorten the bolt too much or I won't be able to get the back plate bolted on correctly.

If you can't shorten the bolts much lest the BP won't attach, it's unlikely that the bolts are too long.

How about a pad for your plate? Which plate do you have? There's probably an option.

 

[tstormdiver]

No, the bolt IS too long. Another thing I forgot to mention is that I occaisionally have to use a sausage weight (3 or 5 lb) depending on drysuit/ undergarment I'm using. I need to make sure that I have the extra room for that. I was stating that I certainly didn't want to have them too short because of the issue of making it too hard to get the plate on. The back plate I use is a SS Apeks.

 

[Wookie]

If you get a piece of 5/16" allthread and make your own studs, then you can leave them as long as you want on the back of the doubles for your sausage weight, a v-weight, a place to attach your rubber chicken, or whatever.

 

[ianr33]

X2 on the threaded rod. Doesn't matter if it sticks out aways on the tanks side of the plate.

 

[Cave Diver]

I seldom use bolts to assemble my doubles. I just buy stainless threaded rod, cut pieces to length and dress the cut ends with a file.

If you get a piece of 5/16" allthread and make your own studs, then you can leave them as long as you want on the back of the doubles for your sausage weight, a v-weight, a place to attach your rubber chicken, or whatever.

X2 on the threaded rod. Doesn't matter if it sticks out aways on the tanks side of the plate.

+ 4 on the all thread.

 

[Scared Silly]

Depending on the back plate it can snug down quite a bit more than others. The simple way is to just add a nut on to the bolt. For instance, on my back plate the harness has a grommet that goes through the top bolt which takes up space that is not there on the bottom bolt. As such, when snugged up the bottom bolt sticks out more than I would like. I solved the problem by adding a extra nut.