Broken zipper slide

[jbd]

Has anyone had any luck replacing a zipper slide on a wetsuit? I have one wetsuit I can scavenge the slide from to put on another wetsuit, just need to know how its done.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Depends on the wet suit. One piece wet suits used a zipper that is closed on one end. In that case to remove the slide and get the new oen on, the zipper needs to be fully zipped at which point you remove the zipper stops on the open end and run the slide off the end. Then back the new slide on and crimp new zipper stops onto the ends of the zipper. If the zipper slide will no longer zip the zipper, then you will have to carefully remove the old slide by spreading it open with a pair of plers without damaging any teeth. Then plan on spending about a half an hour tediously manipulating the teeth individually to manaully zip the zipper so that you can install the new slide. A quick stitch now and then to hold the zipper closed immeditately behind where you are working it together may help preserve your sanity.

If it is a two piece wet suit or shorty, it will normally have a zipper that separates. In that case you just need to remove the zipper stop on the open end and replace the slide, then crimp on the new stop.

With the more or less standard YKK plastic zippers used in wet suits the stops are plastic and can be a bear to remove. But once removed you can replace them with a crimp on brass zipper stop. These should be available at any tent and awning shop or in some fabric shops. You may have to back up a bit and crimp it slightly behind where the original stop was if removal left a hole in the underlying fabric, but that is not a major problem.

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

check the warranty, you might be suprised, i broke the pull off of mine and thought it was junk. Very pleased to find out that for $10 shipping and handling i got a new one!!! If its over three years old it might be better to get a new one, the older they get they start to degrade from u.v. rays, compression from depth, e.t.c. You can't see the damage either, the little cells break open (the suit may look fine)

 

[jbd]

Depends on the wet suit. One piece wet suits used a zipper that is closed on one end. In that case to remove the slide and get the new oen on, the zipper needs to be fully zipped at which point you remove the zipper stops on the open end and run the slide off the end. Then back the new slide on and crimp new zipper stops onto the ends of the zipper. If the zipper slide will no longer zip the zipper, then you will have to carefully remove the old slide by spreading it open with a pair of plers without damaging any teeth. Then plan on spending about a half an hour tediously manipulating the teeth individually to manaully zip the zipper so that you can install the new slide. A quick stitch now and then to hold the zipper closed immeditately behind where you are working it together may help preserve your sanity.

If it is a two piece wet suit or shorty, it will normally have a zipper that separates. In that case you just need to remove the zipper stop on the open end and replace the slide, then crimp on the new stop.

With the more or less standard YKK plastic zippers used in wet suits the stops are plastic and can be a bear to remove. But once removed you can replace them with a crimp on brass zipper stop. These should be available at any tent and awning shop or in some fabric shops. You may have to back up a bit and crimp it slightly behind where the original stop was if removal left a hole in the underlying fabric, but that is not a major problem.

Its a one piece suit. The slide broke completely in two. The zipper is open. Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try next week, when I've got some time.