Misaligned Tooth in Dry Suit Zipper

[dave4868]

I'll take a picture of it tonight and post it. If anyone has an article about fixing a busted zipper tooth, please post away.

Basically the material that the tooth is crimped on to has broken. It seems to stay sealed until I make a specific movement(?) and then it leaks all to hell.

I'll take a picture of it tonight and post it. If anyone has an article about fixing a busted zipper tooth, please post away.

Basically the material that the tooth is crimped on to has broken. It seems to stay sealed until I make a specific movement(?) and then it leaks all to hell.

The zipper tape is torn, right? If so, that's probably bad news, unfortunately, but post pics anyway.

If you post pics, try to include good detail on the inner tooth, the outer tooth and the damaged zipper tape.

I saw your post about looking for a source for a zipper. Good idea.... I'll see if I can find some leads for you.

Dave C

 

[dave4868]

Ha! Nice!

Is there anything duct tape CAN'T do?!

Funny, that's the same area my tooth is screwed up at.

Did this hold underwater?

MY kind of guy! (For over a year, I used a towel under my slow zipper leak before finally replacing the zipper....).

If that repair looked okay to you, then I have some ideas for using a couple of grooved wooden blocks and two 1" C-clamps.... Or the deluxe version with bolts and wingnuts clamping the blocks....

Dave C

 

[ScubaInChicago]

It worked out great....at closer inspection we could see that when the suit was torqued the zipper was seperating.....the pen duct taped in place kept the zipper in place and worked like a charm for two 60 min + dives and a 2-3 hour SI......Praise the P-Valve.......

 

[bighiller]

Yeah.... P-Valve would be desperately needed...

 

[Diver0001]

I have a Bare NexGen dry suit and one of the teeth on the zipper has become misaligned. I can zip it up, usually, but taking it off is a HUGE pain in the butt. It doesn't leak, yet, but it's a pain to get open again.

Now, I'm not looking to replace the zipper yet, just get a temporary solution to be able to open and close it.

Any ideas?

I've never seen a zipper that started to go suddendly start working normally again after that.

I'd say it's buggered, sorry.

R..

 

[bighiller]

Yeah, I figured I'm pooched.

I'm going to take some pictures and measurements to hunt down a replacement that I can install.

Anyone reading this, let me know if you know of ANY place that has a zipper I can get to replace this one. I've got the Airspeed Press book on drysuit repair and most, if not all, of the cements/solvents/glues that I'll need.

 

[Diver0001]

Bare has a factory in Langley. 604-533-7848

If you smile nice (and depending on how old the suit is...) they might even help you.

R..

 

[tregrrr]

bighill

try talking to George @ Dive and Sea. He tends to be pretty knowledgeable in most things drysuit... considering he has been doing it forever; between him and dave, there is close to 60 years exp fixing broke stuff. Calling fitzwright (Bare factory in Langley) will come up with ONE possible outcome: replace the zipper >400$. At least George can possibly give you options.

I noticed you mentioned that it is a nexgen... sorry to hear that mate; all the glues and solvents you acquire will be pretty much doomed to failure. Bye and Large NexGen material is pretty resistant to most forms of adhesion except the electrowhatever welding process they use at the factory. I have had buddies try and use adhesives to install oms pockets: lasted a couple dives being used gingerly.

I would suggest you call tuesday to friday since monday both Dave and George are out of the shop

Dive & Sea
604-524-1188

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Here's a 34" drysuit zipper that should work for you. Cost = $136.

The area where your drysuit failed is the location where all of the Bare Nex-Gen zippers seem to fail. If you fold up your drysuit (with zipper on top), it's the area where the zipper bends "around the corner." It's very easy to damage the zipper in this area if something heavy is placed on top of the drysuit. For this reason, on dive trips to Catalina where heavy bags are checked into the hold on the ferry, I always pack my Bare Nex-Gen in my carry-on. After you replace the zipper, I'd recommend that you treat your drysuit zipper with the same amount of care. Nothing heavy on top of your drysuit!

Please take pictures and post them if you take the DIY repair route.

 

[tregrrr]

bighiller:

Here's a 34" drysuit zipper that should work for you. Cost = $136.

....

Please take pictures and post them if you take the DIY repair route.

make sure when/if you source your own zipper that you get the 8tooth per inch rather than the heavyduty 6 tpi. while you might think heavier duty is better, in practice, the 8 tooth is far more flexible than the 6 and especially in a front zip application the 6 would be more prone to premature failure.