Yeah, it's winter and I'm finally catching up on long-overdue drysuit repair. For the past couple years, I've been wearing a hand towel under this suit's zipper to catch the slow leak! Think it's time to fix it? 
Not sure how many of you have replaced your own diagonal front zipper on a trilaminate drysuit, but if you can share a tip or two, I'd appreciate it.
I'll understand if techs don't want to give away trade secrets, so maybe there will be no replies to this post! Can't blame you.
Also there's no need to announce disclaimers; I take full responsibility for myself and my drysuit repairs. I do my own latex seal replacement, valve repairs, etc.
The suit is a DUI CLx450, by the way.
Standard technique, reportedly, is to sew in the replacement zipper on a trilaminate suit, something I'm prepared to do, since I have access to a suitable heavy-duty sewing machine.
Do you recommend securing the zipper tape to the trilaminate before sewing? Duct tape it? Spot-glue it? Tack it with a few hand-stitches?
Also, should I try to pre-shape the curve of the over-the-shoulder section by bending the trilam material and zipper tape as it goes under the sewing foot?
Or, should I just run it through the machine flat and get that pre-shaped curve during the sealing with Aquaseal?
Any other tips would be appreciated. I won't be doing the replacement until next month, but I've procrastinated long enough.
After that, if I get ambitious, I'll consider converting my old, spare TLS350 from TurboSoles to Rockboots.... Naw, I'll probably chicken out on that one and pay a pro!
Thanks in advance.
Dave C
Not sure how many of you have replaced your own diagonal front zipper on a trilaminate drysuit, but if you can share a tip or two, I'd appreciate it.
I'll understand if techs don't want to give away trade secrets, so maybe there will be no replies to this post! Can't blame you.
Also there's no need to announce disclaimers; I take full responsibility for myself and my drysuit repairs. I do my own latex seal replacement, valve repairs, etc.
The suit is a DUI CLx450, by the way.
Standard technique, reportedly, is to sew in the replacement zipper on a trilaminate suit, something I'm prepared to do, since I have access to a suitable heavy-duty sewing machine.
Do you recommend securing the zipper tape to the trilaminate before sewing? Duct tape it? Spot-glue it? Tack it with a few hand-stitches?
Also, should I try to pre-shape the curve of the over-the-shoulder section by bending the trilam material and zipper tape as it goes under the sewing foot?
Or, should I just run it through the machine flat and get that pre-shaped curve during the sealing with Aquaseal?
Any other tips would be appreciated. I won't be doing the replacement until next month, but I've procrastinated long enough.
After that, if I get ambitious, I'll consider converting my old, spare TLS350 from TurboSoles to Rockboots.... Naw, I'll probably chicken out on that one and pay a pro!
Thanks in advance.
Dave C
