The new Freedom Contour - The Rolex of backplates.

[stuartv]

Get longer bolts and sandwich the wing in between the plate and STA

Thanks. That's what I was thinking.

Any idea what bolt dimensions I should be looking for? I'm guessing they should be 1/4" longer? But, I'm thinking you already have experience with this. Maybe even specifically with this wing, so you can save me some experimentation.

The bolt itself is 5/16" diameter? Standard SAE machine threading? (I have remained regrettably ignorant through my life regarding thread pitch terminology)

I guess a trip to my local Ace, with the current bolts in hand is in order.

I kind of wish the STA held the tank up just a LITTLE bit higher, so that I could fit a lock washer in there. Or maybe I can. I will probably buy bolts and Nyloc self-locking nuts. The current setup has me a little worried that the nuts could work loose. And I would rather not have to add a tube of Loctite to my on-boat toolkit, for occasions where I need to disassemble/reassemble.

 

[ams511]

I have heard that some people use an X-acto knife to make a small slit in the wing to remove the plastic rods of the wing's STA. If you are careful you should be able to reinsert them in the future if necessary.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have heard that some people use an X-acto knife to make a small slit in the wing to remove the plastic rods of the wing's STA. If you are careful you should be able to reinsert them in the future if necessary.

Good idea!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking.

Any idea what bolt dimensions I should be looking for? I'm guessing they should be 1/4" longer? But, I'm thinking you already have experience with this. Maybe even specifically with this wing, so you can save me some experimentation.

The bolt itself is 5/16" diameter? Standard SAE machine threading? (I have remained regrettably ignorant through my life regarding thread pitch terminology)

I guess a trip to my local Ace, with the current bolts in hand is in order.

I kind of wish the STA held the tank up just a LITTLE bit higher, so that I could fit a lock washer in there. Or maybe I can. I will probably buy bolts and Nyloc self-locking nuts. The current setup has me a little worried that the nuts could work loose. And I would rather not have to add a tube of Loctite to my on-boat toolkit, for occasions where I need to disassemble/reassemble.

Just tighten them and check them once in a while. Buy stainless 5/16" x 18 TPI carriage bolts x 1" long. Put it together and see what you might need to remove thread wise on the top nut. Put it in a vice (threads you don't want in the jaws) and cut it off with a hack saw. Clean up the end with a small file and you should be good.

 

[uncfnp]

I have heard that some people use an X-acto knife to make a small slit in the wing to remove the plastic rods of the wing's STA. If you are careful you should be able to reinsert them in the future if necessary.

Eric B.did this with his larger Hog wing. A small slit at the bottom and needle nose pliers to grab the p lastic rod. Just don't misplace the rod in case you want to replace it at some point in the future.

 

[lowviz]

...//... The bolt itself is 5/16" diameter? Standard SAE machine threading? (I have remained regrettably ignorant through my life regarding thread pitch terminology)

I guess a trip to my local Ace, with the current bolts is in order. ...//...

Better if you order exactly what you want in stainless steel. Cheap, order a range of lengths.

If you are worried about loosening, try this: McMaster-Carr

Pinch a piece of paper around the bolt you have, rub a pencil across it sideways. Count the number of stripes that it takes to make an inch. That is the pitch. The diameter of the bolt is the other variable, easy to measure.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

*Add*
Stuart, if you can fit a lock washer on without it hitting the tank then use it, or try a stainless nylock. If you are threading the cam bands all the way through the plate you have a safety factor built in, it won't come apart and you won't lose the tank while you're diving, it can't. That's why I wasn't too concerned about lock washers.
My intention was to try and keep the tank as close as I could to the divers back up high, that's why I was stingy on the room at the top of the bracket.
If it becomes a problem that people have issues trying to deal with roll control cushions on certain brand wings then I may need to develop a narrower and taller STA and swap them out.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Eric B.did this with his larger Hog wing. A small slit at the bottom and needle nose pliers to grab the p lastic rod. Just don't misplace the rod in case you want to replace it at some point in the future.

Genius!!!
I never would have thought of that.
See, I need you guys!

 

[ams511]

Genius!!!
I never would have thought of that.
See, I need you guys!

Actually, the genius award should go to Hollis because their wings have the STA attached with Velcro, so you can remove it at will.

 

[rhwestfall]

Actually, the genius award should go to Hollis because their wings have the STA attached with Velcro, so you can remove it at will.

As does Deep6