My Thrust Vector Wake Install experience

[drewkaree]

Attach files, then select thumbnail/full working much faster this morning lol

All of these are the clearances and the scraping of the anodizing. The pic above of my leg shows the shavings that fell on me when testing the clearance - IMO not enough material to be able to verify clearance until everything was tightened down, at which point it is too late.

As I mentioned above, that bolt/screw with the tapered head just ttouching the fin should have been a cap head bolt, allen key style. Better yet, BOTH sides should have them.

This will encompass all my pics, with breakdown of the install sometime soon - we're off to take a tour of the chain of lakes or whatever the neighbors have cooked up. First stop, Fox River Brewing! ?

 

[mrtrav]

I am having the same scraping issue with my anodized single engine fins on the port side. I double checked that I did not have any parts rubbing after installation, so this happened sometime after install while it was in use in the water.

 

[Robconn]

I had issues with lateral thrusters kit. I called the shop at my marina and was told they had a customer wanting them to install on same boat as mine. They returned LT kit back to jet boat pilot for a replacement. The second one was a no go as well. In their opinion there were too many deviations in product or boat. So after that call I called jet boat pilot and they responded within 1 minute of the call the damn screw fell into place after 3 days of struggle. And yes I had to undo locktite as well. Steering is tight at times but tolerable for me. I think humidity and temperatures were a factor with tolerances too. Not sure but with enough attempts and over a span of 3 days it just clicked.

 

[drewkaree]

I am having the same scraping issue with my anodized single engine fins on the port side. I double checked that I did not have any parts rubbing after installation, so this happened sometime after install while it was in use in the water.

Cap head socket screw in place of the upstop adjustment bolt should solve the problem, but I haven't double checked it myself

 

[drewkaree]

Okay, here goes, from memory, but this really won't matter since there's been an update kit sent out, this is more for some tips I'd try to remember, and some things I'd recommend EVEN IF you purchased the latest and greatest model and/or have all the updated parts now. If you have already installed yours, this isn't for you, since things have already hopefully worked out for you - this is my opinion on what folks should look at and consider going forward.

This pic shows the week-old epoxy, all set up. Take notice of the blob that has run OUT of the opening in the upstop bracket. This may look wet and new and whatnot, but I guarantee it is not. That epoxy slumped down out of the opening as it set up. As such, here is my first recommendation according to what is supposedly now being included in the latest kits.

If you'll notice, in whatever version of the install video you've watched, Will points out that the epoxy sets up in 30 minutes, and that the first upstop bracket will likely be done with runny epoxy, and by the time you are on to the second bracket, the epoxy will be starting to thicken, due to it starting to cure. There is supposedly now 3 packets of epoxy, so it is my opinion that in order for you to avoid the runny blobs that can happen like I have shown here, I recommend you install ALL the upstop brackets at the same time, even if you want to do one side at a time (for twins - singles, I have no experience whatsoever). Mix up one packet of epoxy and do a quick and dirty filling of the openings on the upstop brackets - do one nozzle with this quick and dirty filling, either port or starboard nozzle, whatever you wish. Make sure to get it as far back into the opening as possible, because it WILL sag and slump a little when freshly mixed. Alternatively, after mixing the first packet of epoxy, let it set up for 5-ish minutes or so, then go to town installing the brackets. It will sag less, although it will be thicker and potentially somewhat more difficult to deal with.

IF you did a quick and dirty fill with the runny epoxy, go back over the openings repeatedly until it feels like it's stiffer and seems less likely to sag out of the opening. When done with one nozzle, mix up a second packet of epoxy and do the same thing with the opposite nozzle. Doing a quick and dirty fill with two packets of epoxy means you should have one final packet of epoxy to use, and I'd let this set up 5-ish minutes, and then start filling the rest of the openings on BOTH nozzles that you weren't able to fill with the first two packets. You want to keep moving to fill all of the opening, scrape, push, prod, then move to another bracket, until all 4 upstop brackets are filled and "tacky", indicating that they won't likely ooze back out like this pic shows.

 

[drewkaree]

When you're done with the epoxy, I can't express enough how important I think it is to let it cure thoroughly. Only you can know what your patience level is, but again, IMO, plan on a 2-day install, or at least an early morning/later in the evening install. I tried to file off as much excess epoxy as I could, even if I forgot to give you pics showing this. I HAD to, because my reverse bucket was hanging up on some of the blob of epoxy, and there was no way I COULDN'T leave it there.

The next recommendation I have for you guys is this - if your upstop bracket is NOT angled (the direction of the green line and the cut piece shows what it should look like), then don't install it. It's entirely up to you, but I know I saw some video of Will's stating that the updated kits will be cut/ground at that angle, and given the troubles I had, I simply wouldn't install it if it didn't have those brackets, and I'd get in touch with Will to get those updated upstop brackets.

Here's the angle I believe the updated brackets should have:

The reason I think this is vital, and why I say you shouldn't proceed unless you have the updated brackets? This pic here should say more than I can about it:

 

[drewkaree]

If you need the angled upstop bracket and don't have the patience to wait for it to hit your doorstep if it isn't included, you can do the cutting and grinding yourself. I did one on a grinder, and the one that was already epoxied on, I had to use the dremel with a cutting wheel. I don't think you can get a grinder in there, but if you have something else you think you can get in there safely, then you're probably thinking this is all remedial information to begin with. Take note in the pics I posted above, that notch to the left of the green line (and left of my cut line) is VITAL for you to leave on there. The spring will rest in that notch, so leave it on there. The other items I have in a pic above for my dremel were all simply ideas I had, just in case the cutting wheel didn't work. Remember, where my boat was being worked on, I'm a 35-40 minute drive away from alternatives like I bought, so I was just covering my ass so as not to have to lose an hour+.

My dremel is a variable speed, it's not vital that you have this, as long as it can hold a cutting wheel, you'll be fine IF you need to do this

 

[drewkaree]

I don't know how the deflectors are packaged in anything other than my kit. The bag was taped, and the labels for port/starboard were affixed to the tape. I simply took the tape off carefully and put the labels right on the appropriate deflector. I'd do the same if I were you, but to each his own.

When installing these, I can't express just how funny I think it is when watching Will during his install videos. I felt like I needed an octopus to hold everything and/or get it in the proper place without something else falling OUT of place. I'm sure after installing a good number of these like Will seems to have done, it's a lot easier and you know how to angle things or hold onto a certain spot or whatever. Patience. It DOES fit, it just may not be as easy for you as Will makes it look.

Another tip (and in my opinion, a MUST-DO) that I've mentioned a few times in this thread is this - find a cap head socket screw (bolt) the same size as the adjustment screw and replace it. This is what one of those things looks like:




Sorry for the size of this, I'm trying to finish this up and this is the smallest size I could find. If you've been following along and looking at the pics, this should demonstrate why I think there's a problem with this part - THIS is what Will used for the adjustment screw:

 

[drewkaree]

Now that you know what the heads on these adjustment screws look like, take a look at the pic below, and I think you'll understand just why my nice new anodized fins now have a gouge in them - that angled head makes a nice scraper, in addition to sticking out far more than it needs to. Will, if you're reading this as well, I'd like 4 NEW replacements for the UPPER stops - I can remove them, but not without putting a vice grips on them since I put the thread locker on them, and I'd like to replace the dang flat head socket screws that were used, and replace them with cap head socket screws, but I can't do that without removing those UPPER stops.

The shavings on my leg came directly from the fins being moved upward and the screw head digging in. I can deal with a gouged fin, but I want to address this when I swap out the updated deflector that should be delivered tomorrow

 

[drewkaree]

The last thing I wanted to point out was this - make sure you have all the parts in your kit. The "fang" that was the first attempt to fix the heavy steering feeling was NOT the reason it seemed like I was missing screws, I was straight up missing two screws. Will even addressed it in his video by giving the size of the screws in case you were missing any (ahem, like myself ) From my understanding of the last version of the install video that I saw, there are now alternative parts being used to install the deflectors. The version I have had "threaded barrels" or screw bosses welded into the fins. I'm thinking that the "updated" deflectors I should be receiving will not have those, since they bought/used any and all of those parts that existed in the U.S. for the first iteration of the TVW's. Additionally, it seems there is a shorter bolt being used to refasten the steering clevis that should be included. LOOK FOR IT. I had to make that 35-40 minute trip to go buy shorter bolts, or else I would have had to remove this entire contraption in order to be able to use my boat last week.

There's plenty of the Loctite included, use it. Test the fit of your parts, have patience, and you can do this. If you have issues with YOUR kit, I welcome you to chime in on this thread so others might be able to help you out, or I might even have an idea. I don't know if the updated deflectors will be an improvement for me, because I won't know for another week - IF - the mailman has my update kit in my held mail from vacation. I know that for ME, with a 2019 AR210, the steering is definitely stiffer, but it's not a deal breaker for me at this point. For those of you old enough to know better, or those of you unfortunate enough to lose your power steering in your car, the difference to ME is akin to having power steering vs manual steering. Manual steering was definitely more of a workout, but until someone came up with power steering, nobody knew there was anything better!

 

[JetBoatPilot]

Thanks for the post and yes we have reduced the diameter of the head of that bolt from .625 to .530. It was necessary to do this because we could not find a round head large enough for the 1/4 -28 screw we're now using. All the other head sizes were too small.

You'll also find that your steering will be much lighter now that you have the upgraded deflectors.

We have learned alot since TVW went live in May. It has been painful but it has been worth it. We're getting tons of positive feedback and many have posted pictures of successfully surfing and having a dry tube ride.

 

[drewkaree]

the 1/4 -28 screw we're now using.

Was this the size in the original kit that I would have received? Also, do you know the length of the screw that was used, since I'm an hour away from my boat and don't have easy access to it.

 

[JetBoatPilot]

Was this the size in the original kit that I would have received? Also, do you know the length of the screw that was used, since I'm an hour away from my boat and don't have easy access to it.

You would have received a 5/16"-24 & it was 1.5" long.