Winter Projects 2021: What are you doing/planning to do?

[LionOnABeach]

What’s everybody trying to get done before getting back in the water? I know my list is bigger than my budget or free time, but I’m planning on at least the following, more or less in this order:

Trailer bearings (have all the seals/bearings/grease)
Supercharger rebuild (got the Torx wrenches, just need to pull and ship; any recommendations on who to use?)
Fix nicks and scratches in gelcoat
New decals
Add a wake tower
New upholstery for interior ($1k for the DIY kit)
Another tube and maybe a knee board for the kids

I want to get the mechanicals first, then to the cosmetic. There’s almost $3k worth of parts up there too, so I don’t want to shell out a ton and not be able to get to it (like the upholstery). And I’ve got winter house projects the Captain wants finished.

good news is the boat is in my garage so I can work on it as time allows. I’ll try to share pics and info of what I get to. Just dreaming of floating on the water in the hot sun is keeping me going!

What are you all up to?

 

[Macker29]

What’s everybody trying to get done before getting back in the water? I know my list is bigger than my budget or free time, but I’m planning on at least the following, more or less in this order:

Trailer bearings (have all the seals/bearings/grease)
Supercharger rebuild (got the Torx wrenches, just need to pull and ship; any recommendations on who to use?)
Fix nicks and scratches in gelcoat
New decals
Add a wake tower
New upholstery for interior ($1k for the DIY kit)
Another tube and maybe a knee board for the kids

I want to get the mechanicals first, then to the cosmetic. There’s almost $3k worth of parts up there too, so I don’t want to shell out a ton and not be able to get to it (like the upholstery). And I’ve got winter house projects the Captain wants finished.

good news is the boat is in my garage so I can work on it as time allows. I’ll try to share pics and info of what I get to. Just dreaming of floating on the water in the hot sun is keeping me going!

What are you all up to?

Looks like a good list. Trailer bearings (new ones or repacked) are essential yearly maintenance. We had a bearing blow one summer and the entire wheel came off at 55mph. Thank God we were on a non-busy country road. My mechanic recommended once a year if not twice a year if you are pulling in and out of the water often. Since then, I am crazy conscious about the trailer maintenance.

We added some new decals as well. Just took a heat gun and melted the old ones off with a razor blade.

I ordered some touch up gel coat online (exact match). I can't remember the company but it came from Canada I believe. Works well, but do take your time with sanding, polishing, etc...

Looking for a tower as well. The oem is almost impossible to find. Have to go aftermarket.

 

[LionOnABeach]

Looks like a good list. Trailer bearings (new ones or repacked) are essential yearly maintenance. We had a bearing blow one summer and the entire wheel came off at 55mph. Thank God we were on a non-busy country road. My mechanic recommended once a year if not twice a year if you are pulling in and out of the water often. Since then, I am crazy conscious about the trailer maintenance.

We added some new decals as well. Just took a heat gun and melted the old ones off with a razor blade.

I ordered some touch up gel coat online (exact match). I can't remember the company but it came from Canada I believe. Works well, but do take your time with sanding, polishing, etc...

Looking for a tower as well. The oem is almost impossible to find. Have to go aftermarket.

What I’ve scraped from posts in this forum:
Decals: Items for sale by novographie_design | eBay

Tower: Max forward facing wakeboard tower- INDY - Anodized - T-JSKF2.25O - Indy

SC: Sea Doo Supercharger Rebuild Service [SD SC Rebuild Service] : PWC Performance Parts


Forgot to mention I got the oil change, spark plug kit (BRP OIL, NGK plugs). Going to do that when de-winterizing

 

[LionOnABeach]

Other, more expensive towers

https://aerialwakeboarding.com/gallery/wakeboard-towers/sea-doo
https://monstertower.com/customer-gallery/sea-doo-towers

 

[LionOnABeach]

I like the forward facing, aft mounted (Like the black one one pics). The MTK is $1,500!

 

[WaTeRMaNiaC407]

New hubs for trailer is all that is left. I just had Supercharger rebuilt, replaced corroded ground wire from battery to motor, added LED cup holders that come on when you turn on the anchor light, replaced cigarette lighter receptacle with a duel USB receptacle that also displays battery voltage.

There is a little corrosion on the bezel that goes around the tach/speedometer. I may get into removing that and either get a new one or see if I can repaint the existing one.

 

[LionOnABeach]

New hubs for trailer is all that is left. I just had Supercharger rebuilt, replaced corroded ground wire from battery to motor, added LED cup holders that come on when you turn on the anchor light, replaced cigarette lighter receptacle with a duel USB receptacle that also displays battery voltage.

There is a little corrosion on the bezel that goes around the tach/speedometer. I may get into removing that and either get a new one or see if I can repaint the existing one.

Who’d you use for SC rebuild? And good experience with them?

I want to add some LEDs inside (like strips), but haven’t put too much thought into it yet since I’m focusing on the needs, not wants.

 

[WaTeRMaNiaC407]

I recommend pwcmuscle. They do a great job and have a quick turnaround.

 

[DooGuy]

What’s everybody trying to get done before getting back in the water? I know my list is bigger than my budget or free time, but I’m planning on at least the following, more or less in this order:

Trailer bearings (have all the seals/bearings/grease)
Supercharger rebuild (got the Torx wrenches, just need to pull and ship; any recommendations on who to use?)
Fix nicks and scratches in gelcoat
New decals
Add a wake tower
New upholstery for interior ($1k for the DIY kit)
Another tube and maybe a knee board for the kids

I want to get the mechanicals first, then to the cosmetic. There’s almost $3k worth of parts up there too, so I don’t want to shell out a ton and not be able to get to it (like the upholstery). And I’ve got winter house projects the Captain wants finished.

good news is the boat is in my garage so I can work on it as time allows. I’ll try to share pics and info of what I get to. Just dreaming of floating on the water in the hot sun is keeping me going!

What are you all up to?

What type and where do you get interior kit?

Check Facebook marketplace, I’ve picked up my tubes and boards there for pennies compared. Especially during winter months.

 

[LionOnABeach]

What type and where do you get interior kit?

Check Facebook marketplace, I’ve picked up my tubes and boards there for pennies compared. Especially during winter months.

https://jetarmor.com/jetarmor-custom-seat-covers-set-for-2005-2007-sea-doo-challenger-180
I had to replace a cushion when I bought the boat bc the previous owner lost it while towing. So I have one nice, new center cushion and the rest is old, hard and cracking. I want to redo it all, but this is a cosmetic upgrade. I still would like to do it

 

[LionOnABeach]

What type and where do you get interior kit?

Check Facebook marketplace, I’ve picked up my tubes and boards there for pennies compared. Especially during winter months.

Ever since the scamdemic, that stuff hasn’t been very plentiful. I keep checking, but hardly anything pops and and when it does, it goes quickly. I saw a nice set of water skis on Craigslist last weekend, the ad was only an hour old, but I was already too late. Oh well, I’ll keep looking!

 

[DooGuy]

Yeah they go quick when they pop up. I scored right after we bought the boat because I was first to respond. Guy had traveled from few states away to clear out his folks beach house. Got wakeboard, jackets and few other things for a fraction of what normally go for. If you were in my neck of the woods, Wa state, I’d cut you a deal on a kneeboard. Bought one 4-5 years ago and it’s only been used maybe 5 times. My boys never took a liking to it.

 

[DooGuy]

https://jetarmor.com/jetarmor-custom-seat-covers-set-for-2005-2007-sea-doo-challenger-180
I had to replace a cushion when I bought the boat bc the previous owner lost it while towing. So I have one nice, new center cushion and the rest is old, hard and cracking. I want to redo it all, but this is a cosmetic upgrade. I still would like to do it

Thank you for the link, Checked them out, they don’t carry anything for the 230 which is a bummer.

 

[LionOnABeach]

Thank you for the link, Checked them out, they don’t carry anything for the 230 which is a bummer.

Shoot. Might have to find a local auto upholstery guy. I’m sure they can do boat seats/cushions.
I have customers in Bellingham, Seattle, Kent and Tacoma. If I can get out there in the next month or two we can make something work and I’ll ship it/fly back with it.

 

[LionOnABeach]

Got the new graphics ordered and received, now just need to remove the old ones and touch up gel coat.

I’m thinking of going with this for gelcoat repairs:
http://www.gelcote.com/product/2007-sea-doo-sport-boats-white/
Prices jumped a few hundred bucks
https://www.indywakeboardtowers.com/wakeboard-towers/4/
I did score a pair of skis for $40 and a knee board for $40 on Craigslist, so I’m pumped about that.

just ordered the rebuild service from PWC Muscle and will watch the video again on how to pull the SC and get it off to them.

getting warmer here and now I’m jonesing to get back on the water!

 

[briancayko]

Always consider doing your oil changes & spark plugs in the fall before winterizing. This prevents the old oil & any debris fro settling/sludging during the long periods of non use.

I was going to work on speakers & order a ballast kits so we can try surfing this summer. Then we bought an RV & those projects went on hold

 

[LionOnABeach]

Always consider doing your oil changes & spark plugs in the fall before winterizing. This prevents the old oil & any debris fro settling/sludging during the long periods of non use.

I was going to work on speakers & order a ballast kits so we can try surfing this summer. Then we bought an RV & those projects went on hold

thanks for the tip!

looking deeper into wake towers...the MTK is $400 more than the Indy one I was considering, but the joints and mounting brackets look a bit beefier and more suited for how I would like to mount it (folding forward, and like in their pictures, with the front brackets on the top deck and the rear brackets just a bit on the downward slope of the back section). Also, the instructions are a bit better, with more info (I read through both). Not sure if they're CYA-ing, but MTK does indicate that you should have the decking reinforced by a professional.
Finally, they also include a light and wiring, which would be nice for dusk/night rides.
https://monstertower.com/pub/media/monstertower/pdf/MTKManual.pdf
The Indy one does come with one free rack, so there's about $530 difference in the two (not including shipping), with MTK tower more expensive.

ETA: I think I was mistaken in that a navigation light was included with the MTK.

 

[LionOnABeach]

hmmm...MTK install video shows where an additional support was installed, providing more surface area and distributing the load(s). I also like that it has two bolts and a larger base. hmmm...the way i have it configured on their website, it's nearly $1,800!! ugh...

another install video, better quality than above

 

[LionOnABeach]

working on bearings. quick question; do you replace the cups/outer races that are pressed into the hub? The Timken sets i bought have them, but the ones in the hub look fine, clean, smooth. Should I be concerned with not replacing those with the set? I don't have a press or the punches necessary to do it myself. Thoughts?

 

[LionOnABeach]

Working on bearings

 

[LionOnABeach]

well, scratch that. I pulled the other side and it looks like water had gotten in somehow and there were marks (corrosion?) on the outer races on some areas. So I knocked them out with a hammer and punch after watching some youtubes. Now I need to get press tool to push them back in. Maybe NAPA or AutoZone has them. They don't look too pricey. I'll go ahead and knock them out of the other bearing so both will have all new everything.
Also, I probably would have avoided this (to some degree) if I would have done this work in the fall when I parked it in the garage. as it is, the little water that was in there sat for a couple months (5) so there was plenty of time to screw things up. ugh...live and learn. hopefully learn from my errors!

 

[LionOnABeach]

oh geezzz...only $30 at china-freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/beari...8J_uAaNi2r7S3A7y3fYI47b27LJuIJ4RoCVR0QAvD_BwE
i think i made it a bigger job in my mind...i'll follow up tomorrow (hopefully).

 

[LionOnABeach]

Yeah, it was a breeze with the driver set. I also picked up a set of punches, which made knocking them out easier than with my old one. Hand packed the bearings with grease, put everything back together and ready to roll!
the one PITA was removing the pins holding the castle nut. They’re not like a normal cotter pin, they’re thick and apparently play a role with the spindle which have a grease fitting. I forget the name, but it’s not a bearing buddy. Anyway, they’re not long enough to get a good hold on with pliers and since they’re thick, it takes some considerable force to straighten out like you would pulling a normal pin. Best method I’ve found is a big flathead screwdriver and a hammer, and just work it up and out until I can get a good bite on it with channel locks and yank.

 

[LionOnABeach]

Sure Lube spindles

 

[LionOnABeach]

Got all graphics off, pulled out of garage and washed down. Took the trickle charger off and it fired right up. Ran it for a minute on the hose then changed the oil. Pulled out a little less than 3L total. Turned it a few times without starting by just blipping the starter a few times. Helped get a little extra out. My oil cap only had one o-ring whereas the kit and videos I watched had two (a thick and thin one). I just replaced the one like it had; don’t know if that’s ok, but I’m rolling with it. Replaced the plugs; didn’t realize you had to pull the quick connect adapter on the plug to fit the boot with just the threaded portion. Cleaned everything up and am happy with the look. After changing plugs, it fired up instantly instead of a few turns like previously. Old plugs didn’t look bad, just normal wear.
while I was doing this, FedEx dropped off the wake tower! It’s the Indy one as the MTK was out of stock and not shipping until sometime in June! I also saved about $500. I got the black forward facing INDY one, the free board holder, then added speakers a knee board/wake board holder and flag holder. There’s some extra discounts at checkout when you get the free board holder and whatnot. Final total was $1,550-ish including shipping. The tower came from Maryland about 3 days after ordering but the other accessories are coming from Cali and should be here next week. I’ll post pics of it and details of install. Here are some from today.