My Fix For The Lower Shaft On The AQ

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Hopefully this Fix will allow me non-delayed hunting. Not beautiful,... but functions. 

Took out the bottom pin on the shaft leaving the top, seems to be the weak link area. Cut a 5.5 inch (14cm) piece of 25 x 23mm Carbon fiber, slid it over the weak area with about a 2mm space between the shaft and the carbon fiber..... Cut slots on both sides so the CF tube goes all the way to the bottom. Sealed the bottom of the CF tube, and poured a 2 part 24 hour dry epoxy into the void. Let that dry for a few hours then started pouring the epoxy down the top of the shaft to fill the hollow area in the lower clevis insert. I'm sure i added some weight with all of the epoxy added but maybe a good thing. Hope to find out this week, planning my first (real hunt) Thursday with the AQ since my accident in Jan..., 

Interesting, I am sure the slow dry epoxy filled in the area where I took the lower pin out. I had filled the void and did not give it much time to dry when I started to fill the main shaft with epoxy.. I soon noticed it was forcing out the epoxy in the void so I stopped and gave it enough time to firm up, then continue. I'm not sure where the inter was leaking thru to the outer. Unless it was coming out the pin holes where I pulled both earlier. I never pulled the clevis joint to see if it was solid, but it is now.

 

[schoolofhardNox]

Looks sturdy now, that's for sure! 👍

[CCadrin]

I like it!

[tvr]

That will certainly change were any flex is happening!

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

1 hour ago, tvr said:

That will certainly change were any flex is happening!

After I re-read your post on yours...I now know were the leak was, mine was hollow also, so the leak to the outer was thru the Pins I had removed.

TVR

"His pictures show a mostly solid lower piece with holes drilled in the shaft insert for the pins. Mine is hollow nearly all the way to the yoke end, meaning it is still hollow down into the thick part that is outside the shaft when assembled. All the pin holes enter the thin tube like part of the molding."

[King-Of-Bling]

Looks like a great heavy duty fix Joe. Especially for leaning on it. Very clean. Of course the weak point will probably be the ears now !

[okara gold]

That's a nice looking job that sure won't snap on you. And a little extra weight on the coil wouldn't hurt. When I'm digging a target, with the slight buoyancy of the coil, I have to keep my toes on the edge of the coil to keep it from floating up. Time to start selling 5.5 inch pieces of CF. 😁

[midalake]

On 5/23/2021 at 2:55 PM, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

Hopefully this Fix will allow me non-delayed hunting. Not beautiful,... but functions. 

Beach hunting for me has always been about durability and functionality. I have beefed up and customized so much stuff in 25 years. Much of it not very pretty. 

Beauty contests are for dry sanders.  

[schoolofhardNox]

3 hours ago, midalake said:

 

Beauty contests are for dry sanders.  

Hey....😡 I resemble that remark 😆

[cuniagau]

Sweet fix for a chronic problem!