All about Halcyon wings

[seylerdl]

I just got a brand new Halcyon MC set up today for my wife. It came with a 36# pioneer wing, SS backplate, etc. The problem I'm having is that the bolts (8 of them) supplied with the unit do not seem to be long enough to bolt through the top hole grommet of the wing, then through the grommet in the middle of the shoulder strap, then through the backplate. Try as I might, I just could not get the bolt threads to engage the tubular female threaded thingy on the other side. Bottom wing hole worked OK, though. Has anyone encountered this problem with new stuff from Halcyon? I guess the solution is to get a longer bolt?....... Suggestions?

Help!
Dave

 

[Scubaroo]

I've had exactly the same problem. Take a very close look at the bolts - one of them is a *tiny* bit longer than the rest (like 1/8" or so). This is the one you use in the top hole.

BUT! BUT! BUT! Even using this pathetically slightly longer bolt, mine still fell out on my first dive - wing, tank and backplate all seperated. Major surface emergency, 150 yard surface swim holding a tank in one hand, regulator in the other, getting a buddy tow, etc etc. Had to exit the surf carrying my tank by it's valve. Throw away those useless short bolts and go to a hardware store and buy two 5/8" stainless steel bolts and wingnuts. Also pick up some stainless split washers or retaining washers - this is a MUCH more secure connection. The bolts only need to be an inch long or so - any longer and they'll poke you in the back

Halcyon want their head read for letting down such a fine product in a crucial area. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. People say they have no problems with these bolts, well I did and it was a disaster. Halcyon offered to replace them with identical ones when I lodged a complaint.

 

[O-ring]

Are you sure you are not using MC storage pack bolts to hold on the wing? There are 8 of those.... Mine came with 2 big bolts with wingnuts and there was plenty of thread on them.

 

[seylerdl]

Stapled to my storage pack there was a ziplok bag containing 8 short bolts with eight flat-headed threaded tubes to engage the bolts. Since I believe the storage pack looked like it only took 6 bolts, I assumed that the other two were for mounting the wing. As Bengiddins (above) mentioned, I checked for one bolt that was longer than the rest, but my 8 bolts are precisely the same (short) length. I will rummage through my shipping box to see if there are two more bolts, but I do not think so. I am considering getting two correct-length SS bolts and using SS locknuts on the inside of the BP. I think this would be potentially less risk (coming undone) than wingnuts. I wonder how the rounded head of a replacement bolt would work next to the tank, though? I cannot believe we have to go looking for replacement parts for something we paid that much for, though!!!
Thanks,

Dave

 

[O-ring]

...I bet they are there. There are 8 bolts on the MC pack...you probably didn't see the ones at the bottom of the plate (under the flap that leads to the pack opening).

I wonder how the rounded head of a replacement bolt would work next to the tank, though?

The Halcyon SS bolts and wingnuts have rounded heads too. They sort of hide in the channel that functions to seat the tank (no STA), but they will scratch up your tank pretty good so you know they are rubbing the tank. When strapped on, my tank makes contact with the bolt heads everytime...otherwise I wouldn't have those two areas on my tank that are all dinged up.

It works though..

 

[seylerdl]

I bow to your obviously superior knowledge and insight, oh great O-ring.... After reading your suggestion about the wingnuts, I scrounged around in the plastic peanuts once again, and lo and behold, what did I find but the prophesied very small bag containing TWO properly long and sturdy bolts, along with two washers and two lock washers. These did the trick. Also, I looked more closely at my MC storage pack and found that, indeed, there were two grommets hiding at the very bottom. I think I will leave the bottom two bolts out of the storage pack, so I will have two spares when the other 6 fall off, as I suspect they might do. I'm happy now, but the one complaint I have is that neither the two wingnuts nor the 6(8) smaller bolts would really tighten up enough to suit me, without turning. Since you cannot hold the backsides with a wrench while tightening down, I guess that pre-dive check will be essential, (as with everything else.) I'm still thinking about locknuts, but we'll see how this works for now. If anyone has any other suggestions on how to ensure these bolts stay put, let me know. THANK YOU!!!!

Dave

 

[O-ring]

Glad that worked out. Actually, I think I remember somebody saying they liked the pack better with those 2 bolts removed anyway - easier access. I know what you mean about the tightening...I checked my MC bolts a while back and they held just fine, but after every few dives I reach back there and tighten the wingnuts as they have a tendency to work loose after a while. I suppose you could figure out a long-term solution, but checking them has become automatic for me. I usually do it when I finish drying my gear and am putting it away.

Who knows...maybe Halcyon will hire one of the guys who writes those nifty instruction sets for Ikea so you would at least get a schematic and a parts list with your order. I guess that would just raise prices for us though and with the Internet...well...

Hope it works out for you, I know I love mine!

 

[FredT]

Is to hit the auto parts store for a small tube or bottle of Loctite #242. This is blue low strength anaerobic adhesive that sets up into a plastic compound in the absence of O2 (in a thread annular for instance) after a few minutes. You shold be able to break a wingnut loose, and yet still not need to worry about the bolts loosening at unexpeced intervals. LESS than a drop is necessary for each fastener! If you can't put it together the night before the dive use a bit of Loctite primer to accelerate the cure. Spray the olts before you pack them, and the primer will still be good a week later. Stainless steel is an inactive metal as far as cure spped is concerned. Brass and carbon steel function as a catalyst for the curing process. Stainless doesn't.

BTW this is the same stuff you should use to put spear tips on shafts or pole spears.

FT

 

[seylerdl]

FredT,
I have some of the blue Loktite and some of the primer, already, so, this may be the best, quick solution. On the other hand, the tinkerer in me is thinking about drilling a hole about 3/16" from the end of each bolt, so I can insert a cotter/safety pin. This may be overkill, however..... Keep it simple...

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Scubaroo]

Maybe someone at Halycon heard my complaint and they've changed the bolts. Mine came with 10 of those storage pack bolts - I asked them the same original question, and someone at Halcyon told me in an email that one of them would be a longer one for the top hole, which it was. Good to see they're supplying proper bolts now.