How can I repair my SMB?

Ok long story short I bought a Dive Rite SMB, it is a nice bright yellow high quality bag...that had a bad OPV. I bought one, and in my first AOW class last year, first time I pulled the OPV cord the whole outer piece snapped right off. So I was with my instructor and person that sold it to me (for something like $90), and he just took it back to his shop and replaced it the next day at the second day of dives.

So it went into the dive bag and didn't get used until I went on a vacation in December/January. I used it on one dive and when getting to the surface, I pulled the cord on the OPV to deflate it, and guess what...it fell apart.

So now its past the return period to my LDS, and I emailed Dive Rite, they let me know that they stopped making bags with two part valves in 09' so my shop must have had it in stock for a year before I bought it. They were willing to send me a new one at $60 if I sent the old one back.

I did the math and figured $10 to mail it back, $60 for the new one and I was out a perfect bag missing one part and $70 spent on a new one. I just ordered a new 6' HOG bag in orange today from DRIS ($50, $10 shipping - $12 loyalty points) so have a replacement coming yet I still have my old Dive rite bag I feel would be a shame to not fix.

Any creative types that either know where I can get a new inner piece to fix this bag cheap or other ideas?

I'll attach some pics of the broken piece, and whole deal, thanks for any ideas.

You can buy an OPV flange (inner, outer and gasket) from Divegearexpress for about $9.

2011 EXP Wings by Dive Rite - Dive Gear Express

part number is FXBC2700

You can call them and double check the flange is the correct part but it's an easy repair with the right parts.

Thanks I will give that a shot. If I can fix it that cheap that would be great and I can give the new one to my son.

This is the part you will need to do the repair: Northeast Scuba Supply Some refer to them as T-nuts.

They are also used on many BCD and failures there are not uncommon so I always keep a couple on hand. I have had failures on brand new gear which I believe occur when the parts are over-torqued during assembly.

Thanks AWAP, funny thing is a few weeks ago I was in Northeast scuba supply and asked them about the repair and was told, "Don't know, but we don't have the part". Lol...I was there today just looking around too...about 15 minutes from my house. I'll print that page out and take it in.

BTW, there is a special tool for those parts, not cheap, but I have always been able to get by without it. I have been able to get a good enough grip on the inner nut to tighten the middle connector enough. The add the outer piece and just make it snug. It is a PITA when the outer and middle parts are tighter than the inner connection so take it easy.

Thanks again awap. I think it should be a cinch once I get the part. I ran into NESS again today, on the way home from doing two dives. Got there at 6:15 and found out they closed at 6, doh!

$90 for an SMB?

Garrobo:

$90 for an SMB?

Click to expand...

Yeah I hear ya. I could get a dinky one for $25 but IMO they serve little purpose then. My last cheapy had the inflation tube spring corrode quickly and it wouldn't hold air. On top of that it was thin and shorter. The HOG one for 50 looks nice, yet besides the cheap versions my LDS has them from $60-110 range. All the thicker, larger ones with reflective tape or pockets at the top are 60-110 dollar range ones.

I know last time I was looking for one at the surface, in a small chop, it was hard to see. A thin small one would be impossible to see with any chop at much of any distance IMO. I also like one I can attach a strobe to the top if need be.

I guess my expensive one didn't last either though eh lol. Leisure pro has a 5' bag from OMS for 37$ + shipping that would do fine I guess. Still about $47 after shipping and no LDS support. The dive rite bag I had sells around $90 online as well so I felt it was right.