Drysuite Zipper Issues

[Frackingawesome]

Hey peeps,

I recently started to get to get wet when I drive with my dry suit. So this morning I took everything apart and sprayed it down with soapy water. I noticed that when the zipper was closed at the very end after closing it there were small bubbles. I would rather not replace the whole zipper just because of this.

Is there anything I can do to help get a little more life out of this zipper?

It is a white dry suit with a bullet skin. The zipper zips from the right to the left and the leak is on the left shoulder.

 

[lexvil]

Hey peeps,

I recently started to get to get wet when I drive with my dry suit. So this morning I took everything apart and sprayed it down with soapy water. I noticed that when the zipper was closed at the very end after closing it there were small bubbles. I would rather not replace the whole zipper just because of this.

Is there anything I can do to help get a little more life out of this zipper?

It is a white dry suit with a bullet skin. The zipper zips from the right to the left and the leak is on the left shoulder.

Generally, no once a drysuit zipper starts to fail it’s only fix is replacement. Since it leaks you can try things that may work for a dive or two but I doubt you’ll ever get it to stop.

 

[fmerkel]

Plastic, or brass?
Brass may get small threads from wear. If they are in the way you can clip them off and.....carefully....burn the edge. Careful not to torch or distort it. Lube well.

Plastic needs silicone lube....a lot. If it's dry, lube the hell out of it.

In either case check carefully for debris, corrosion, or other problems. Clean well if that's an issue.

As lexvil indicates, they are likely at best short term fixes, if they work at all. Dry zippers are the weak spot in drysuits.

 

[HKGuns]

DUI told me nothing should be put on their newer plastic zippers, as it only attracts debris that can harm the zipper. Clean it with a toothbrush is what they told me.

They even have it on their website. So, check with the maker of your suit before doing stuff to the zipper.

YKK Plastic Zipper Care
Standard Drysuits
Rinse your zipper with fresh water after every dive and be careful with the plastic teeth. They are plastic and can be damaged by abuse. Do not wax or lubricate the closure of the YKK plastic zipper that comes on the DUI standard drysuits. (The discontinued TiZip required you to always lubricate the closure.)

 

[fmerkel]

Yes, there ARE different kinds of plastic zippers. Mine is a YKK 'coil' type. It needs lots of silicone grease, like damn near every outing.
IMO, the parking zone at the end is one of the weak spots of this style of zippers, both kinds.

 

[Dark Wolf]

My brass zipper started to fray near the docking station. I singed the threads and used silicone grease to minimize the problem until I could send it off for a new zipper.

DW

 

[Zef]

If it is a White's Fusion Bullet then it is a brass zipper and the suite is well past its warranty for the zipper.

Unfortunately, while it is an expensive component to replace, the zipper is an item that is subject to wear and tear during the life of a drysuit and it is not unreasonable that at some point it would need to be replaced. Lots of factors affect when one arrives at the point that it would need to be replaced. Given the age of a White's suit specifically, since they sold their company to Aqualung a handful of years ago, the only recourse I believe would be through the shop it was purchased from, if purchased from a shop, and purchased recently (within what would be considered the warranty period for the zipper).

-Z