Traveler Car Help & Rant!

I removed my traveler car from my H18 it was so simple just slide it all the way over to the starboard side and it comes right off wow that was easy its good to be a Hobie owner again so I bought new bearings and installed them on the car now let me just go put it on should be simple right?
Well the new set of bearings will not allow me to put it back on the way it came off? WTF!!!!
So it looks like I am going to have to remove the crossbar and end cap to get the new set on and before anyone ask I got the correct part # 61852000 from the local hobie dealer. The only other way I can see to do this without removing the crossbar is to remove the long cotter pin that holds the clevis the bearings are attached too then slide the bearings into the track and try to reinstall the pin while its on the track which was not easy to get back in the first time. I was so pissied I tried to force them on and probably screwed up one of them also I removed the outer crossbar bolt and drilled out the pop rivets on the crossbar thinking I could just remove the end cap but no luck! Anyone know an easy way to reinstall the car and what size those 3 pop rivets are? Sorry Hobie I still love you but this sucks and it gave me Nacra flashbacks!

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

The rivets are 3/16 stainless. For the car I use two round balls instead of a slug and one ball. Anyway, make sure that the slug and ball are situated on the car so that the slug goes into the track first and then the ball. Hope this helps. Jim.

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ADDICTION
1989 HOBIE 18 SE/sx wings
HOBIE ALTER SIGNATURE MODEL

Does Hobie still sell that ball?

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

Try www.marinersails.com part #6185200 this is a ball and slug bearing set $17.00. Kind of expensive but I buy two sets in order to configure a double ball traveler.

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ADDICTION
1989 HOBIE 18 SE/sx wings
HOBIE ALTER SIGNATURE MODEL

Stephen Cooley (MUST429 on this forum) had a batch of Delrin balls made by a local machinist.

I forget what he's selling them for, but you can contact him at MUST429(at)aol(dot)com.

I use the traveler car Delrin balls that Stephen sells. They are great. And because of the same issue Fa1321tx is experiencing, I simply filed out the car track opening slightly larger, just enough space for the balls to fit through in the same opening that the car is supposed to come out of. Five minutes of filing, problem solved. Be sure to vacuum/wipe all of the aluminum filings out of the track.

And for a related issue for those with Magnum wings, it's nice to not have to pull off an end casting from the rear crossbar in order to install or remove the mounting slugs. What I did was this:

Remove the rear crossbar from the hulls. At the port end of the track, used for the trampoline rear strip and for the wing mounting slugs, remove enough of the lower track edge to fit the slugs easily in and out. When the crossbar is installed, this area of the track is concealed by the hull, so there is nothing unsightly about it. Can't tell there is a modification at all. One could do this to the starboard end of the track, but since there are already two track openings at that end (for the trampoline section to go in and out of and for the traveler car), it seems like a good idea to modify the other end of the crossbar.

Greg

Or you could try using a persuasion device. Before buying Stephen Cooley's delrin traveler balls, I had two new Hobie delrin cylinders and used a hammer to tap the traveler car back into the track, and for some reason it can be removed without as much difficulty. Maybe I damaged the delrin a little?

Tried this but no luck! Glad to hear I am not the only one who had a problem with this.

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

So if I buy one of these and put it on one side the traveler car will come on and off as Hobie designed it too?

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

Yes, and, novel concept, the traveler actually travels !

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

Slide the new bearings w/clevis pins, into the crossbar first - and then assemble to the traveler car. It should be an easy fit one bearing at a time.

Jim

I need new balls!! MUST5429 (Stephen) do you have a pair?

Really I do... Lemme know how much and I can send you a payment and address via Paypal.

Thank you!

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1984 Hobie 18

Yeah me too, if you have them, contact me as well!

I have 6 sets of balls left.
One set is not for sale at any price

Contact me off list @ [email protected] if you want to buy a set. $15 covers balls, correct stainless cotter pin, and shipping.

I'll try and get another run done and have them available again as soon as possible.

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

$$$$ Sent. Thank you!

David

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1984 Hobie 18