I am having a hell of a time trying to get the u-shaped bit out of the roto head to replace the depower line on a 2010 North Trust bar. Any advice? Prying with a flathead screwdriver as suggested in the manual just is not going to happen. I am not sure I want to whack it with a hammer. I may end up making a tool to use a vice and press it out.

I just replaced mine and used a small nail punch and a hammer. Once the u shaped bit moves a little bit you can use the screw driver to pry it out.

Biggest trouble is to get depower line into Vario cleat. Put line in water for 1 hour — it will get inside easy. Otherwise hours of stupid work guaranteed

Hi Guys,

I wrote a quick step-by-step guide for the 2010/11 trust bar. If you are interested check it here.
Hope this helps.

F.

I've changed a couple of North depower lines and had the same fun and games but mostly its pretty straightforward. Here's what I found.

Firstly, thanks to Surfcanaries for posting the North video. Its worth checking which bar you're going to be working on as I'm pretty certain the video footage is for a 2009 bar whereas Surfcanaries own description is for a 2010/11 bar.. both useful depending which bar you're working on.

Personally, I dont start by removing the old depower line completely. I unthread one item (eg vario cleat) and immediatley follow it through with the new line, then move onto the next piece in the 'train'. I never have more than one piece disconnected at a time, the new line replacing the old line piece by piece. This way you dont end up with a work bench full of components trying to remember how it goes back together. I also take a couple of digital photos of the arrangement before I start just in case I drop it all on the floor and need a reference picture.

On the 2010/11 bar, I bought the factory North depower line and it came complete with a little tool to remove the u-shaped clip... very handy.

When I recently changed a 2009 rope, everything went together really easily until I got to the very last piece - threading the line throught the black handle. Clearly the rope is thicker than the hole it has to go through and I spent ages trying fit this last damn piece. In the end I kicked the cat a couple of times and then used some needle pliers and a clockwise turning motion which worked ok. I note that on newer bars there is a metal insert in the handle to make this part of the process easier.


I'll also mention that I also changed the red line section on the 2009 bar as it was getting quite old but after fitting I noticed there was too much slack in the 5th line. I checked it against the old red line and found the new one to be about 15cm longer (6") so I added a new attachment knot to compensate for this. With the red line too long, I suspect the 5th line safety would not work as designed as the difference between the 5th and the other lines would not be great enough? Anybody else had this?

In order to insert the rope trough the black handle you can use a iron wire. First pass it through the handle, then trough the end part of the rope (just under the black sticker), then again trough the handle and then start pulling it easy. It works. Shame on North, anyway...

I'm pretty hand with line and rope. Anyplace to find this 5 line depower in bulk?

SweetDoug



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V-V

Where are ya doug? in North Ameica West marine has 1/8th inch? amsteel grey.... It's the same as the red stuff, For the depower you'll need something metric close to 1/4".... 5 or 6 mm? I can't remember either way west marine has it. Eyesplices are retarded easy on hollow core rope like this.....You can die it red if you really give a crap.

Also wax it once installed, it'll save you having to replace it again. I melted -20 snowboard glide wax (the hard stuff that won't melt in the sun and pick up sand) and so far mine has lasted 3 x longer than the original.... with ZERO signs of wear. the multiple lines going through the bar seem to wear faster either that or I'm just ridin dirtier than I used to.

5th line slack from a longer red line won't matter, as the 5th line length is limited by the stopper at the upper Y you'll just noticed the lower line appears more slack so long as it doesn't get in the way no harm......just DON'T make it too short.

As for threading rope through tight holes, there is a tool for this called a FID. tough to find so go to your local department store and buy a knitting needle about the diameter of your rope (a little smaller sometimes helps), cut it, shorter line the end of your rope up with the end of the needle and tape up about 1/2 inch of the needle and 1/2 inch of the rope with one wrap of tape Usually that's enough to poke it thorugh and get a good yank on the rope.

You'll want a FID (or the equivalent mentioned above) if you're doing you're own eyesplices.
while you're in the sewing section Grab a big dull needle with a large eye for doing your lock stitches as well.

Got spools of this rope at home, Not cheap but end up using it for everything, bars, bridles, pigdails. anything that wears, WAY cheaper than a new bar, and nice to have confidence that the old ghetto crap you're running has been refreshed in the right places.

Sorry for the thread necromancy, sometimes retarded easy isn't easy enough for me.. Two questions- I'm finding it very difficult to complete the bury in the Amsteel line- any fid that you can fit the rope in will not pull through the hollow core, even aluminum fids. Other question- are these eyesplices only secured with the bury and stitching? I don't see any brummel lock on the original splices.

thanks

Not sure if you are working on the depower line or the fifth line. I replace my depower lines with Amsteel from West Marine.

The posts above say 1/4", but I thought when I bought 1/4" it was too large and I had to go to 3/16"? Not exactly sure though.

I didn't splice mine. I meant to do it, but I chickened out because I'd never spliced anything before, and I didn't trust myself to not screw it up. I tied a bowline instead and put gorilla tape around it. Has worked well for over a year.

If you are working on 5th line though, the splice is probably needed for attaching to the ring under the chicken loop. Seems like a bowline would be awkward there.