Tower Clamp Adapters?

[bergermaister]

Anyone have suggestions where to find a good tower clamp adapter of some sort? Or even an idea on how to make one or material that will hold up without sliding around/down?

I'm feeling a little plagued by the 1-5/8" tubing of my tower. Most of the knee/surf racks I see that are realistically priced are for the larger 1.75-2.5" tubing.

I'd like to pickup a couple of the racks from h20watersports off eBay but the included clamps do not fit my tower and they don't offer any suggestions. Not sure if their new quick release style will work with a different clamp if I were to try to change them out.

Others I've contacted on eBay and elsewhere about their knee/surf racks don't offer any clamps for that small of tubing either. Urgh!

[lsvboombox]

sent you a im

[STANG KILLA SS]

I HAVE A full set of 1-5/8 clamps i bought from bulletlines. i took them off my 03 LSV. there are used.
id sell them cheap.

http://www.bulletlines.com/v/vspfiles/photos/1142-2.gif

[millerda68]

Maybe some replacement clamps from DIY?
http://www.diywake.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=549

I ended up going through here for a rack:
http://www.bulletlines.com/Wakeboard-Tower-Rack-p/200.htm

Trying to find anything for the 1 7/8" oval crossbar has been a pain.

[New Guy]

Corey if Berg doesn't take them I will just let me know.

[bergermaister]

Thanks Miller - that DIY one may be the ticket - looks like about the same setup on the mounting holes. Corey - I'm not sure that style will work with the rack I'm leaning toward.

This is the rack I'm eyeballing-
http://www.h2osportswarehouse.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BT-SRFRCKU-PA

I've looked around a lot and at this point want something that can hold either thicker surfboards or kneeboards, plus the thinner slot on the bottom for wakeboards or skim style surfs.

If I could find some that mount like the OEM style to go on my top oval cross bars I'd go that route but so far no joy - just like you.

[KSmith]

Thoise clam,ps won't work, they are speaker clamps and the mounting surface would be too small for the 4 bolts.

I'd buy this one if it were me

http://shop.monstertower.com/p-139-wakeboardsurfboard-combo-rack.aspx

Edit: The Universal Inserts would be required

[mnpracing]

I bought this kit for my old boat ('06 OBV) for a rack that I had. Worked nicely.

http://shop.monstertower.com/p-74-monster-tower-universal-collar-inserts.aspx

[bergermaister]

That Monster rack looks nice but unfortunately the 2-3/4" jaw is too narrow for my ocean board and knee board. I need a minimum 3", maybe a little more. Already bought one from Liquid Audio Sounds and had to return it.

Looking at the Aerial one again - it is only 1/8" difference in total diameter from the smallest size they advertise it will fit. I know that's huge and even a hair of slack can make it sloppy. I'm thinking I may be able to grind or belt sand off 1/16" on either side of the clamp which will make the opening a bit oblong but would clamp down pretty tight? Unless they mean it will fit down that small by using rubber inserts. Then the rubber spacers like the monster ones may be the way to go.

[KSmith]

Ah yeah, that wouldn't work for a thicker board like that.

The Monster inserts are hard plastic and I suspect the width would be off from the Aerial clamps.

I used 1 7/8 clamps on my tower to mount the Monster cargo bimini. The clamps were too large as they came but the 1 5/8 clamps I'd ordered before those were too small even though the tower is 1 5/8... manufacturing toleremces perhaps? I dunno, but I had to use the bigger 1 7/8 clamps.

I found this non-slip self adhesive pad at Lowes. They were like 8 by 5 inches. I cut the pads into strips to fit teh widtth of the clamps, stuck the adhesive side to the clamps, and when installed it snugged down really tight.

Perhaps some non-slip pad would work for you. Maybe some Seadek. Seadek sells some smallish oval pads, about 5 by 2 inches, something like that may work.