2010 Outback V tower

[freddie36]

Has anyone else experienced as much trouble as I have out of the factory tower on the Outback/Outback V? I purchased a new outback v in 2010 and remember on the drive home how much the tower flexed and moved from side to side. I believe it is due to the extremely small diameter tubing used, but the factory (rad-a-cage?) tower is no longer a viable option for me. I upgraded to a pair of wet sounds rev series speakers this year and the plastic housings have cracked three times. While I do believe that the speakers should be over-engineered for this type of scenario the tower should definitely be able to handle 1 set of speakers without shaking so uncontrollably. A friend's wakeboard actually flew out of the rack last weekend due to this shaking of the tower (yes it was secured in the rack, the speed was 22 mph and no I wasn't hitting big wakes). It is worth noting that the customer service experience with wet sounds has been phenomenal, but I now must find a permanent solution. I called Skiers choice hoping they would have an old tower from a supra/Moomba laying around (anything with larger diameter tubing) that they could replace my current tower with, but customer satisfaction doesn't seem to be very high up on their list of priorities right now. Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions I'd greatly appreciate it. I don’t feel that I should have to replace a factory tower on a "wakeboard boat" with an aftermarket tower just to make it safe and enjoyable.

[wolfeman131]

wait, let me see if I have this right:

you bought the boat in 2010, noticed the tower flexing on the way home and you're bitching about it and customer satisfaction from the factory now, in 2013? I'm with ya if you'd called on the way home from the dealer's lot, but not so much at this point.

Sure, some folks have noticed the flexing of this tower, however I had an 08 OBV with the same tower and never had it shake to the degree you are describing. Are you certain all of the bolts are tight? Check the mounting ones from underneath the top deck as well as those on the tower.

There are beefier aftermarket towers out there or you could put the new Oz or Oz HD tower on the boat. You'll have some gelcoat repairs needed where the mounting points are today.

[New Guy]

My 02 with the Rad-a-cage moves alot but I also have 6 speakers and 4 wakeboards in it at all times. The only thing that I have ever lost out of the rack was my wakeskate because there were no bindings to catch it in really rough water.

[moombadaze]

had a 03 with the rad a cage, never noticed it sway. but is the 2010 not a 3 piece tower across the top. think I remember something about it being bolted together. could be this it the issue

[jmvotto]

My 07 obv tower shook a bit but never lost any thing. I had tower speakers and a kneeboarding rack on it as well.
Did not really notice or bother me much.

[tarkus70]

My tower did shake quite a bit at one time as well. I found it to be loose where it mounts to the boat itself. Get in the boat and shake the tower from side to side I bet you will see the mounting feet move. I would tighten the bolts just a little maybe a turn to a turn and a half, if you go to much you could do damage. It's never not going to move but you can tone it down.