passiton Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 I bought this Surfcaster rod rack here on SOL to mount on my float cargo rack behind my Exlporer. It has the surfcaster grabbers on each tube and my surf rods don't fit! Most of my rods have the bell type butt and they're too big for the grabber openings. options: cut away some of the grabber (would likely look like a hack job!) Remover grabbers altogether (damage reel seats?) replace grabbers with something else (radiator hose cut with notch perhaps?) Anyone else dealt with this? Rack looks great otherwise, and I got the mounting plate that will let me take it on and off as needed. NOBODY here has a pass to blow out someone else's candle in order to make theirs shine brighter. TLDig[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Klein Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Personally, I'd go with your third option. Those reel grabbers never seem to be good for anything but tearing up grip materials over time. That was one of those ideas never shoulda left the drawing board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Personally, I'd go with your third option. Those reel grabbers never seem to be good for anything but tearing up grip materials over time. That was one of those ideas never shoulda left the drawing board. I second what bill said. I would go the radiator hose on the tube. Ive had that on a couple racks and liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Ill give a nod to the radiator hose too. Drill a half inch hole near the top of the hose and cut a slit to the top. I have a roof rack using that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Baiter Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 I did rubber plumbing adaptors/couplers and notched them for the reel stem. Use the hose clamp they come with to fasten them to the rack tube. Or go with radiator hose of the correct ID. "Endeavor to persevere" Lone Watie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUCK BRYAN Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 I am for the radiator hoses my self. On the bigger rods the Surf casters are not big enought and the hard plastics that came on the rack dont keep the conventionals from twisting. Chuck of the Long castNCBBA 12131OBPACHAC 1005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook521 Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Passiton - Another vote for straight radiator hose sections. I've used it on my surfcaster roof racks for 15 years with no problem. Hooky LIBBA 521 - MSA 521 - ASC Go Atlantic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passiton Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Do you sleeve the outside of the rod tube, or do you buy hose that tightly fits inside? Would think inside, but always best to ask! I emailed Surfcaster as well to see what they say. Got a quick email back a few min. ago, suggesting that I open up the reel grabbers with an exacto or a dremel with a sanding rum. Thanks for the feedback. NOBODY here has a pass to blow out someone else's candle in order to make theirs shine brighter. TLDig[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Baiter Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Do you sleeve the outside of the rod tube, or do you buy hose that tightly fits inside? Would think inside, but always best to ask! I emailed Surfcaster as well to see what they say. Got a quick email back a few min. ago, suggesting that I open up the reel grabbers with an exacto or a dremel with a sanding rum. Thanks for the feedback. Where is the smallest ID? If the reel grabber is smaller than the rack tube it fits on then the rack tube becomes the limiting dia - take off the reel grabber and sleeve the outside. If the rack tube is currently to small then either change butt caps or get a different rack. "Endeavor to persevere" Lone Watie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Klein Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Do you sleeve the outside of the rod tube, or do you buy hose that tightly fits inside? Would think inside, but always best to ask!...Sleeve the outside, and notch the hose for spinning reel stems if you'd like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurk2Fish Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 All the guys here have steered ya in the right direction.......an exacto and sanding drum will open what you've got.....or...your o/d of the rod-tubes is probably 1-7/8 inches(pipe) or 2 inches o/d(tubing)....both of which you can obtain rubber-radiator hose at any Mac Truck parts supply shop....cut em on a band saw or mitre saw at 3 inches....slot em 3/4 in. wide and 1in. deep and glue em on sliding them down 1 inch below top of rod-tube. Hope this helps out some along with the others advise! W2F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook521 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Passiton - I'm somewhat challanged in posting photos so here goes - Although I used my caps in a horizontal rack a vertical would be the same. The Gates hose number can bee seen in photo. Tab shown was completely cut off on final caps. I used Marine GOOP to glue pieces onto tubes. Hope it helps. Hooky LIBBA 521 - MSA 521 - ASC Go Atlantic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishtale7 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 I did rubber plumbing adaptors/couplers and notched them for the reel stem. Use the hose clamp they come with to fasten them to the rack tube. Or go with radiator hose of the correct ID. BINGO!! We have a winner! They are Fernco hubs, about $3.00 a piece at Home Depot. What ever the outside diameter of the rod tube is, just buy four and slide 'em on tighten the clamp. Then just cut a notch with razor for the reel stem and your ready to go. No glue, no dremmel, no bandsaw for cutting, just $12.00 and about ten minutes of time. Plus they have a small hub ring on the inside so you know exactly how deep it should be on the pipe. This ring also protects the rod from the edges of the metal rod tube when moving the rod in and out. - Life is a waiting room, I hope they don't call me soon...... - Thomas Jefferson - "The course of history shows that as government grows, liberty decreases" - Our flag doesn’t fly because the wind that moves it. It flies with the breath of every fallen solider who protected it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passiton Posted February 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Thank you folks. Think I'm going to try to open what I have. I fthat doesn't work (I'm skeptical), I'm going to give the radiator hose a shot. Those pictures we're helpful! NOBODY here has a pass to blow out someone else's candle in order to make theirs shine brighter. TLDig[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayside Arty Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 If ya need to replace the rubbers on the rack i would go with radiator hose the No hub pluming connectors cost way too much its cheaper to get right ones from surfcaster for $7.00 than using No Hub connectors SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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