Well that was freaking scary...

[ztrumble]

One final test before season opens tomorrow and I'm glad I did.

DIY platform made out of electric wheelchair seat.

Now to attempt whipping up a plywood perch style platform to go with my WE steps for tomorrow morning....

 

[LeanMachine]

Bummer. Yea thats putting a lot of load on that cast. Could easily add a piece of material to spread that load out.

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[EricS]

Another reminder of why it is recommended to install tether before stepping onto platform. Glad you weren’t hurt and it didn’t ruin a hunt for you.

 

[DanO]

Can I ask how heavy you are and if you've used this platform a lot? I'm 220-230# and used mine last season without issue.

 

[btsnhos]

Dang. I just ordered a step from eBay. Hopefully I have better luck glad you’re ok


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[dalton916]

You need a stand-off that’s going to bite into the tree for a cam over platform. Locks the platform in position while taking load off the cast portion.

 

[EricS]

You need a stand-off that’s going to bite into the tree for a cam over platform. Locks the platform in position while taking load off the cast portion.

Please explain? I don’t see how if the standoffs were lag bolted to the tree it would have prevented that kind of break.

 

[dalton916]

It wouldn’t have if they were lag bolted, that would put the full stress of the cam over on the foot rest. When you use a stand-off that bites into the tree some of the strain that would go to the foot rest goes into the tree as the standoffs dig in.

 

[bj139]

Bolt a piece of aluminum tube to the bottom of the platform so it rests against the post at slightly more than 90 degrees for cam over. Or Wood.
That is an awfully thin piece of platform resting against that post.

 

[DanO]

Bolt a piece of aluminum tube to the bottom of the platform so it rests against the post at slightly more than 90 degrees for cam over. Or Wood.
That is an awfully thin piece of platform resting against that post.

It’s not really that thin. Here’s a pic of the underside of mine and it looks to be the same platform:

 

[mattsteg]

It doesnt look real thick.

 

[Weldabeast]

Those things weren't ever designed to be under stress like that. They are mass produced with the cheapest material acceptable for the application. No big surprise they would fail IMO

 

[dalton916]

Those things weren't ever designed to be under stress like that. They are mass produced with the cheapest material acceptable for the application. No big surprise they would fail IMO

Oh there ain’t no doubt about that. That’s why I cam over slowly and get the offsets to bite into the tree good then raise the foot piece, snug it up a tad and recam. I try to avoid having mine camming over without the offsets going into the tree any further.

 

[LeanMachine]

Oh there ain’t no doubt about that. That’s why I cam over slowly and get the offsets to bite into the tree good then raise the foot piece, snug it up a tad and recam. I try to avoid having mine camming over without the offsets going into the tree any further.

Looks to me like nothing to do with camming over caused the failure. It was simply the load on the stop against the post when when weight was applied. The thickness of the platform woulf be sufficient if it was not cast.

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[EricS]

It wouldn’t have if they were lag bolted, that would put the full stress of the cam over on the foot rest. When you use a stand-off that bites into the tree some of the strain that would go to the foot rest goes into the tree as the standoffs dig in.

Note of your weight can go into the standoffs until after it passes through the point that broke. The only way to redistribute some of your weight is to have the strap tight enough that you have to put x pounds of your weight onto the platform before it contacts the post. That’s not math I want to be doing 25’ up a tree in the dark. I’m all for the spirit of diy but we have some really nice commercially available platforms on the market purpose built for saddle hunting.

 

[dalton916]

Like all the broken Predators I’ve seen posted???

I cam mine over from my stick and tethered. If breaks I’ll hunt off the top step like I did when I started and either use my XOP seat platform the next time or make me another scooter platform.

 

[Patriot]

Like all the broken Predators I’ve seen posted???

I cam mine over from my stick and tethered. If breaks I’ll hunt off the top step like I did when I started and either use my XOP seat platform the next time or make me another scooter platform.

I believe all the broken Predators are Gen 1 and they have fixed the issue on the gen 2s, the designs are very different. I have a gen 2 and posts like this make me feel like I made the right decision buying a predator, but I’m also not as good at diy as many of you guys are.

 

[EricS]

Like all the broken Predators I’ve seen posted???

I cam mine over from my stick and tethered. If breaks I’ll hunt off the top step like I did when I started and either use my XOP seat platform the next time or make me another scooter platform.

I was thinking along the lines of Assassin, gen2 predators, ridge runner, podium, even the lone wolf hand climber.
Yes I’ve seen several of the gen 1 predators break. I’ve also seen broken xop/lone wolf seat platforms now the scooter platform. I’m not saying that the scooter platform is necessarily a bad choice but not every casting is created equal and just like the gen 1 predators some will hold up and others will not.

 

[ztrumble]

I'm 200# even.

The casting cracked when I camed it over. I purposely had it only 2 ft off the ground on a telephone pole. I've tested it multiple times and even shot from it at hunting height, just this time is popped. It made popping noises when I stepped on it, and then crack and crash.

I agree with those who said this thing was never designed to be used like this. It's designed as a foot rest while you are in a seated position. Not really weight bearing.

The "really nice commercial platforms" are all pushing $150-$200 and taking WEEKS to arrive. That's a bummer. Have to wait for supply to meet demand I think.

Back to a ring of WE steps for this season I think.

 

[EricS]

I hunted off wild edge steps my first year. Other than minor setup difficulties they are a great platform.