Lone wolf hand climber seat

[Aeds151]

For safety, I went back to stock lwhc without bolt mods.


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[FayetteKong]

I’ve been using my hand climber for 2 seasons now. I converted mine to take summit cables last year. I posted the measurements in another thread of the hole locations I use 2 pins per side one in front of a lug and one behind. It’s been solid no give or adjustment half way up.


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[sweats]

For safety, I went back to stock lwhc without bolt mods.


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So I just got a lwhc seat to try. I plan to try it stock first before considering any mods. Would you mind elaborating on why you find it safer without the bolt mod?

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[DB4x4]

I am guessing to avoid something like this. ^^^

If you use the LWHC with bolt mod, make sure you have a secondary way down the tree, just in case.

 

[DB4x4]

View attachment 19230

I am guessing to avoid something like this. ^^^

If you use the LWHC with bolt mod, make sure you have a secondary way down the tree, just in case.

Actually, scratch that. No matter what your climbing method is...make sure you have a secondary way down the tree...

 

[Aeds151]

I started bringing 36’ of rappel rope and a safeguard. I always rappel down anymore. The bolt mod can be sketch due to drilling into cast aluminum. Also, the higher angle makes the platform very loose and tippy when at hunting height. Im afraid it will cost me a nice buck. Im going to 1 sticking for faster climbing up tree ad ease of use.


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[Adrena123]

Well at least your tethered to the tree at all times...

Seriously though, that sucks. I wonder if the bolt head and nut were flush mounted. The guy weighs 170lbs and I'm 205lbs. Mine has been in use since last winter. George and i have stood on mine together and it didn't break. All i can say is this is DIY at the end of the day so if this scares you, take the bolt out. I'll be the stunt man lol

 

[DB4x4]

The picture I posted isn't mine. It's a screenshot from Facebook. The platform looks like an XOP version to me. Maybe the casting is softer than the Lone Wolf versions???

EDIT: I asked for more information on the failure. I'll let you know what he says if he replies with anything useful. I am convinced that was an XOP platform. I have two Lone Wolf platforms and they're solid. I have a buddy with an XOP and when I drilled it out for him, the metal seemed softer than mine.

 

[Adrena123]

The picture I posted isn't mine. It's a screenshot from Facebook. The platform looks like an XOP version to me. Maybe the casting is softer than the Lone Wolf versions???

EDIT: I asked for more information on the failure. I'll let you know what he says if he replies with anything useful. I am convinced that was an XOP platform. I have two Lone Wolf platforms and they're solid. I have a buddy with an XOP and when I drilled it out for him, the metal seemed softer than mine.

I hear you @DB4x4....I have seen pics of some bolt mods where guys used a bolt with a bigger head. You could tell the bolt and nut were not flush when tightened down. I could see gaps and the bolt was cockeyed. If I were to tighten down on that with two wrenches, I could probably crack the cast. Or at least weaken it / stress it really bad.
That is why it is very important to drill it correctly and use a small headed bolt.

PS: I knew it wasn't you, Stan told me it was a guy on FB.

 

[BFI]

One thing you could do while making the mod is chamfer the drilled hole both sides. We do this in machining all the time on flywheels that get resurfaced on a brake rotor machine. Chamfered holes prevent cracking. Could somebody post a picture of the bolt mod. The video on u tube did not show a close up
50 deg. Was noted of angle of arms.

 

[Adrena123]

One thing you could do while making the mod is chamfer the drilled hole both sides. We do this in machining all the time on flywheels that get resurfaced on a brake rotor machine. Chamfered holes prevent cracking. Could somebody post a picture of the bolt mod. The video on u tube did not show a close up
50 deg. Was noted of angle of arms.

I have pics all over this site but let me see if I can dig up some in my phone.

Ahhh, all I got on the phone but mine is solid and flush just like the factory arm bolts. Me and atleast 15 others aren't having issues.

 

[DB4x4]

XOP confirmed.

 

[Adrena123]

View attachment 19255

XOP confirmed.

China!!! I see why you mentioned that now @DB4x4... I'm a little slow

 

[BFI]

I have pics all over this site but let me see if I can dig up some in my phone.View attachment 19254

Ahhh, all I got on the phone but mine is solid and flush just like the factory arm bolts. Me and atleast 15 others aren't having issues.

Thanks for the picture. I will make the mod. But will also chamfer the holes. Question I know your therory on the long shouldered nut it makes sense. But I think i will do mine with your allen head bolt on the arm contact side or switch to a regular bolt head. Why? After seeing the xop failure would it be better to have less of a folcrum lever (your long nut) putting pressure on the small gusset. Its all about leverage. Oh and use some stainless washers. What size bolt did you use. Thanks again. I like your video but lighting on the east side was bad

 

[rutjr]

Did you notice the difference between Johns and the one that broke? The one that broke looks very porous.

If you look closely at Johns picture the nut is against the surface that the arm rests against so the nut acts as a spacer so it's not really a fulcrum.

 

[Adrena123]

Thanks for the picture. I will make the mod. But will also chamfer the holes. Question I know your therory on the long shouldered nut it makes sense. But I think i will do mine with your allen head bolt on the arm contact side or switch to a regular bolt head. Why? After seeing the xop failure would it be better to have less of a folcrum lever (your long nut) putting pressure on the small gusset. Its all about leverage. Oh and use some stainless washers. What size bolt did you use. Thanks again. I like your video but lighting on the east side was bad

Originally I used 2 regular hex nuts and they worked fine. Info is all over SH. When I was in test mode, I used rubber in between the arm and the platform. Then just zip tied it tight. Even climbed and hunted like that.
One could even do a vertical bolt mod this way by drilling through the arm and installing a bolt with a nut to rest on the cast....I didn't because mine works fine.

 

[sweats]

Originally I used 2 regular hex nuts and they worked fine. Info is all over SH. When I was in test mode, I used rubber in between the arm and the platform. Then just zip tied it tight. Even climbed and hunted like that.
One could even do a vertical bolt mod this way by drilling through the arm and installing a bolt with a nut to rest on the cast....I didn't because mine works fine.

I'm not an engineer or machinist so my opinion isn't worth much, but I like the idea of adjusting the arms rather than the platform.

E.g. bolting on some additional tubing to effectively make the arms thicker where they rest on the platform. That way you aren't drilling the more brittle metal of the platform. However, I'm not sure how you could have a bolt vertically through the arm without interfering with moving the band through.

I'm sure given enough time, someone with a lot more creativity and metal working experience than me will come up with something.

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[Adrena123]

I'm not an engineer or machinist so my opinion isn't worth much, but I like the idea of adjusting the arms rather than the platform.

E.g. bolting on some additional tubing to effectively make the arms thicker where they rest on the platform. That way you aren't drilling the more brittle metal of the platform. However, I'm not sure how you could have a bolt vertically through the arm without interfering with moving the band through.

I'm sure given enough time, someone with a lot more creativity and metal working experience than me will come up with something.

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You would habe to drill a bigger hole in the top tube son the bolt head would for through. Then a smaller hole in the bottom.
Like the LW did on the side of the arms. A button style bolt head shouldn't interfere with the band.... make sense?

 

[Aeds151]

Another bites the dust. I was using after I removed the bolt because I felt uneasy about the mod. Does this put my unit into the trash category or can it still be used as is with the arm resting on platform.

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[rutjr]

Another bites the dust. I was using after I removed the bolt because I felt uneasy about the mod. Does this put my unit into the trash category or can it still be used as is with the arm resting on platform.

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I would say it’s ok but how did it break if the bolt wasn’t in there?


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