Trulock toggles problem

[Couloirman 0]

The trulock toggle system has a pin that slides into a cover in the riser to prevent brake fire on opening. While setting my brakes last weekend I noticed that the stitching of the riser itself had some a little bit loose in one area in the middle and the pin could slide all the way through the riser from front to back. There do not appear to be any broken threads of the riser itself, and when removed it is hardly noticeable.

Has anyone else experienced this? Did it get worse?

The pin is not very sharp at all, and the riser has stitching around the pin area which appears to be there to prevent this problem. Ill try to get some pics up tonight but Im not sure if I want to put the pin through the hole again and maybe make it worse.

EDIT: the rig is only 20ish jumps old so wear anad tear shouldn't have been a problem yet, Im very meticulous about setting my brakes and am not rough on the rig.

[MrBrant 0]

When you're putting the pin in the keeper, make sure you put some slack into the riser, then insert it straight.
If you try to put it in at an angle, and kind of "lever" it in, it'll go trough the riser.

I was doing that when I first got mine, without thinking, and had the same thing happen (oops.. ).
go me......

[KellyF 16]

Like previously mentioned, it sounds like the pin is getting "levered" in, probably from actually setting the brakes (top of the toggle) first, then attempting ot set the pin second. Try setting the pin first, then the top of the toggle.

Or you could buy a set of our risers (shameless plug).

[Couloirman 0]

Now I figured out through trial and error to put the pin in first so it wont happen, but just curious, did your riser weave stay tight after you stopped putting the pin in second?

[MrBrant 0]

I haven't had a problem - seems like I just split the weaves a bit, not breaking any threads. YMMV

If you're in doubt, have a rigger look at it (preferably a master rigger, or at least one who had alot of textile knoweledge)

[skybeergodd 0]

Over a 1000 jumps on my trulock toggles without a single problem....I agree with everone else's advice to you to put the pin in first and make sure it goes straight in, thats the way i've always done it and no excessive wear and no pre-mature brakes releases.

[Derekbox 0]

I have a thousand jumps on my trulocks too... I dont put the pin in first, I stow my brakes first, then stow the pin, but i pull a little slack in the riser to move the whole forward to stow it without levering it in.

[bob.dino 0]

Quote

Or you could buy a set of our risers (shameless plug).

They're good risers. I particularly like the way the toggles stow. Nice work.

[councilman24 36]

Does anybody else have a problem with having a piece of metal in your hand while landing?

I crashed enough over the years, put my hands down to roll or slide, etc that I really don't think I want a pin in my palm.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Derekbox 0]

The metal pin lies flat in your hands, itsnt really an issue. But I have had it stab into my palm while doing hook turns before. I just have to be sure the pin is laying flat in my hand. Its subconcious now, I unstow my breaks and push down the pin, takes 1/2 a second.

[pilotdave 0]

Hmm... I'll have to pay attention on my next jump. I've never once (in ~900+ jumps on trulock risers) noticed the pin when holding my toggles. I do pretty much always wear gloves though...

Dave

[Derekbox 0]

Gloves would do it, or if you have the pin on the outside of your hand.

[pilotdave 0]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the pin is nowhere near my palm... it's on the back of the toggle and I can't quite picture how I'd have to hold it to end up with the pin in my hand.

Dave

[gearless_chris 1]

I hear that coment a lot about people not wanting the sharp metal pin when they biff in. I wear gloves all the time, but I'm pretty sure I've haven't managed to stab myself YET. It's on the back of the toggle so my guess is you'd stab your thigh or calf before your hand.

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[2shay 0]

I have not had any problems, not to say it would not happen, but i see way more theory there then truth. The truth is I really just don't see that happening.

don't try your bullshit with me!!!

[labrys 0]

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I hear that coment a lot about people not wanting the sharp metal pin when they biff in.

It's not sharp at all. It's really blunt. The way I see it, the pin would have to be positioned almost perfectly against your hand to do damage or it will just be deflected by the rounded end.

If it happens to be positioned "just right" and your hand strikes something with enough force to let that blunt end actually do damage, you're having other, more destructive things happening also. That wee little pin will probably be the least of your worries.

Owned by Remi #?

[Sergey-san 0]

Or you could buy a set of our risers (shameless plug).

Can you please, post a picture of your velocity risers, or whatever you're advertising:) Do they also have pinned toggles?

The best toggle design that I've seen so far comes from a French Atom container by Parachute de France, I've made about 70 jumps on them and miss them so much! The only thing that bothered me in that riser design was the inverted three-ring system... But as far as toggles go, they are unsurpassed! They are very narrow, pin is directed upwards, the break line is attached directly to the pin , wile tabs are directed downwards, so its breakfire-proof and slider goes down very easily. You can stow your slider behind your head in fractions of a second with one move of both of you hands. I'm very nervous now with that move on my Javelin risers:(

And Vector toggle design, I think, is only a partial improvement. They might be safe against break fires, but they're still wide for a quick, one move slider stow...

The only downside to Atom toggles was probably the fact that you had to be more careful while stowing your toggles after landing, or making sure that the packer doesn't mess up.

[kamalasound 0]

I had problems with the tru lock toggles and actually had to cutaway ( I was a student) , I also had problems with the riser covers at that point I decided to change my rig.

[ianmdrennan 2]

Mike Gruwell and myself found an interesting tru-lock malfunction this past weekend (when stowing the excess in the 'tru-lock' fashion described in the manual). We took pictures and I believe his is going to both bring this to UPT's attention and post an article on his rant and rave.

I really like my UPT risers (I have the Louis loops) but I don't stow the excess line like the manual describes on page 53

Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[Fast 0]

Quote

Mike Gruwell and myself found an interesting tru-lock malfunction this past weekend (when stowing the excess in the 'tru-lock' fashion described in the manual). We took pictures and I believe his is going to both bring this to UPT's attention and post an article on his rant and rave.

I really like my UPT risers (I have the Louis loops) but I don't stow the excess line like the manual describes on page 53

Ian

It would be great to know what that is!

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Couloirman 0]

are you referring to stowing the excess loop through the trulock pin itself? I dont like that method either and have not been doing it. from what I saw, it leaves a loop that could(relatively easily) finger trap itself with the toggle(upon brake release) leaving a knot on the steering line and not allow the toggle to go up through its guide ring to full flight on one side so unless flown in brakes would be in a constant turn.

[ianmdrennan 2]

that's exactly what happened. It seems to be most likely on canopies with long excess line (like the spectre).

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[darkwing 4]

so, what is the solution?

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Fast 0]

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that's exactly what happened. It seems to be most likely on canopies with long excess line (like the spectre).

Blues,
Ian

yeah I have seen that before. I just don't know how it is much different than any other type of reaching through the lines that can happen when releasing your brakes. There is no "trulock" if you don't use the stows on the back and the pin, at that point its just another riser. If you do use it and have a brake fire though, it sure wont suck as bad.

edit: I think there was a whole thread about this not too long ago, cause I remember saying something like, "If you don't take the time to look up at your toggles when you release them you're being stupid"

And a partial solution to using the trulocks if you have longer line is to keep the majority of the excess above the stows on the back so that when you are reaching up to grab the toggle it is less likely that your hand will go through the bottom of the loop.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[ianmdrennan 2]

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edit: I think there was a whole thread about this not too long ago, cause I remember saying something like, "If you don't take the time to look up at your toggles when you release them you're being stupid"

Well, then I guess my girlfriend who had 20 jumps total at the time and on a Spectre 170 was stupid . Personally, I'd like to just call her a typical inexperienced jumper.

The simple solution, IMO, is not to put the pin through the excess line and just use the riser like a regular toggle. I'd rather have a break fire than a toggle lock - at least one of those I can easily fix.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team