chest mount cross connector design?

[pchapman 261]

Simple version:

Is it OK on a belly mount to have a short cross connector, between 2 of the 4 L-bar links only, built from 550 cord that's wrapped 12 times to create the cross connector?


Long version:

I'm trying to better understand cross connectors, and don't know what is actually normal practice.

Some designs go between the snaps, some are longer and go inside the pack between the links. Is the inside-the-pack version considered the better style?

Poynter (7.83) describes the standard design of 3/4" tubular inside 1" tubular.

But there's also a pic of one that's like some I've seen where the cross connector is a length of 550 cord wrapped around multiple times, for a total of 12 strands for the one I have. The design looks professional - ends knotted with stopper knots and servings to keep it neat.

This design is acceptable, is it?

What about short vs. long cross connectors?

Poynter mentions longer ones inside the pack to avoid getting a face full of connector on opening, but the ones I've seen are short, just long enough to go between the links on the reserve. I'm not sure how one would pack a longer one, with slack in it, to keep it neat in the pack and not getting in the way of the reserve.

[darkwing 4]

Old tyme rigger guy speaking here...

I have certainly seen the type of cross connector you describe. I never made any of them though. My recollection is that I thought they were military, and I don't recall I hesitated to pack them. I can't imagine it only connecting two of four links though. It seems a very bad idea to me.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[DougH 270]

Could either of you please explain what a cross connector is, and its function on a chest mounted reserve?

I allways like learning "new" stuff about gear.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[stratostar 5]

It's a strap that goes between the risers and is attached to the links on the canopy is case your snaps that attach to your D rings fail you don't streemer in and go splat! If you can find a poynters manual you can see what his is talking about.

To PC Chap. I have seen both and I have replaced the 550 ones with ones I made with tubular. The longer ones you just have to make a nice little "S" fold in the pack tray between the L bars.

Most of my warts all have short risers, I have both 2 link and four, if your going to have one installed on a four link set (one riser a side two L bars a side), it can be on only two L bars, like I said the idea is "in case one of your snaps fails you don't die."

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[pchapman 261]

Quote

I can't imagine it only connecting two of four links though. It seems a very bad idea to me.

Somewhere I saw it said that one should have a cross connector between both front links, and both back links, if it is a 4-connector reserve.

But:

1) In my very limited experience I haven't seen rigs with two cross connectors.

2) The rig I was looking at just has 2 risers, with 2 slots at the top of each. So the front and rear L-bar connectors on each side, are right next to each other, and are well secured with a confluence wrap. It isn't as if there are widely spaced front and rear risers.

So I'm thinking in this sort of situation a single cross connector, between one set of links only, is acceptable.

[stratostar 5]

Quote

2) The rig I was looking at just has 2 risers, with 2 slots at the top of each. So the front and rear L-bar connectors on each side, are right next to each other, and are well secured with a confluence wrap. It isn't as if there are widely spaced front and rear risers.

That's what I'm talking about.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[JerryBaumchen 1,050]

Hi Peter,

All of the cross-connectors that I have seen of 550 line go between the snaps and not the links. That does not mean that none were built using the 550 line going between the links; just that I have never seen that configuration.

Also, when something else is used it usually 'depends' on the design. If you are using webbing as a cross-connector then you can sew it close to the snaps and use just one piece of webbing. If it is sewn at the links then I would advise using two pieces of webbing to go between each riser leg.

A question for you: Are you looking to makeup some risers or are you just curious? if you are going to makeup some risers then consider using just two L-bar links ( one each side only ) as ( IMO ) this is the simplest style to build.

The early StyleMaster reserve risers used four L-bar links ( two each side ) but only one stitch pattern per side; they stitched both risers ( the two on each side ) together with the one stitch pattern. This meant that the risers did not seperate when being used, they acted like a single-leg riser but with 2-links per side. I hope that you can understand this effort to explain the design to you.

If you build a set of risers with only one L-bar link on each side and you have a canopy that would normally be on four L-bar links then you might consider unwrapping the Clove Hitch to mount the lines on the two L-bar links ( again, one L-bar link per side ). This was a fairly common practice 'back in the day.' I would refer you to Poynter's original Parachute Manual, section 8.2.C.2.b; this describes some testing that I did on unwrapping the Clove Hitch when necessary to mount a 4-link canopy to a set of 2-link risers.

Now, if none of this makes any sense to you then just disregard it; or send me an email and I'll try to better explain. Worst case: I'll make you up a set of risers; what design would you like?

JerryBaumchen

[pchapman 261]

Hi Jerry,
This isn't academic, I have a rig to put into service. It does have a single riser each side, with space for 2 links on each riser. The 550 cord cross connector came off another rig, a military style belly mount of some type. There it was inside the pack, between 2 of the 4 links.

[JerryBaumchen 1,050]

Hi Peter,

Ok, we're making progress.

It does have a single riser each side with space for 2 links on each riser

I take this to mean that the single loop at the top of each riser leg is large enough to fit two L-bar links into the loop. Yes? If so, I have seen risers of this type but I would recommend that you not do this. I do not know of any risers of this type that were ever FAA-OK. ( Now someone will find one that I don't know about )

There it was inside the pack, between 2 of the 4 links.

OK, so this setup is a single-leg riser design with loops at the top of the riser leg for two L-bar links and then this cross-connector attaches to one L-bar link on each side. Am I correct?

If so, I would not put this design into service. But that is just me . . .

Can you reconfigure the canopy to just one L-bar link on each side? This would allow you to put just one L-bar link in each riser loop and then use the cross-connector that you have.

If you want to take this off-line, just send me some info/photo/etc via email and we can go from there.

This is one of those tough situations for any rigger. You agree to do a repack, your inspection reveals something you don't like or is not legal, and then you have to take a bunch of time and/or start spending money to correct it ( and, of course, the customer gets mad and wants his gear right away ). Almost a no-win situation.

JerryBaumchen

PS) I don't know your time frame but the offer to build you a riser set still stands. Just would need to know some details on what you might want.

[pchapman 261]

Hey Jerry,

To help clarify things, I've added a pic of one of the risers, out of the container, plus the links and cross connector from the military container I found them in.

So there are 2 loops built into the top of each riser.

I'm the rigger / customer / owner in this case. And now I'd actually like to get the rig ready for a weekend event... so I may consider what is 'reasonable' for now, and consider other 'best practices' at the next repack.

My current thinking is that the best cross connector is a 2 layer tubular one, with slack, but the current short 550 cord one is acceptable. It is professionally built, which suggests that it was once a normal way to do things. Given the solid riser construction, and the strength of L-bars in general, a single cross connector between two links is likely OK. That's the way the cross connector was set up in the military belly mount when I found it.

You would prefer looping the cross connector through all links? (Front and back links won't pull apart from each other on the single riser.) Or would you have two cross connectors, one for front links, one for rear? Technically that's what Poynter's calls for.

The reserve I'll use is actually an 80's design that uses 4 rapide links normally. I'd probably put it on the 4 L-bars and pack the length of the L-bar (with elastics? or wrap with 550 cord?) to keep the lines from sliding along the bar and trying to load it unevenly.

[JerryBaumchen 1,050]

Hi Peter,

What is it they say: A picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Now it all makes sense. That riser is built very similar to how a StyleMaster riser was built. But with those snaps it might just be a SuperPro riser; my memory is a little fuzzy.

You say that the canopy is on 4 Rapide links, 2 each side. I would think that then the lines would fit onto 2 L-bar links, 1 each side. Then you could use the cross-connector that you have.

I would not attach a cross-connector to the Rapide links. Way too much chance of getting loaded in the wrong direction.

Hope that this has been helpful,

JerryBaumchen

PS) From the photo the stitching looks sufficient for the use of 1 L-bar link per side.

[pchapman 261]

The riser is actually from a Canadian Niagara Parachutes rig (Eddie Grimm).

I'd certainly not use the cross connector on Rapides. Ugh, cross loading issues.

Thanks for all the input.