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jacketsdb23

Competition Line Sets - Checks/Maintenance

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I think this is good subject to discuss in the light of recent events.

A quick story...after our competition season in Lincoln CA last year, i had some concerns about my lines (400 lb HMA). Lincoln has a lot of clay (our distance course had extremely fine clay). We use pea stones for accuracy. Between the course, the water, and wear from the slider...I had some concerns.

I took my canopy to a well respected rigger and I was comforted to know I was well on the cautious side, but he did do some repairs for me. I've got some maintenance instructions on finding nicks on the slider grommets to smooth out.

Bottom Line...what do you all look for with your linesets, besides just just numbers? Are there red flags with HMA's? In the past my velo would start misbehaving on opening which was a good indication to me the lines needed to be replaced. But quite honestly, the lines didn't look all that bad, it was only because the jump numbers were up combined with the bad openings, that I changed them. The new line set fixed the openings.

I tend to be on the cautious side, not caring if I go through a line set a season.

If you could discuss your lineset and what you look for that would be helpful.
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Only wear that shows on typical hma line sets are by the loop that goes thru the slinks. other than that and color changes of lines you can't really tell.

I change mine as soon as opening goes to shit, i figure changing the lineset is cheaper than chance of losing main or reserve or both component to a cut away.

also if you are jumping at dirt prone areas just assume that it won't last long as what pd says. i've only seen very very few hma lineset lasting more than it should in a dirty environment.
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I use HMA 500 on a Velo 103, loaded at 2.6. at my weight, nuts to HMA300. I use Vectran 750 on the controls. I mostly deploy around 5-7 seconds ie sub-terminal. our ZA gravel is very sharp so I try to ensure the canopy doesn't settle on it.

each jumping day, I look for fraying along the length (particularly top and bottom) of the lines and around the brake-setting hole on the control lines. I find the control and outer A-lines fray fastest. there's plenty of polishing at the slink, but no fraying of the line or slinks.

I've never flown a lineset to failure, but my gut says that fraying is probably visible around 50% life and I replace the lines around 75%. I would stop if I found "necking" or thinning of the line. I've never been told the lines are dangerously frayed (well, not by riggers) but they've always agreed its time to change them. I haven't had BIG differences in openings on new lines so maybe I replace them earlier than those that do, but I thought HMA was meant to be dimensionally stable till it snaps. ie I thought you had to replace preemptively rather than when your openings go to shit (mine are only really good if I trash-pack)

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The 6 inches or so of line directly above the riser and control lines are subject to the most amount of wear, the rds rings pass over the lines once per opening, but maybe ten times or more on the 6 inches above the riser as the slider oscillates post opening, I try to ensure I get the slider pulled down over the riser ASAP after opening. And also be careful passing the ring over the riser ring as that can scrape the inside surface of the rds ring, the out side edges can get scuffed but as they don't come into contact with the lines that should not make much difference.

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