Hobie Cat Forums

The standard hardware tool <$20.00 will work. They are designed for aluminum rivets and wear out if used a bunch with stainless. Have to have a strong grip though.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

@Yakaholic: Thanks for that info.

@Everyone who knows more about rivets than I do: If the knuckles are going to be glued anyway, as Matt seems to be suggesting, couldn't you use a strong glue + aluminium rivets and avoid the galvanic corrosion problem? From what Fishyak says, the rivets are less important than the glue, if the right strength glue can be found.

Ah, take me back to my V1 akas. Rattled a bit after 3 years of heavy use, but looked like they still had years left in them.

What were you thinking, Hobie?

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Matt must have a real strong grip! I tried to set the appropriate stainless rivets with a single hand tool and was not happy with the result. Harbor Freight sells a two handed rivet tool that provides the mechanical advantage needed. If you don't make it happen in the first try I think the stainless gets worked and tougher and impossible to form (tighten) anymore.

Just so Hobie doesn't think EVERYONE wants to go back to the pinned AKA V1, I'm a strong vote for the AKA V2 knuckle connector. That is why I got a 2011 AI: new rudder assembly & new AKA V2 connectors. Easy, easy to use; functional. That is what Hobie is all about. While it can be a bit frustrating while they get things fine tuned, you have to appreciate that they keep trying to improve their line.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

V2 aka for sure for me too

V1 for me, but on new hulls with all the bells and whistles.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

I'm fond of the simplicity of the V1, plus the tramps fit better. But who wants to replace all that metal when they wear out.

The V2 Is easier with the click-on mechanism and in theory one should be able to keep all the old metal and replace only the knuckle or knuckle pin when it gets worn. Clearly a BIG advantage.

Since Hobie makes and assembles the akas it is just a matter of selling the parts. Looked in the Spring 2012 catalog under "aka" and "knuckle" but can't find it. Maybe I'm calling it the wrong thing?

What part number is the aka Knuckle assembly? Is it available? and are the separate parts making up the knuckle also available?

Once again I have no problem replacing a part that I have worn out having fun on my Hobie.

I inquired a while back about purchasing just a knuckle and was informed I could only buy the entire aka. On the Hobie web site you can download the parts diagram and I believe its shows only the entire aka with knuckle. I better double check that though...

My hard copy Spring 2012 catalog on p48 lists "2011 Model AI (V2) xbar/akas" It lists 4 akas: rt fwd, lt fwd, etc. It also lists fwd & rear xbars plus an "aka casting glue kit."

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

Exactly, but why buy the whole aka when all that wears out is the knuckle? If we have to remove the knuckle to replace the rivets anyway why not also replace the entire knuckle if it is worn out (too much play, ect.)

Obviously if Hobie is providing the "aka casting glue kit" they are comfortable with us doing the knuckle removal and re-rivet.

I'm the 'Inspector Colombo' of the Hobie forum ... "Excuse me sir, I have just one more question please ..."

Has anybody wore out a V1 aka joint? In My experience, it wears to a point (requiring padding to stop it's rattling), but then not much further. Mine are over 5 1/2 years old and haven't seemed to have gotten worse after the first 2 years.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

fyi... The length of a rivet is critical to the job / depth needed. Too long a rivet may "pop" too soon and not pull tightly against the inner surface.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

As Columbo would say: "Excuse me sir, I'm just having some trouble understanding. If you need glue to fix the knuckle, why didn't you glue it on in the first place?".

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BECAUSE...
They didn't KNOW it was going to be a problem when they first made it .

But now you can fix it any number of different ways .

Haven't we about talked this one out .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfCQ-t7xY0

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2010 Tandem Island

Yes... we do learn things along the way. They are now glued.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA