Alpha Z rope tow

[Brianrzr]

I had an odd thing happen on my Alpha Z rope tow, as everybody knows, it pivots from being a rope tow to a nav light. I turned it over to use the light last night, when I used the rope tow today, the detent no longer holds it in place, however it will still hold when in the light position. If I have tension on the rope it will work, but when the tension is off, it just swings freely. I looked for a way to adjust the catch but could not find any. Does anybody know what the fix is.

[freeheel4life]

Yup. If you look at the ball that is supposed to click into slot on tower it is on a big screw in assembly. That assembly has worked it's way into the flip over light/tow point. You can either try to unthread it by working a tool in to two tangs on threaded piece, or best way is to take a cheap flathead and a round dremel bit and notch flathead so it will go around spring loaded ball bearing and hit tangs on either side of ball bearing. I always thread them all the way out and put red loctite on em. Then thread back in and set it's depth so that ball bearing catches detent on tower side and leave it alone long enough for loctite to set up.

[Brianrzr]

Thanks a lot for the help! I knew somebody must have the answer.

[freeheel4life]

No problem. If any of my write up doesn't make sense PM me, box is open. Good luck and happy boating.

[Z1owner]

On my Z1, the ball engages the flip piece while the anchor light is up just fine, but it won't engage when the tow hook is flipped up. Does only the ball assembly that mounted in the tower screw in/out, or do the 2 detent pieces on the flippable piece move as well?

[freeheel4life]

From what you are describing your tower detent pieces got put in opposite. Typically see spring loaded ball bearing on tow/light piece and it's recessed detent piece mounted in tower...

[Brianrzr]

I fixed mine just like freeheel4life suggested. I used a pair of snap ring pliers and back the ball out and applied thread locker. Took about two minutes.

[Tigeluv]

I have the same issue as Z1owner. I don't have the groove to insert a tool to move the detent out. I have tried turning it with a Visegrip and still can't move it.

[freeheel4life]

Brian,
Glad it worked for you. Good idea on snap rings pliers.

Tigeluv and Z1,
There should be a notch on either side of the spring loaded ball bearing at flip piece. That's what needs to thread out. Haven't come across any differences in the flip design on alpha z but there's changes every freaking year so I don't want to make definitive statements. Lots to remember, don't know how Lee does it

[KoolAid]

The detent portion is pressed in place. Only the spring loaded ball can be adjusted.
Two ways I would guess that could fix the detent.
1. adjust the spring loaded ball portion out enough to catch both detents without causing scratching or smacking into the tower or other detent.
or
2. Measure the distance between the detent and ball. drill a hole in the detent, tap it, put a screw in it and pull it out. Get a new detent piece, put a piece of aluminum behind
the detent piece the same thickness you measured, hammer/press the new detent back in place. Do all of this with the pylon portion off of the tower.

This is for people whose swivel hits one detent and not both of them. If the swivels misses both detents, only adjust the spring loaded ball.

[Brianrzr]

My '14 did not have a notch on the detent, it has two very small holes that the snap ring pliers fit into. They were covered with dust and I only saw them when I looked very closely. It only took 1/4 to 1/2 rotation to properly engage both sides.

[freeheel4life]

Koolaid,
Haven't had that happen yet. Thanks for info and detailed write up. Whole reason I troll TO. Where do you live??