Trap guide flip over frame pipes tough to minimize.

[Lund1700Angler]

I have a trap guide flip over. My question is when extending the folding down the frame pipes, it is tough and sometime sticks a little. Do you guys have any tricks to keep them moving smoothly? I was thinking maybe armorall, but don't know for sure.

Thanks for the info.

[CJH]

WD40. I have a Guide and that is what they recommend for the frame and for the seat slides/supports, if you have that configuration.

I have used it on mine and it has worked well. I just hold a piece of cardboard behind them when I spray the poles/seats so I don't get it on the tent.

Good Luck!

CJH

[winniewalleye777]

I have a Yukon and the pipes seem to always slide smoothly as long as they are not bent. Are you sure they are not bent at all? Otherwise maybe try some graphite powder im sure that would work well.

[ozzie]

i tried to use a few things but they either stunk up the house or they were messy.....I have a pro and now I just put a foot on the tub and extend the poles and when folding up I just use the palm of my hand to tap on the corners on the poles to push them in.....I think one thing I used was a spray graphite

[Redbeard5289]

Where can a guy find some spray graphite?

A few places that I have asked at, the clerks have given me some strange looks...

thanks

Redbeard

[Hafnutz]

I'm just finishing setting up a new Frabill. First I took all of the poles apart and filed and sanded all the burrs off the inside and outside edges where they slide. A chainsaw file and some 220 paper worked good. Then I removed all the little springs with the pins on them that lock the poles into place. Not hard to do just use a screwdriver or two to push them in all the way and then fish them out. With a pliers I crushed the spring to about half the normal tension. They still move in and out the same amount but now they are a lot easier to push in with these old hands. Last I wiped the tubes down on the surfaces that slide with some silicon spray. Made a big difference for me, hope it does for you too.

[deadeye]

I second silicone. It wont stink and isnt really affected by the cold that much. The spray works good, otherwise you can get it in a tube at a parts store under the name Silglide.

[Phred52]

Lund, I have a Yukon, and at first the tubes would get stuck. I found that a) If I filed the edges of the tubes so the sharp edges couldn't get stuck and, extended and retracted them equally, I didn't have a problem. More often than not, I'll let the weight of the tent apply the pressure to colapse them. Yes...It's quite important that they're not bent, if they are, you've probably applied a little too much force in the past. Afterall, they're only aluminum. Just straighten them out the best you can, and enjoy your time on the ice. Phred52

[goose89]

I haven't tried the silicon spray, but have had good luck with all my sliding poles over the years by using something real fine like 220 paper or fine steel wool, smoothing all the oxidation / gunk that seems to build up over off season, and give them a good rub down with a good car wax. Slide like glass.

I would NOT use WD-40 again. It works great at first, but seems to collect dust and dirt like a magnet and makes things worse over time. You could clean em up again w/ WD-40 every so often, but you're gonna probably have build up again in a short time. Just speaking from experience. Good luck.

[Bigslugger]

Just happened to me on Buffalo today. Had to leave because I couldn't get it to extend.

I took sandpaper and sanded it to make sure the burrs were off then polished with steel wool. Took WD40 and works like a charm now minus the stink

[JavaJohn]

My problem getting the poles to retract is the buttons. They are so small that I can't push them in far enough to get the poles to retract. I resort to using the edge of a coin or my knife to push the little tit in. This should not be that hard and on a cold day it has to be done with gloves off.

Anybody have a mod for this?

[RonWBasser]

My problem getting the poles to retract is the buttons. They are so small that I can't push them in far enough to get the poles to retract. I resort to using the edge of a coin or my knife to push the little tit in. This should not be that hard and on a cold day it has to be done with gloves off.

Anybody have a mod for this?

If you get a solution to this I would be most imterested. I'm thinking of making a tool or something to go this on mine, but haven't come with it yet.

[Lund1700Angler]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I just bought my guide from a guy used. I will also agree that the button are hard to retract with gloves on. I will look and make sure they are straight. The first pole is the only one that I am having trouble with. Thanks again for the ideas.

[Hafnutz]

The buttons are a lot easier to push if you remove them and take some of the tension off the springs as I mentioned earlier.