Replacing BD walking pole ends

[nickthetasmaniac]

Hi everyone, has any one ever tried to change a set of Black Diamond trekking pole ends? I mean the whole plastic end section, not just the 'tech-tip' metal tip (which can be swapped on some high-end models).

I busted the ones on my Carbon Corks and was sent a replacement pair, but there doesn't appear to be a way to get the old ones off or the new ones on... The BD user PDFs only say how to swap the metal tip itself...

Cheers, nick.

[neilmny]

Is there a thread inside the end of those Nick or a plain hole?

I can't believe Tassie is still using pounds and pence .......

[dee_legg]

Hey nick!

I changed mine over summer! You've just got to pull really really hard! I used a leatherman I think to get some purchase on the plastic.

I think you can also cut them off, again a leatherman is handy for that too!

Good luck

[nickthetasmaniac]

Is there a thread inside the end of those Nick or a plain hole?

I can't believe Tassie is still using pounds and pence .......

Just a plain hole... I'm in Spain at the moment so had to order them from the UK in time for the HRP

Hey nick!

I changed mine over summer! You've just got to pull really really hard! I used a leatherman I think to get some purchase on the plastic.

I think you can also cut them off, again a leatherman is handy for that too!

Good luck

Thanks Dee, I was wondering if it was just down to brute force... What did you use to attach the new ones? You back on the OT this season?

[Ent]

Hi

According to BD remove the baskets and then pull them off by best using a u shaped notch that is held solid as they are a press fit. That reminds me I have to do one of mine. Um? About to find out how easy this is going to be?

Cheers

Cheers

[Strider]

Put it in the vice and pullll?

[neb]

Hey all,

Been a forum troll for a while now.

This task is easy with a medium weight/size adjustable spanner. You can leave the basket on as it makes it easier, adjust the spanner to be just wider than the pole above the basket, then run the spanner up the pole and run it back down with some speed, the momentum of the spanner will get the end cap off in 2-3 wacks. Good luck!

[Ent]

Hey all,

Been a forum troll for a while now.

This task is easy with a medium weight/size adjustable spanner. You can leave the basket on as it makes it easier, adjust the spanner to be just wider than the pole above the basket, then run the spanner up the pole and run it back down with some speed, the momentum of the spanner will get the end cap off in 2-3 wacks. Good luck!

Used this method (bigger the shifter the better) and it worked a treat. Err, Um, oh well when they say pound pole until the tip settles in just be a little careful as broke my new tip in half. Also the replacement sits about six millimeters further out on the pole so do not be "encouraged" the "pond" the new one to the same place. Also the tip itself is about eight to ten millimeters longer.

Cheers

[Orion]

Yeah, you just force them off. It can take quite a bit of effort. A vice and hammer maybe.

Then the next question is: how do you put the new ones on?
Just press them! Hammer them!! Pound hard!!!
But I've done this with two poles now and had several field disconnections since.

I ran into a BD rep last year and he told me it's more cost effective to buy entire lower shaft replcacements. He even shipped me a couple for free. The pole tip spares that I already had I've since tried to glue on with silicone adhesive and that was a dismal failure. I think the curing agent (acetic acid) was doing bad things inside. So next I'm going to just epoxy them on.

I now have BD Distance poles as well, the ones that fold up in a "Z", and I'm not looking forward to learning how to replace the tips on those.

[Strider]

I've also heard its easier to replace the lower shaft. Only a few dollars more apparently.

[Orion]

I've also heard its easier to replace the lower shaft. Only a few dollars more apparently.

Actually the difference is a bit more than that since you get a pair of tips but only one lower shaft when you order.
It's the ease of removal/installation and the assurance that it's done correctly that makes it worthwhile.

Last year a tip I'd replaced fell off on day two of an 8 day trip without my noticing.
The funny thing is that I found I didn't really need it. The pole worked fine without the tip.

[Nuts]

Applying some heat (hairdryer/hot water) is always a good idea with glues. Cleaning and roughening the surface before gluing new tips in place might help.

[Orion]

Applying some heat (hairdryer/hot water) is always a good idea with glues. Cleaning and roughening the surface before gluing new tips in place might help.

Really? I didn't know that. Is it just to speed drying/curing or to actually improve the bond?

In this case the silicone adhesive that was trapped inside the tip hadn't set after about ten days. I just pulled the tip right off and the adhesive was still semi-liquid. I'd never seen that before but guessed that the acetic acid curing agent was attacking the aluminum pole.

[Strider]

I presume the heat is to assist with getting the old tips off.

When you say silicone "adhesive", what exactly are you referring to? Sikaflex?

[Orion]

I presume the heat is to assist with getting the old tips off.

When you say silicone "adhesive", what exactly are you referring to? Sikaflex?

Oh, I see. He meant to loosen the glue use heat.

The product I used is a silicone elastomer, the kind used for joining glass in aquariums, or sealing silnylon tents.
This one: http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx ... ubcatID=27

[dee_legg]

Hey Nick! Are they off yet? And yes, planning on heading back to the OT! I miss it so much!

[Strider]

I presume the heat is to assist with getting the old tips off.

When you say silicone "adhesive", what exactly are you referring to? Sikaflex?

Oh, I see. He meant to loosen the glue use heat.

The product I used is a silicone elastomer, the kind used for joining glass in aquariums, or sealing silnylon tents.
This one: http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx ... ubcatID=27

Though that might have been your problem - it's a sealant not a glue.

[Orion]

Though that might have been your problem - it's a sealant not a glue.

Maybe you're right, I don't know. They call it an adhesive and you can sure stick two things together with it. I've used it glue all sorts of items together. In this case I was aiming for a relatively weak bond, something that I hoped would keep the tip from popping off but still allow me to remove it later without using a saw.

But in this case the adhesive never even set. Now that I think about it some more I wonder if the problem was that it was fully enclosed. The curing agent requires moisture from the air to work.

I don't believe Black Diamond uses any sort of adhesive. The BD rep told me the tips are simply pressed on.

[nickthetasmaniac]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. The problem is that the people im staying with in Santiago dont have an Australian Shed, so i dont have access to a vice or anything like that... Ideally I would have bought the whole bottom section but I couldn't find it online... Oh well.

Hey Nick! Are they off yet? And yes, planning on heading back to the OT! I miss it so much!

Yeah cool I reckon I'll see you up there then I'm starting on the 5-6th. Ben and Ciaras photos have me amped

[Orion]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. The problem is that the people im staying with in Santiago dont have an Australian Shed, so i dont have access to a vice or anything like that...

There ought to be some way to hold it down and crank on it. Be inventive.

Ideally I would have bought the whole bottom section but I couldn't find it online... Oh well.

Yeah, the BD website sucks. And each time they change it they make it suckier.

Is it the "Alpine Cork"? It's probably too late, but this is the lower shaft for that one:
http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/hik ... 0ALLS.html

[troutboy]

Hi all, the use of some gentle heat, heat gun on low or hairdryer will help to expand the plastic and make removal easy. Using 24hr araldite on the new ends will mean the tips will never come off until the application of heat as above. Been doing this with tip sections of graphite fishing rods for years.
cheers troutboy

[Nuts]

Yeah, heat them up, hot water will also do it- grab them between boot toe instep lugs and give a good yank! Presto!
Araldite is a good idea if glue is being used.

[Orion]

Using 24hr araldite on the new ends will mean the tips will never come off until the application of heat as above.

That's what I was going to try next, an epoxy. I assume that's what you mean by 24 hour Araldite. Although at this point I'd be happy to weld them in permanently.

[troutboy]

Just make sure its the 24hr araldite not the 5 minute quick dry stuff.The strength of the bond is so much better with the slow cure 24 hr glue' Once set properly they will not move without the use of gentle heat
cheers troutboy

[nickthetasmaniac]

I don't believe Black Diamond uses any sort of adhesive. The BD rep told me the tips are simply pressed on.

The rep lied. I just got the first one off by shaving it away with my Leatherman and waddayaknow, there's glue :/

[Orion]

I don't believe Black Diamond uses any sort of adhesive. The BD rep told me the tips are simply pressed on.

The rep lied. I just got the first one off by shaving it away with my Leatherman and waddayaknow, there's glue :/

I doubt that he "lied", why would he? It's more likely that he was mistaken, or the process has changed, or even that I misremembered what he said.

But if what you say is true of my poles as well then it helps explain why I couldn't get the tips to stay on without glue.