I thought it was supposed to be easy!

[Seahorse]

The wintec easy change gullet system that is!!!

Hubby and I have just spent the last 1/2 hour struggling to change the gullet on my saddle from a medium to a medium wide and it was practically impossible. One side of it just would not line up with the screw holes and we had to use brute force and lean on the saddle to get it to fit.
That can't be right surely?

Where did we go wrong?

 

[SpottedCat]

Wait till you try and make it go narrower again, that will be twice as hard now you have fitted a wider gullet...

It used to take me about half an hour too, it certainly isn't something you would want to do regularly.

I hope you put locktite or similar on the screws too, otherwise they have been known to undo themselves, slip into the saddle , dig into the horse and cause untoward reactions...

 

[Seahorse]

Actually no I didn't put anything on them, didn't know I had to

Don't tell me I've got to do all that again!!
One of the screws was already undone when I took it to bits, I hope it hasn't been like that for long

Poor Axel

 

[bex1984]

I have always found brute force is the best way to do it!

 

[jumpthemoon]

I find if you only do the first screw up enough to keep it in place, then get the other one in place, it is easier than tightening the first one completely before starting on the next

 

[SpottedCat]

You really should put something on them - the fact that one was undone kinda proves my point...sorry! I learnt the hard way too if it is any consolation!

Agree with other poster who says don't tighten them up, just do enough to keep them in place, then put the other screw in then tighten both up.

 

[Patches]

It's a special lock-tite though isn't it?

If I recall there's one which can be undone again ... not the usual permanently fixed one. However, when I was going to change my gullet plate once the new screws were pre-coated in lock-tite (however it's spelt)

 

[SpottedCat]

Yes, it's the one which can be undone again, and yes, the new screws have ablue coating, which is locktite! However nail varnish works too...

 

[Stella]

Thanks for the nail varnish tip! Ive never been able to get hold of the locktite.

 

[Donkeymad]

Wintecs are well know for that screw coming undone, it's a very bad system. The new Thorowgood one is so much better!

 

[Seahorse]

The screws did have blue on them so I guess that was the loctite stuff then? Not that it did any good if 1 screw was undone.

I still can't believe it was so hard, if it wasn't for hubby leaning his whole weight on the gullet I would never have got the damn thing screwed in on my own.

Maybe one when I'm feeling brave I'll undo it and put some nail varnish on them. The saddler is coming next week so I might ask him to do it for me!