2022 North Navigator Bar front-line swivel

[KitingPolak]

I purchased a 2022 North Navigator Bar and the front line (un)swivel on it is atrocious. Anyone have this bar? If so, can you comment if it loosens up over time?

My very amateur review of the bar is here if anyone is interested. https://youtu.be/tU4ZBfg9nXA Unfortunately it's difficult to objectively show just how much torque is required to unwind the lines.

[lifeinthehood]

I have the 2021 and I don’t think they changed the swivel. It’s not like effortless but I don’t think it’s that difficult. Perhaps you’re used to a bar with ceramic ball bearings? Otherwise, if it’s really that difficult, perhaps you got a lemon? Can you take it back to the shop for an exchange?

[KitingPolak]

I have the 2021 and I don’t think they changed the swivel. It’s not like effortless but I don’t think it’s that difficult. Perhaps you’re used to a bar with ceramic ball bearings? Otherwise, if it’s really that difficult, perhaps you got a lemon? Can you take it back to the shop for an exchange?

Thanks for the reply. I've tried a few bars that have manual swivel... a Naish bar just last weekend, and none have been as difficult to untwist. Purchased it at Real; they didn't want to return or exchange because I used it. They said it was considered normal. If there's no fix then I'm going to get rid of it and get a bar with auto untwist. These things are so damn expensive....

[lifeinthehood]

I have the 2021 and I don’t think they changed the swivel. It’s not like effortless but I don’t think it’s that difficult. Perhaps you’re used to a bar with ceramic ball bearings? Otherwise, if it’s really that difficult, perhaps you got a lemon? Can you take it back to the shop for an exchange?

Thanks for the reply. I've tried a few bars that have manual swivel... a Naish bar just last weekend, and none have been as difficult to untwist. Purchased it at Real; they didn't want to return or exchange because I used it. They said it was considered normal. If there's no fix then I'm going to get rid of it and get a bar with auto untwist. These things are so damn expensive....

This is the first time I’ve seen this reported as an issue. Maybe it’s just new equipment tightness? Try it a few more times and see if it loosens up. Let us know. I plan on getting a new bar for 2023 so it’d be good to know if this is a real issue.

Might also want to contact North. At the very least they’d probably want to know if there’s a quality control issue.

[Herman]

A nice thing about 10 and 12m line sections is that you can go from low to high V by just inserting a suitable SS ring at the handshake join of the two line sections. Assuming the swivel loosens a little with use that bar would be fine for me. A better swivel of course is a must for auto untwist but personally I don’t like that design philosophy. Guess it depends on the individual and style etc……. Sounds like you might prefer an autoswivel?


PS thought your review was well executed! Auto untwist needs two hole bar dugout or a dugout that fits the centre line tubing. (Go naked and roll your own!!!!)

[alford]

Give me a fucking break. Get off mommy and daddy's deck and go kiting.

[BillyGoatGruff]

I have not seen the bar, but you could try spraying marine PTFE lubricant spray into the swivel.

https://www.myconsumables.com/product/p ... V6EALw_wcB

[Wolkster]

I agree the swivel sucks on this bar, I have had a couple and they are all stiff to untwist. Somehow it has a built in line twist multiplier, you loop the kite one time, and you end up with 2 full rotations of untwist to do?

It took the swivel apart to see if it could be improved, but the way it’s designed it has a C-shaped plastic thrust washer that with thrust load + rotation tries to open the the C-shape washer makes more friction. Coupled with the fact that it is just plastic rubbing on plastic not great bearing combo. A little PTFE spray would help but it won’t be easy to get the lube where it needs to go.

I would say it’s the only negative on the bar though, love the flag out system, it works every time!

[KitingPolak]

A nice thing about 10 and 12m line sections is that you can go from low to high V by just inserting a suitable SS ring at the handshake join of the two line sections. ..........

Sounds like you might prefer an autoswivel?

PS thought your review was well executed! Auto untwist needs two hole bar dugout or a dugout that fits the centre line tubing. (Go naked and roll your own!!!!)

Interesting point about the high-V mod, I do not have any high-V kites so it didn't even come to mind. I'm used to not having to worry about unwinding the front lines much. Rarely had to mess with them with the LF bars I have. I demoed a Naish Torque bar last weekend and even though it didn't have autoswivel it was much easier to untwist the lines than on the North.

Thanks for the feedback on the review; it was a single take and I don't have the PC HW to edit even if I wanted to.

Any suggestions on a source for naked bar/swivels that could be setup for autoswivel or were you thinking something fully bespoke?

I agree the swivel sucks on this bar, I have had a couple and they are all stiff to untwist. Somehow it has a built in line twist multiplier, you loop the kite one time, and you end up with 2 full rotations of untwist to do?

It took the swivel apart to see if it could be improved, but the way it’s designed it has a C-shaped plastic thrust washer that with thrust load + rotation tries to open the the C-shape washer makes more friction. Coupled with the fact that it is just plastic rubbing on plastic not great bearing combo. A little PTFE spray would help but it won’t be easy to get the lube where it needs to go.

I would say it’s the only negative on the bar though, love the flag out system, it works every time!

"twist multiplier"... love it - that's representative of what my experience with it feels like. Thanks for the explanation of the swivel internals. Indeed it doesn't sound like there's much that can be done to improve it.

[andylc]

I wouldn’t be without the auto untwist now that I have it on the Reedin bar. If manufacturers are going to stick with PU covered centre lines there doesn’t seem much excuse for going full out and doing automatic untwisting as well.