My SS Ranger 9.0 bar is 21.5 cm end to end and

20.0 cm from the bullhorn winding spot.

I agree with the above post about getting all your pigtails out and see what combos are available.

JG

Quote:

Originally posted by flyboy15 Is this andrew that posted on our Club site on facebook? Quote: Originally posted by andrewbanandrew Does anyone have an extra Ranger that they want to sell? It would go to a poor college student...

Yeah, that's me. My friend really wants a Ranger...

Has anyone tried modifying the safety system by running a leader line around the 'brake strap', down through the bar and past the small hole next to the trim line cleat?

This would prevent twisting

see pics:

What kind of line did you use?

My center lines are very snug and don't slide too easily thru the bar's center hole.

A brake-strap connector line would have to be some thinner, smoother spectra to comfortably slip in there.

Those aren't my pictures. I suspect 1/8" Amsteel would work great: http://www.reddenmarine.com/site/item-details.cfm?id=AMRAMST...

I'm running 5mm ldiameter line and it works great. I also added a crossover up by the ends of the leaders and attached it there. So I have the original brake line for grabbing to land or reverse launch and the 4.5 line to totally kill the kite.

It pulls the trailing edge so much it even collapses on reverse launch.

There is an issue tho. If you're using this mod in winds 30mph+ the load on the back lines can be enough to pull the split in the bridle through the pulley and lock it up. It's a simple fix to just install some stopper balls on the split to keep it from going through.

My new 12m did come with the short bar. I ordered up another couple of 24" bars from SS for $10 each. Short $ for a little extra leverage.

I'll find out when I get home and switch out bars.

$10 for extra bars alone?
What length?
I had a 29 incher sitting around for awhile that I now wish I didn't sell!

I compared the bars and they'll work. The ctr grom on the Ranger original is a bit nicer but for $10 I can't complain.

The bars I got also are rubber coated on the ends.

$10 per original SS bar is pretty good!

Ever see the bigger 29" ones around for cheap?

Okey Dokey.

FINALLY got some lines prepared, and now a little wind to try Feyd's suggested mods.

The line lengths were approximated, but all-in-all, it seemed like a new kite! The tip folds are all but gone, and my 20ft extensions seemed to help keep it up in really light (4-7?) winds to at least test it out. Heck, I might even keep this kite now! :tumble:

I don't know how the extended center lines will do in a gusty or higher wind situation where I'd need to use the depower, but the Rangers has one long bar range for sure. I hope to get some kind of thin brake-strap line added just in case of flying overpowered.

KUDOS TO FEYD FOR FIGURING ALL THIS OUT FOR THE REST OF US AND TURNING A GOOD BARGAIN INTO A SUPER DEAL!

Thanks Lad.

I'm glad you tried it pre modded. I think it's a good idea so the rider can see the stock set up performance and then see the difference the mods make.

The mods turn it into a totally different kite in my opinion. And it is a pretty stout light wind machine. Mine easily goes head to head on the snow with smaller riders on 15m P4s and holds it's own no problem. As far as the horespower vs. $ amount goes it is unbelievable!

I still shake my head at how much of a deal they were, so much fun for so little money.

well, im dfntly going to try them out now. I believe some are going on ebay for 350 shipped.

jaymzmn , did you mean try out the extensions, or get the kite from ebay (I see one already listed in your quiver). I have an extra, unopened Ranger 12m, which I intended to sell, but now I'm wondering if I should hold on to it for a spare!

hey lad, if I were you, i'd hold on to that kite until winter starts coming in...those rangers will be hot! especially with the mods. they do have loads of potential!

Winter heck, we don't get enough snow here anymore for snowkiting. The Ranger's going to the beach and fields.

(I really can't understand how people can even put up with flying the un-modded Ranger). :dunno:

I was meaning, hold on to it until winter gets to the US as a whole, then stick it up for sale. I'm pretty sure a modded Ranger will be quite desirable when snowkiting is back on peoples minds and the water is very very cold... Doesn't necessarily have to be snowing near you...anyways lad, ill let you know in the next 7 days how the mods went as the winds in denver suck. 4mph average this week...can you believe that?!

Ah...I figured you Coors Staters just assumed everyone got loads of snow! :bisou:

I predict that you will definitely post back here after your first modded flight...and in excited tones too!

yo lad wanna sell that kite?

tee-hee...I'm really thinking of holding on to it as a spare now. :saint:

It may possibly be torn from my sweaty palms by an enticing offer of a decent PL arc (phanny, vortex, etc) or a very newish MBS Core 95 or similar super-light and nice board. (or not-so-newish + cash)
:ticking:

Well gotta go now...I see some leaves movin!!!!!!:roll:

Wow I'm so glad i put this thread out there, you guys have done some amazing work with the rangers.

Thanks to all you guys

3 of our club members picked up rangers when i told them how much i got mine for, it was a crazy deal.

Just static flew my modded ranger out in relatively higher winds yesterday. I don't even know how high I went a few times, but it was definitely the loftiest session ever. I also gave the safety system a few drill sessions (and a real one too!). I was definitely sweating and a dog-walker came by as said "That looks like a lot of work" but he probably didn't see my grin.

Okee doke,

Here is my experiment with the Ranger kite, where I kill two birds with one shackle, so to speak.



The center powerline at the left normally has the round, steel "Sureshot ring" at the end of the loop, (seen loose on the line, above the black stopper ball).

I replaced this with a 2 3/4" swivel shackle release from eBay. It was reasonable cost and rated at 1,000 lbs. The release arm goes thru the loop, (so I didn't have to take the CL and line apart). It's pull-trigger, spring release is seen on top in this photo (it normally hangs from the bottom when in use). The little ring loop it came with is flimsy, and one end started to bend away. But I found the ring was also WELDED at a small point when trying to remove it - I need to find my bolt cutter somewhere.

For a little irony, I hooked my Ozone keychain to the loop for added grip area! :ticking: But, I think the best solution will be replacing the rings with a thin, but strong, zip tie and attaching the old, longer stunt kite strap - partially shown left of the Ozone swag ring.

Now, instead of adding some 17cm extensions onto the Rangers center pigtails, I replaced the whole mess with 6' of 7/64 Blue Amsteel line, rated at 1,300 lbs. (I originally got it to experiment with the 4.5 safety line mentioned in the thread - but it's too thick.) I didn't have any tubing or sleeving, so I just wrapped some black Gorilla tape around the middle for added strength and grip, then larS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s headed it around the shackle's swivel end post. I kinda roughly measured what the original ring, lines and extensions added up to, and calculated in the additional length of the added shackle to the new lines. While it's not clear in the photo, there's TWO blue line ends coming from the black taped bundle at the far right. I placed a few knots at the two line ends (not shown) so I can still have some flexibility with the center line length and not fool with the clam cleat trim.

The swivel, while not too spiny under high-load, is better than nothing. I larS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s head-looped the lines on it so they would only twist and screw the little cross-bar in the clockwise/tightening direction. I can easily reach up and turn it to straighten out the center lines (not that I'm doing too many loops with a 12m kite to begin with - now my 6m Access is quite another story!)

The one problem I see is the widened shackle arm tip can sometimes become caught on the center loop if released accidentally. One time I saw it just barely hanging there when flying, not realizing it had been released - glad I wasn't jumping at the time! But with an actual downward tug that you'd give it in an emergency, it clears it fine and zips some 10-20 feet away towards the kite and flags the kite totally (no pulley recovery here, folks - you gotta walk it in!). When I add the longer strap to it, is should hang down far enough that I can reach it under reasonable circumstances. If if flaps around too much, I will weight the bottom. It remains to be seen if a longer strap will get caught or tangled in the network of lines and webbing. It's still be a reach tho - compared to the red hat safety.

The extra LONG depower length, and even the extra LONG CL is an arm stretcher. So, I've taken to actually attaching the CL under and around the center webbing of my Ozone XC harness for a much closer reach. The Ranger's simple CL mechanism reloads quick and releases thru the harness webbing just fine (no laceration of the twig n berries...so far!)

Soooo....it's not as elegant as a custom, hi-load swivel, nor a real "red hat" safety release. But it is some added peace of mind. Until I'm more certain of it's usefulness and safety, I will probably keep adding that POA leash to the brake line (I will next try Big Earls braid spectra as a 4.5 line someday).

As said before, this is one great kite with Feyd's suggested mods. I'm still hanging on to my second, unopened one, and will probably only trade/sell it to help score a semi-recent, used Lynn Arc.

--------------------------
(PS: Thumbing thru the included Ranger manual, I see they offered an additional, full 27m line set (rather than smaller extensions) for "added low end performance." My added 20' of Q-Power line definitely helps performance in general, and even seems to make it turn faster than the unsupplemented 20m lines.)

excellent write up and mods mate. after carefully looking at the picture and your explanation, i have now ordered the same!