Any way to fix a fender air valve?

I have some large Taylor-made fenders. One of them leaks and I found that it is leaking out of the air-fill hole - you know, the kind that uses the needle to fill, like a football, etc.

I can't figure out any way to repair it or even how it would fail in the first place. I assume it's just a little flap or something that closes when the internal air pressure pushes on it but I don't really know.

Any fender valve repair advice?

I note that Taylor's warranty only applies to splitting or bursting, not to leaking air valves...

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Originally Posted by MikeP

I have some large Taylor-made fenders. One of them leaks and I found that it is leaking out of the air-fill hole - you know, the kind that uses the needle to fill, like a football, etc.

I can't figure out any way to repair it or even how it would fail in the first place. I assume it's just a little flap or something that closes when the internal air pressure pushes on it but I don't really know.

Any fender valve repair advice?

I note that Taylor's warranty only applies to splitting or bursting, not to leaking air valves...

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I bet they honor the warranty, even though it doesn't specifically call out the valve.

I bet the valve will hold long enough to burst it if they won't honor it.

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Originally Posted by Boatsb

I bet the valve will hold long enough to burst it if they won't honor it.

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Even better....especially if you can borrow someone else's boat to do the 'dirty work'

Wonder if when a fender "splits" it looks the same as the cut a razor blade might make... ;)

I had some old taylor made with a different type of valve. Had a nylon screw that covered a valve that was not a football valve. They were leaking so i filled them up , put some silicone in the hole and ran the screw back in.

As far as the foot ball type, why not try some tire sealer. Of course try warranty first.

Tire sealer...good idea!

Frankly it sounds like too much trouble to bother packing it up/sending it back for a warranty repair - probably cost as much in shipping as a new fender if they replace it under warranty anyway. I have a bottle of "slime" from my x-country trip...

Since the valve sticks into the fender farther than a pool of slime will most likely get ,you may have to put the needle in and pull back out with the slime pumping in.

Ok if this works then you have to take me for a ride in the Ferrari.

Take it to worst marine and be like "this junkx broke yo, gimme new one!"

I once saw a guy digging out TM fenders out of the dumpster. I asked him about it and he said that all you have to do is to take them to West Marine and they will give you new ones. It's worth a try.

I had the same problem and looked all over for a place to buy new valves. No one sells them. There are 2 types, one is threaded, the other is more of a bayonet type.

I called Taylor-Made and they sent me 3 of each type for free! Very good customer service on this call.

A few weeks ago, I brought a split TM fender into West Marine and they replaced it no questions asked. Last week, I brought in the replacement fender with its leaky valve and had it replaced at West Marine, no questions asked.

You can replace a fender with the same model or larger. In the case of replacing with a larger fender, you just have to pay the difference.

I know a bunch of people that are always on the lookout for floating fenders after a moon tide or storm. Sometimes, they are salvagable and other times, they bring them over to West Marine for an exchange.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Heck, there's a WM less than a mile from here - sure worth a try!

West will replace your fenders, no questions asked. They actually take them, write up the report, and destroy the fenders right at the store. Taylor doesn't require them to send the fenders back, so it's an easy swap for everyone.

Me too, had exactly the same problem, old Taylor fenders, no receipt, West in Ft Lauderdale exchanged them straight away. West gets bashed a lot, but I had a terrific associate wait on me there as well.

George

Mike,

Just an afterthought...

If they dont have your particular fenders in stock, you may have to order and pay for them, and once they come in, return your defective ones. Sometimes WM has some red tape to work around when it comes to getting things into a store.

I stopped by WM - they will replace the fender. I didn't have the fender with me because I was in the little red car (the LRC - cant afford a Hatt LRC!). SO I'm a happy guy! I might have to lighten up on WM.

Thanks for the suggestion/info - it NEVER would have occurred to me.

I saw a guy at a marine store around here cutting the top piece of the fender off, the place the line goes to. :confused: He told me they send the top piece in with the replacment form and the fender maker re-uses the top piece.

How about that....

Captned