Salon Table Pedestal - Expensive Lesson

[Joe Kern]

Talked to Catalina today about my salon table pedestal getting stiff and hard to move.  This weekend it basically got stuck in the lower position.  It won't move no matter what I have tried

DO NOT LUBRICATE YOUR PEDESTAL is the lesson.  They said the materials which came with the boat say that but I never saw it.  Art at Forespar who makes the pedestal says any lubrication whether silicone, dry lubricant, WD40 or whatever totally destroys the innards after some time.  That and pushing down with any angle can cause problems.  He also said the end of the pedestal assembly is supposed to be expoxied to the flange mounted on the cabin sole to prevent it from being pushed down into the hull.  Not sure mine ever was which may be why the table always seemed a little low.

So my $330 lesson is to not lubricate.  Also, I think when I lower the table I might simply remove the table top and then push down on the piston and reattach the table top when it is down.

Just FYI

[Joe Kern]

Received the new table piston.  They now ship with a metal tag affixed to the knob that says "Do not lubricate".  I wish I had that tag on the first one.

Joe

[sailmed]

Don't know about anyone else, but it seems that the pedestal mechanism is far too finicky and difficult to use.  It would seem to be such a simple mechanism to create.  I have to fight with it every time I want to lower it.  Am I missing something? How about the rest of you?

[Stu Jackson]

Never had any trouble with ours, the trick is to push down in the middle. 

[joe]

the piston on mine is also stiff. i take the table off and use a two by four about one foot long to place on top of the piston. im able to then easily put my  weight directly downward on it. good luck.

[Stu Jackson]

Earlier discussions can be found by doing a search on the word "table."

One example is:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2618.0

Another one, that discusses lubrication (now it seems to be incorrect) is: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2841.0

[Jim Price]

As a followup, i have wiped down the shaft to remove any excess Teflon as a result of these thereads.  However, I find the table still goes up and down relatively smoothly - but still with a good stiff spring.  My guess is most of us never lower the pedestal more than a few times a year and that may lead to stiffness more than anything.  You know the old saying, use it or loose it!!!

[Roc]

One thing I find annoying is the seat cushions are a hair too large.  So to lower the table, I have to take all the cushions off, lower the table, then put them all back again.  Would be nice if the table could be lowered with the cushions still in place.  Any one else??

[Joe Kern]

I agree re the cushions.  Plus I have a nice pad which covers the entire mast support and if I am not careful the table rubs against that and can rip it.  If the table was about a 1/2 inch less all the way around it would be perfect.

Joe

[Stu Jackson]

The seat cushion issue was discussed a year or so ago.

The consensus was that instead of removing them, all one had to do was lift the edges up a little bit.

The Mark Is had cushions only, where the Mark IIs have heavy board underneath, which may make that maneuver harder.

We always simply lift the three cushions up a small bit and drop the table without having to remove anything.

[Joe Kern]

The board under the Mark II cushions makes that very difficult.  It can be done but I have determined that ultimately just lifting the cushions all around it way up (or out) is the easiest way to get the table down straight and not rip the mast support cushion.  I think the earlier idea of removing the table top and pushing down on the table piston with a smaller piece of wood has merit.

As I now have a second table top support flange  (since the new piston came with both the bottom and top flange), I may rig something up with a second smaller table top as an alternative.

Joe

[tonywright]

I found the same problem others had described in the and other threads on the subject. It would not compress in the usual position at all. I could rotate the table 90 degrees, and it would compress with great difficulty about an inch or two. I was nervous about pressing too hard, given Jim's experience. What if it would never come back up?

I called Art at Forespar, and he said "Something is probably bent. Take it out and ship it back to us for repair."  But I don't give up so easily. I removed it and took it home.  It seemed like a good idea to turn it upside down to try compressing it. Still very hard to move, but this time little bits of debris fell out of the collar, including the PO's nail clippings! Another try, and bingo! Full compression, and a smooth spring back to full extension. So I will keep it at home for the winter, and give it a regular workout.

I have no user instructions for this thing. Does anyone have any instructions on how to keep it maintained? I read the "no lubrication" posting, but is there anything at all that should be done? Seems like turning it upside down from time to time is a good idea. 

Tony

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Did all the cat 34's come with the spring loaded pedestal? My '89 has a solid post that has a wedge type bracket on the bottom of the table and another bracket on the floor and I simply remove the pedestal and lay the table in the slots provided. So I don't know if it came this way from Catalina or the PO modified it.

Mike