Disassemble Model B For Transport
Posted: May 28th, 2023, 5:52 pm
Here is my unofficial guide:
Model B breakdown and reassembly.
This is oriented to a quick breakdown to allow transport in a smaller vehicle, to move it through stairwells, for storage in a smaller space, etc.
The minimal breakdown involves just 6 bolts, two that hold the handle onto the chain, and four that hold the flywheel unit to the monorail. These bolts require a 7/16 inch open end wrench and two 9/16 inch wrenches (or adjustable).
Two further steps would be to remove the legs from the monorail, and/or the arms from the flywheel unit. Either of these steps would require a one-half inch wrench, but an adjustable would work on the flywheel unit arms. Leg removal requires only 4 nuts. Arm removal requires 4 bolts. If you remove the legs from the monorail, the seat carriage can/will slide off of the monorail.
These are the steps:
1) Pin the chain so that it won’t fully retract and possibly get askew during shipping.
2) Remove the handle from the chain. Use a 7/16” open end wrench (An adjustable, socket, or box wrench won’t clear the webbing in the ergonomic handle. Unthread the chain from around the sprocket in the flywheel unit. I suggest putting the dangling portion of the chain in a plastic bag so that it doesn’t get oil on anything during storage or shipment. Store the handle nuts on the handle u-bolt.
3) Remove the four big bolts that clamp the flywheel arms to the monorail. These all take a 9/16” wrench and a backing wrench. Hint: remove the 3 bolts that clamp the foot plates to the monorail before you remove the shorter bolt that goes through the tube welded to the top of the monorail.
Basically, it is apart.
The pieces you now have are:
A) A front (flywheel) section with arms attached. It has maximum outside measurements of 48”x24”x8”. If you remove the Arms, it will be much smaller.
A monorail section complete with seat and skewer, shockcord, chain, and legs, as well as the full seat. This section is 62” long, but an irregular shape. It is a more compact shape if you remove the legs, but, that may not be necessary for most purposes. If you do remove the legs from the monorail, then they would be separate items.
C) Two foot platforms (left and right).
D) The bracket the holds the handle in the ready position. If you were putting together a model B that didn’t have the flex feet, this is instead two flat pieces of steel.
E) The four big bolts and two nuts for the handle. I suggest storing the nuts on the corresponding bolts in order to find them later.
4) If you want to remove the legs from the monorail, you can do that. A ½ inch box, open end, or socket (easiest if you have one) will do.
5) If you want to remove the arms from the flywheel unit, you can do that. A one-half wrench of adjustable wrench will do.
Reassembly.
(All directions are from the perspective of a seated rower).
6) If you removed the legs from the monorail, reinstall them first.
7) If you removed the arms from the flywheel unit reinstall them, don’t fully tighten unit the arms are attached to the monorail.
8) Align the monorail to the arms of the flywheel unit, and loosely install the shorter of the 4 big bolts. It goes through, in order:
a) The hole in the right flywheel arm closest to the flywheel;
b) The right hole in the handle bracket;
c) The tube welded to the top of the monorail;
d) The left hole in the handle bracket;
e) The hole in the left flywheel arm;
9) Prop up the flywheel unit approximately 11 ½ inches off the ground to allow alignment of the other holes. If you have a helper, they could just hold it up.
10) Loosely install the long bolt that goes furthest from the flywheel. It goes through, in order:
a) The rearmost hole in the right foot bracket;
b) Having passed under the monorail;
c) The rearmost hole in the left foot bracket.
11) You are now ready to install the other two long bolts, which go one above and one below the monorail.
12) Tighten the 4 big bolts, and tighten the arms to the flywheel unit.
13) Rethread the chain into the flywheel unit, around the sprocket, and out toward the handle ready position
Model B breakdown and reassembly.
This is oriented to a quick breakdown to allow transport in a smaller vehicle, to move it through stairwells, for storage in a smaller space, etc.
The minimal breakdown involves just 6 bolts, two that hold the handle onto the chain, and four that hold the flywheel unit to the monorail. These bolts require a 7/16 inch open end wrench and two 9/16 inch wrenches (or adjustable).
Two further steps would be to remove the legs from the monorail, and/or the arms from the flywheel unit. Either of these steps would require a one-half inch wrench, but an adjustable would work on the flywheel unit arms. Leg removal requires only 4 nuts. Arm removal requires 4 bolts. If you remove the legs from the monorail, the seat carriage can/will slide off of the monorail.
These are the steps:
1) Pin the chain so that it won’t fully retract and possibly get askew during shipping.
2) Remove the handle from the chain. Use a 7/16” open end wrench (An adjustable, socket, or box wrench won’t clear the webbing in the ergonomic handle. Unthread the chain from around the sprocket in the flywheel unit. I suggest putting the dangling portion of the chain in a plastic bag so that it doesn’t get oil on anything during storage or shipment. Store the handle nuts on the handle u-bolt.
3) Remove the four big bolts that clamp the flywheel arms to the monorail. These all take a 9/16” wrench and a backing wrench. Hint: remove the 3 bolts that clamp the foot plates to the monorail before you remove the shorter bolt that goes through the tube welded to the top of the monorail.
Basically, it is apart.
The pieces you now have are:
A) A front (flywheel) section with arms attached. It has maximum outside measurements of 48”x24”x8”. If you remove the Arms, it will be much smaller.
A monorail section complete with seat and skewer, shockcord, chain, and legs, as well as the full seat. This section is 62” long, but an irregular shape. It is a more compact shape if you remove the legs, but, that may not be necessary for most purposes. If you do remove the legs from the monorail, then they would be separate items.C) Two foot platforms (left and right).
D) The bracket the holds the handle in the ready position. If you were putting together a model B that didn’t have the flex feet, this is instead two flat pieces of steel.
E) The four big bolts and two nuts for the handle. I suggest storing the nuts on the corresponding bolts in order to find them later.
4) If you want to remove the legs from the monorail, you can do that. A ½ inch box, open end, or socket (easiest if you have one) will do.
5) If you want to remove the arms from the flywheel unit, you can do that. A one-half wrench of adjustable wrench will do.
Reassembly.
(All directions are from the perspective of a seated rower).
6) If you removed the legs from the monorail, reinstall them first.
7) If you removed the arms from the flywheel unit reinstall them, don’t fully tighten unit the arms are attached to the monorail.
8) Align the monorail to the arms of the flywheel unit, and loosely install the shorter of the 4 big bolts. It goes through, in order:
a) The hole in the right flywheel arm closest to the flywheel;
b) The right hole in the handle bracket;
c) The tube welded to the top of the monorail;
d) The left hole in the handle bracket;
e) The hole in the left flywheel arm;
9) Prop up the flywheel unit approximately 11 ½ inches off the ground to allow alignment of the other holes. If you have a helper, they could just hold it up.
10) Loosely install the long bolt that goes furthest from the flywheel. It goes through, in order:
a) The rearmost hole in the right foot bracket;
b) Having passed under the monorail;
c) The rearmost hole in the left foot bracket.
11) You are now ready to install the other two long bolts, which go one above and one below the monorail.
12) Tighten the 4 big bolts, and tighten the arms to the flywheel unit.
13) Rethread the chain into the flywheel unit, around the sprocket, and out toward the handle ready position