Removing Leading Edge Bladder

Repairing & Replacing Bladders:

Step: 1

Put your kite flat on the floor with the valves facing up (001). Pull the neoprene tube cover back to expose cable tie (003).

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Take a pair of scissors or pliers and cut the cable ties on the valves but be careful not to cut your kite or the tubes (005).

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Step: 3

Hold the valve and pull the tube away from the valve to disconnect tube (006). Push the leading edge valve into the kite (009). This might take some force and is easier if you bend the valve to one side.

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Undo the Velcro fasteners of the main inflate/deflate tubes (010), pull out the valve stoppers and push the valves into the kite (012).

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Step: 5

At the ends of the leading edge (wingtips) you will find a Velcro pocket (013), undo it and you will find the end of the bladder. Pull the bladder end out a bit (014) and tie a length of string to the bladder end (016). Make sure the string is long enough to go all along the leading edge and out at the centre of kite while still sticking out the wingtip. On most kites you will find a zip or Velcro piece near the centre of the kite on leading edge. Pull the bladder out through this centre pocket (017-18). This will pull string through leading edge and out the centre pocket (020). Repeat process on other side to extract whole bladder.

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Replacing the leading edge bladder

Replacing bladders is just the reverse of removing them. The kite must be flat on the floor and all the valve holes facing up. Fold your bladder concertina style before pulling it through (022) - this will help prevent the bladder from twisting. Tie string that was attached to old bladder to end of new bladder. Feed tied end into centre hole a bit then go to wingtip and pull slowly on string to pull bladder through leading edge – it helps to have somebody feeding the bladder neatly into the centre whole to avoid twisting bladder. Repeat process on opposite side.

When you have pulled bladder right through you will need to stop and get all your valves lined up with corresponding holes (023). Put your finger through the holes and pull the valves out ensuring that they seat correctly (024). Be careful not to pinch bladder between valve and valve seat. Wet the valve end and push the inflate tube back onto the valve.

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024 Step: 7

At the wingtips, untie the string from end of bladder (025), push the bladder back inside until it is lined up with the edge of folding pocket (important!), now you can fold the Velcro pocket and bladder end over (027) and make sure the two Velcro strips are attaching properly in line and securely with backing strips inside leading edge (028). It is important to ensure that you fold over the bladder end with the sleeve end as this stops the bladder from bursting at the end seams once it is inflated. Now you can pump up your kite slowly to see that there are no twists in the bladder. Don’t pump too hard at first!

Twists can usually be seen by the leading edge having a circular indent in the area of the twist. You can also run your hands along leading edge to feel for irregularities. If you think there is a twist then you can bang on the sides of the leading edge to try and get the bladder to untwist, but if it is completely twisted you will have to remove the bladder and repeat the process. Once you are happy that there are no twists, get cable ties and tie all the tubes down securely (029). Cut off excess cable tie and pull the neoprene covers back over the valves (030).

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028 029 030 Removing, repairing and replacing the strut bladders

Step: 1

Cut the cable tie and pull the inflate tube off the valve (031). Hook string onto the valve and push valve inside the strut (033).

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Step: 2

At the end of the strut sleeve open the Velcro pocket (035) and pull the bladder out the end of strut sleeve (036). Leave the string inside the strut sleeve as you will use it to pull the bladder back through later (037).

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Step: 3

Pump up the bladder hard (038). Get a bucket of water (half full) and dip the bladder into water. You will see bubbles where the hole is (040), once you have found the leak you can make a mark on it (041) and use the repair kit to patch the hole (043). Before putting your bladder back you need to check inside the kite’s strut sleeve to ensure there are no thorns, stones, spikes or anything else in there that will pierce your bladder again. 038 039 040

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Step: 4

Once hole is repaired, retie string to the end of strut bladder and feed back into open end of sleeve (045). Go back up to valve hole and pull string through until valve comes out of hole (046). At the open end of kite strut, secure the Velcro tab on the end of the strut bladder to the Velcro on the strut sleeve so that the end of the bladder is lined up with the end of strut sleeve (047). Secure Velcro strips and fold over the sleeve end and the bladder end and pull fold back through securing sleeve (048).

It is important to ensure that you fold over the bladder end with the sleeve end as this stops the bladder from bursting at the end seams once it is inflated.

Once you are happy that there are no twists, get cable tie and tie the tube down securely. Cut off excess cable tie and pull the neoprene covers back over the valves.

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