Broken Buckles on Hot Tub Cover

[AstaLaVista]

Okay, What is the first thing the sales men tells you when you go home with your new tub... "make sure you un buckle your back buckles before taking your cover off!" So, My first tub... my daughter broke both back buckles when she forgot to un-buckle.  I ordered new buckles through Watkins.. and just kept them when I traded in the Bengal.  Now, This Am... first time I go to get in my new tub... what do you think I did??? like a half asleep little kid on Christmas??? I broke one of my buckles... now my question is... I have the replacement buckle peice... but the other buckle is stiched on.. The buckles came with this weird looking peice of tape.  Has anyone ever replaced their buckles? and how do you go about doing it so they don't look like a$$.?? Any suggestions would be appreciated... the fabric of the strap is too thick to re-stich the new buckle on.. I would imagine there must some secret to the tape??

[96SC]

When our HS tub was delivered the tech told us, 'Not to fasten the back clips', for the reason you wrote about.  I would just remove the broken plastic pieces and leave the loops hanging, but that is what I'd do.  

I have no idea on replacing them, sorry.

[AstaLaVista]

I did that on the Bengal... then when we had a bad rain storm with wind... it blew open on that side... leaving my tub half open till I got home from work....not good.

[loosenupspas]

First of all....it is important to have all your locking clips operational.  It is a safety issue.  If you have a boat dealer in your area, ask them how you might go about repair the vinyl straps. A decent car upholstery shop should be able to fix the problem.  Also a vinyl repair service called on me years ago, he claimed that he could fix those clips by using a special vinyl clue on the strap after he cut it.  It would seem that it is not impossible to repair the locks.  You want to have the locks in working order just in case you might need them in the future........good luck

[AstaLaVista]

Thank you for the advice.. I think that might be what the glue type tape they gave with the clips.  And I agree it is a needed safety feature!

[Seahawk]

The best way to have it explained is to stop back at your dealer and have them show you.  It can be a little tricky to  try and explain in writing to you.  It isn't the easiest thing to replace!

[East_TX_Spa]

1.  Cut backside of plastic on male piece

2.  Thread onto strap

3.  Eat hot dog



Term

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Term has it again! But, eat the hot dog first, use a hack saw rather than a scissors, and don't cut straight through as pictured. The greater an angle you cut at, the stronger it will be.

[AstaLaVista]

Thank you very much! never thought of doing it that way... that will be much easier .. the weather is getting too cold to spend too much time on it!  It hurts when you do that to a brand new product!

[Brewman]

I've had to add those clips to my cover- it's really not all that hard- cut like doc says, and you'll be back in business.  

[AstaLaVista]

Brewman,

I feel better knowing I am not the only one to break one!  I felt like such an idiot!  

[Brewman]

I suspect that replacements are fairly common, or else the buckles wouldn't be so readily available.  Mine just got brittle and the prongs on the male end all broke off.  Not sure if it was exposure to the sun or what.  The new ones seem to be holding up much better.  They seem to be a softer plastic.

[AstaLaVista]

oh, so it is just me

[tony]

I've broken the back buckles of my spa cover a couple of times.  I've been fortunate that the female ends have always broken so no need to deal with the straps.  I now never buckle the back.