X-2 ballast?

(eaglejackson) · (eaglejackson) **Join Date: Oct 2004** 05-13-2006, 3:11 PM

How much ballast is in the stock 05 X-2 tanks -- how much in each rear tank and in the front locker bag?

(erik_c) · (erik_c) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 05-13-2006, 3:53 PM

It is just under 1000 lbs total. 250 in the tanks and the rest up front.

(eaglejackson) · (eaglejackson) **Join Date: Oct 2004** 05-15-2006, 5:54 PM

For what it's worth, Mike from Mastercraft of Charlotte informed me that there's 184lbs each in the rear and about 250lbs front (600 lbs total).

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 5:15 AM

Yeah, no way it's 1000... they've been stepping the weight down every year. 04 was supposed to have 900, but I'm not buying that, either. I just pulled the tanks out yesterday and they don't seem to hold 30 gallons each, which is roughly 250lbs each. They may very well hold 184lb each.

The center locker is supposed to be 400lbs, but again, 300 seems more likely to me.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 05-16-2006, 7:18 AM

The 05 claims to have 900.

The ski locker sack is certainly more than 250. I've had the sack out and it's a good 5 feet long.

They haven't been stepping down the weight every year either. Just in 06.

(lzyboy) · (lzyboy) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 7:47 AM

I would suspect somewhere around 750lbs of true weight.... just a guess but you could probabaly test it by filling the tanks from a 550 sack or some other set amount of water to get a better idea of the actual amount going in / represntation....

Jrod - u swapping urs out?

Lzy

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 05-16-2006, 8:15 AM

Aaron, yep. Before I tow the next road trip, I'll have sacks...oh wait, that's next weekend.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 10:29 AM

J-Rod, I swapped out my hard tanks last night for sacks and it took a total of 30 minutes. Just get about four feet of hose for the overflow tubes as the stock ones won't be long enough. The fill/drain is the same hose, on the bottom, and that hose is plenty long enough for the sacks. Also, I don't know what type of sacks you got, but I picked up the Fly High 750s and had to install a ball valve to use when I want to fill the sacks all the way for surfing. Otherwise the sacks are more than enough when they get to the point where they start overflowing.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 10:32 AM

BTW, have you ever thought of pulling the center sack out and replacing it with something bigger? It seems like the bag has a lot more room to fill than the stock bag fills. Wonder if it would be worth it to get a sack custom made for it.

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-16-2006, 1:32 PM

I'd just be stoked if my stock pumps would work. Lately they have a mind of their own. You can flip the switch and get nothing, then go back and forth and eventually they kick on. I even make sure to reverse the pump for a second to ge the impeller vanes going the right way when I'm done filling/draining so it's ready for the next round.

WTF... What does it take to get a decent ballast pump, or is it maybe quality wiring. I need to bring a VOM with me to test one of these days. Incidently, the only pump that is easy to get to (the center) always works just fine.

(joe_788) · (joe_788) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 05-16-2006, 2:29 PM

Evan, the problem with the X2 pumps is the very poorly thought out wiring. If built properly, the system, ESPECIALLY the rear pumps would use relays. Instead, they go low budget and run it all through the switches. I know of quite a few X Series boats that have had issues with this.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 3:39 PM

Yeah, I can tell you that it has everything to do with voltage. On my old battery, if I tried to run the ballast pump, I'd have to flip it back and forth to get it to work. If I tried to run two at the same time, forget it, the voltage meter would drop to like 9V. Added a second battery, and decided to use the original battery just for blasting the stereo on the island. With the new battery, I can run all three pumps at the same time with no voltage drop below 12.5V. I also don't have any more problems reversing the pumps anymore either.

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 05-16-2006, 3:46 PM

mine will act up from time to time but never had too much problem making them go.(obviously a lot less then Evan's)
My center one is the one that acts up sometimes and they re-wired it and it's still the same(from time to time)
I think the problem is in the switch itself?

GET SOME QUALITY PARTS IN THERE !!!

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-17-2006, 8:07 AM

Hmmm, honestly I hadn't really even thought about that. I'm sure the switches can only handle the current of the pumps for soo long. I'll see if I can warranty the switches and then run some relays. I love expensive, under-engineered boats.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-19-2006, 5:17 AM

As just a "push" to anyone who was thinking of swapping their tanks out for sacks... DO IT. Went riding last night for the first time with the new sacks installed and the wake's totally different! VERY firm and bouncy and that was only with the back sacks filled about 50-60%. I had to really get used to it, as it was a lot firmer than the stock wake. Also, with the sacks empty, I was able to fit my surfboard and wakeboard in the back with plenty of room for everything else.