Reshafting Wilson fluid feel irons

[sam_5_0]

I am thinking about reshafting a set of Wilson fluid feel irons with nippon modus 3 105. I have a question:

 

What do I use to replace the red bore thru hosel plug? Is that a dampening device?

 

 

[robert horneman]

You shouldn't have to replace them. They should stay in when you pull the shafts.Or if they come out with the shafts just reuse them.

[sam_5_0]

Ah, ok thank you

[James the Hogan Fan]

If you figure out how to get the shafts out (nondestructively) let me know. I tried everything I had and they wouldn’t budge. If you solve the puzzle please share; I don’t want to go the cut-and-ream route but I will if needed.

[stixman]

Couple of things about the red damping plug.

First, it's a lot longer than most think, comes in at around 4 inches.

Second, the uppermost section doesn't fit as snugly as at the bottom of the shaft. What happens is that the glue which holds it in place can tend to dry out and you are left with a very irritating buzz in the shaft.

The only solution is to drill out the bottom couple of inches and then whack a drift up the shaft to dislodge the remainder. Of course you have to remove the grip...and if that happens to be a nice original leather wrap, well, bad luck!

Then I dropped a cork down the shaft and drifted it into place, I selected two inches above bottom of the hosel. I also drilled a hole thru the centre of the cork before this operation. Then I used some red bathroom silicone sealant and pumped it up the shaft from the hosel end ( because I drilled that hole in the cork there was no trapped air to prevent it going the whole 2 inches in). Allow to cure and trim off with a craft knife.

There is a consequence, the swing weight is reduced by a couple or three points. This was fine for me but some will need to apply lead tape. At least the weight will be going where you need it and not, as previously, 4 inches up the shaft. Alternatively there is an opportunity to lengthen the shaft.

[Socrates]

If you figure out how to get the shafts out (nondestructively) let me know. I tried everything I had and they wouldn't budge. If you solve the puzzle please share; I don't want to go the cut-and-ream route but I will if needed.

Only answer is more heat and a really good shaft clamp. Or cut off the shaft, leaving enough to clamp the shaft really securely and then using a long punch inside the shaft, try and pound the head off.

 

If someone came up to me today with a set and asked me to reshaft them, I likely would say no. It's just not worth the effort.

[gsea33]

Just my opinion the shafts on the Wilson dyna-power fluid feel are one of the best old school shafts. I love mine and never ever considered replacing them. Plus they just wouldn't look right.

[Swingingk]

I've had a few experiences with fluid feel irons so I'll give you my opinion and can take it for what it's worth to you. I have found that the fluid-feel "plug" is not a plug at all, but instead is rubber injected into the shaft and left to harden in place. Yes it is used as a dampening device as well as a swing weight adjuster. The more rubber injected the more weight is added. Just jamming what is left of the old rubber back in there will plug the hole but the resulting gaps left between the shaft and rubber will defeat the Fluid-Feel purpose. I wrote some of this down in this old thread:

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/492300-dyna-powered-questions/page__fromsearch__1

 

The irons featured in that thread were 1959 Dyna-powered. For that particular year (and perhaps others) the shafts were both pinned as well as threaded in place. The thread direction was opposite the hand of the club, ie: right hand irons have left hand threads on the end of the shafts. I believe this was so that if anything, the connection would only get tighter when you hit a ball.

 

I've also worked on 71-72 buttonback Dynapower irons and I can say that they are NOT threaded and come apart much easier. I don't have any experience with other years of fluid-feel irons so I cannot say whether or not they are threaded.

 

Personally I would replace the "plug" material with red silicone as previously mentioned but will add this: assemble the head and shaft (grip too) then swing weight each iron as you inject the rubber to get it exactly what you want. Place your club on the scale, set the scale to your desired SW, then slowly inject the rubber until the scale balances out. Then wipe the excess off level with a wet finger. The above thread link talks about this.

 

Again, all this is just my experience with these irons. I'm no expert - just a man with a love for Wilson and a desire to retain the "Fluid-Feel".

 

 

[sam_5_0]

Wow, thank you guys. I may just leave them as is.

[ALIF]

I have a set of 63’s I’m going to do. Swingignk’s article is the gold standard in my opinion for this procedure. You will need a vice, blowtorch and possibly a small pipe wrench. Second set of hands via a buddy wouldn’t be a bad idea either.