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I have an earlier Mojo 260 from '99 that had a tailgate added obviously. The position doesn't seem to jive with the manufacturer's photos and what a local BASE jumper thought when he looked at it. He said he didn't think it would be an issue but it's appx 6" lower on the lines than the norm nowadays. Is it worth ripping it out and moving it to a more standard location further up the lines or what???

the tailgate works best when it is as close (as high on the lines) to the fabric as possible.

if your attatched to the rubber-band tailgate, i would move it.

if not, switch to masking tape.

I have never been satisfied with any (eyelet) TailGate position given by manufacture on any canopy I have ever purchased.
That is the jumpers/pilots job is to custom fit that wing to him/herself.
After 'YOU' find and set your appropriate Deep Break setting and get eyelets set for that canopy forward speed opening surge control. You will be dialed for the 'Appropriate Breakline length from your toggles up to the cascades.
Then before you set all lines in the Tail Pocket. When you got the Canopy all flaked out and you are have flaked the tail and have all the D's and Breakline cascades stacked on top of all the A-B-C's line group channel. Put in your own eyelet for a TailGate to the (Appropriate) position that size canopy flakes-out and packs for the Break/Cascades fall in place for position in (Deep Break) setting. Only takes Ten minute to do an Eyelet.
Then Sew/Tack down your TailGate permanently in that position with a little thread. You will always have it there and never loose it or wear it out. As you will Half-Hitch you Rubber band to the TailGate before you make your wraps so that will not fall off either on the opening.

No FEAR the Tail Gate. just tack it in to the inboard C-line Permanently. Just as you must set a permanent Rubber Bad- Eyelet for your Slider to be attached on the other/opposite side, In-board C-line for direct control of Slider for High speed deployments by itself or in conjunction with Primary Stow in the Tail Pocket depending on the predicted delay of opening.
Also: you can use Masking Tape as some jumpers do as stated in the above Post by Calvin, 'you lazy Prick' for settling on Masking Tape. ....

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easy now ray... masking tape works just as good i think and i dont have to take the tailgate off for large mesh sliderup jumps.

do you know of any large mesh slider up jumps that have been cuaght on the tailgate? i think that the opening forces are stronger than a minor snag in the large mesh could really handle. a MAJOR snag could yeild an off heading at best, but not retain the slider in the UP position.

but what the hell do i know? my sleders seem to be at the bumpers from pack to jump.

no... i have never heard of it happening on a jump. i did try it out though, one the ground the tailgate could get hung up in the slider, at least enough to retard it. but if that would ever happen... i dono.

tape is easier. im lazy remember?

Is there any way you could post a pic of how you do it with the tape. How many passes do you make? Sure would be nice if you lost a tailgate or didn't have one handy...

i dont have a pic, but its easy to describe/understand.

after setting the brakes, falking, etc,

for slider down/off, take brake line, center C/Ds together, wrap sticky side out 2.5-3.5 (depending on planned delay[i seriously doubt if 4 wraps would not break on even a static line jump, ill try it at potato]) times, and position the tape wraps as high on the lines as possible, touching the line attatchment loops on canopy if possible.

thats what i do, on every jump slider down.



for slider up, the same deal but i only do the brake lines. it might be futile, but it makes me feel better and thats what its all about.

It's also somewhat important not to get the tape wet, and to wrap it smoothly (no wrinkles). Wet, wadded up tape can have substantially different breaking strength.

instead of tape, one can use a broken rubberband - just tie (1 overhand / granny knot) it onto the c-d & brake lines

imho - better than tape (& ezer too)

That is a pretty good idea.

I had to move my tailgate position on the c-line after I tuned my brakes. There happened to be a rigger with a sewing machine at a dropzone I was at.

I tried the masking tape, but didn't really like it, so for a while I was jumping and just pulling the c-line down so the the tailgate would reach around, under the nylon. I really didn't like the looks of it, as it distorted things a bit. I figured the benefit of having a tailgate out weighed the minor distortion.

As a friend recently said, if something doesn't look right in BASE, you really have no excuse to fix it.

The broken elastic (or rubber band to you yankees) thing is a good alternative.

I know a jumper that uses rigger seal thread. Breaks cleanly at about 5 lbs.

Hey Just fucking wit ya a little. Masking Tape will work but maybe forging a mechanical relationship with your BASE canopy rather than pointing a beeline strait for the Tape as instant gratification and a quick TailGate replacement Fix Will pay off in the end for a more gear smart Jumper ?

Also for me. I have always jumper with the TailGate sewn in permanently on the inboard C. . It will never interfere or snag to retard any canopy opening. The odds of a BASE jumper having a 180 and hitting a Wall Sliderdown or Spinning In with a Line over and tension knot Slider-up to become a Quadriplegic is a better paying bet instead of the non-removed TailGate Snag that is only in 'Theory', a problem that has never appeared.
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