Ping I3 Os cavity replacement....Flexseal?

cpanther1995

I have the set of Pingi3 OS iron heads I got from candukid (thanks again Lee). These are the ones talked about on Golfbuzz that are missing the I3 logo weighted badges.

I’ve been busy, but before I do anything I will contact Ping to see if they still have the badges for these irons. If they don’t, or if they won’t work on them because they have been unshafted I think I have a backup plan.

Flexseal.....don’t laugh 😆

I can get my good friend Jim at Teestar Golf to bend them to my correct color code (black) or get me close. But if Ping won’t touch them, why not pour Flexseal Black into each cavity and let it set till cured?

I could weigh an empty one,do 1 head to see what’s the weight difference and remove that rubber plug once it cures. When I know the weight difference I can use X amount of lead tape in each head followed by Black Flexseal and I should be able to swing weight easy.

What do you guys think? Will it work?

johnnydoom

Seems like it ought to work. Hopefully Ping wasn’t using something like tungsten for weighting and there’s plenty of room in the cavity for the needed amount of lead tape. I have to believe there is as I can’t see them wanting to make the process that dependent on additional material.

sdandrea1

I once repaired a G5 W for a neighbor who needed the club daily so sending it to PING was not an option. The swingweight badge came out and was lost. I had his 9i at D1 so I used epoxy and small washers to fill the cavity to bring his W to D2, where he wanted it. It looks like shit, but i see the club every week and it's still together after 3 years and LOTS of rounds.

I tried filling it with lead tape and it would not stay.

A swingweight scale will make the job a bit more accurate.

Lastly, I have sent heads-only to PING for refurbishment and they did it, same charge.

cpanther1995

The W Head is the only one left with an insert. I weighted the 9 iron (270gr)and then the W (289gr)
19 gr difference.

I’ll call Ping Monday and ask how much it would be to send these in. You can buy complete sets on eBay for $100, so I’m only going to spend so much to redo these.

Maybe adding tungsten powder to Flexseal black would work.

Rickochet

How abut just filling the cavity in with some black shafting epoxy? You could add some chopped up lead weight pieces if needed. Warm the epoxy bottles up by placing them in warm water for 10 minutes and it will flow very easy. Work quickly before it cools off. You can always dig it back out if needed. I have used Flexseal several times and it is good stuff but it might be difficult to work with in this application and tough to get back out it you don't like it.

cpanther1995

Rickochet

But will Flexseal dampen vibration since it’s rubber better than Epoxy?

LBlack14

Rickochet the flex seal I've used has been garbage. Just saying.

cpanther1995

I weighed each Head, and compared the weight to a similar Alpha Head. Here’s the results:

242. 256 Alpha. 14 gr
248. 263 Alpha. 15 gr
254. 270 Alpha. 16 gr
261. 277 Alpha. 16 gr
270. 284 Alpha. 14 gr
W. 289 insert 289 Alpha

So if this is an accurate representation, then yes those inserts have weight in them.

We will see what Ping says, buuut that DIY gene is kicking in fierce. 😎

Rickochet

cpanther1995 But will Flexseal dampen vibration since it’s rubber better than Epoxy?

I don't know if either will provide much dampening. If it does shafting epoxy will still flex some compared to zero with hardware store epoxy. I took out the polymer face from a putter since I felt it was too dead feeling. I wanted the crisp feeling of brass so I fabed up a brass insert and glued it in with shafting epoxy. It still felt dead. It dawned on me that shafing epoxy has a bit of shock absorption properties to it. I took the insert out and glued it back in with JB Weld. Bingo, hard as a rock with a nice crisp feel.

Weirfan

Id use tungsten powder and epoxy mix.
Use GW black epoxy or tint it
Warm the mixture up so it it is more free flowing and pour it in the cavity

Very easy and wont take long once you measure out tge amount powder needed

sdandrea1

Last time I sent heads to PING, it was $17.75 each. They put new weights in the heads that needed them and tumbled and painted to look like new. You can do it yourself, but forget resale. If you get them restored, you might break even if you already have shafts and grips.

cpanther1995

sdandrea1

Good point. I’m thinking about the NV Pro shafts that OMG uses in the TILLe. I read over at Golfwrx that Ping hosels are a little large. You can fit a .370 graphite shaft about half way. They were saying you should sand a .370 to fit a Ping .355. Do you agree?

sdandrea1

cpanther1995

Done it many times. The FGI database has a shitload of threads on sanding .370 graphite to fit .355 hosels. I use digital calipers and sand/measure, sand/measure until the last 1/2" is .355. Then I sand, if necessary, to custom fit each shaft in it's respective head. Epoxy with shafting beads and boom! You can always send them to me and I'll do it for ya. Love to tinker!

sdandrea1

Rick, I'm curious to find out what PING says about repairing the heads, if you dont mind sharing. I like to keep my data fresh!

fatshot

sdandrea1
The last time I called Ping about replacing a medallion (about a year ago) I was told that their stock of medallions was dwindling, and since they don't use that method of swingweighting their clubs anymore, they would not be keeping them in stock. So, I'd be interested too to find out what their current policy is.....

cpanther1995

sdandrea1

I’ll share whatever they tell me here.

sdandrea1

fatshot since they don't use that method of swingweighting their clubs anymore, they would not be keeping them in stock.

Uh-oh..........

cpanther1995

sdandrea1

I’m just hoping they have 6 more weight inserts.

fatshot

Good luck!

cpanther1995

I just spoke to a Ping repair rep. If they have the inserts you can send in heads only and they will replace them. They no longer have the I3 inserts.
They did have I3+ inserts and checked to see if they would fit. They would not.

They will bend these for me from green dot to black dot for $5.00 per head. They will not refinish these heads.