Here are a couple pics from an FX-1 I had a couple years ago.
A while after I got it, I bought this JD grate and installed it. As you can see, it doesn't really fit at all. I asked some questions on another forum, sent some pics, and everyone said the same thing: JD stuff is terrible on their castings. Cut it to fit.
So, I did. I spent a whole bunch of time grinding. Eventually, I got it to fit better, but not perfect. Last year, I sold it because I had went back to the Pro Tec set up, and I had two other JD set ups on the shelf anyway.
About 2 months ago, I sell Idok one of my other FX-1 projects and during lunch and we start talking about this same issue, and I tell him the story of how it hangs down and I've always been scared it's gonna tear off my pump shoe, etc etc, so I don't use them.
He tells me that JD made it to be VERY aggressive, and it's supposed to fit that way. So, I just recently installed the JD plate and JD intake grate on another FX-1 that I have. I only surf/wave ride, so I must admit, I really like the idea that if you back off the throttle, the ski almost stops. And, when coming down off of jumping a wave, there is no cavitation with that set up. The tail comes down, you grab a handful of throttle, and the ski get's right back up on plane, where as with my R&D intake and my Pro Tec intake, they alot of the time will cavitate out in the surf.
The ONLY thing I like about the Pro Tec ride plate is that when you slide across the lip of a wave, it skates controllably (I know it's not a word), which is something I like.
I have 3 Pro Tec plates right now, and I rarely use them anymore. But I don't HATE them, just like the JD alot better.
B]Disclaimer: [/B]I am an idiot, and I have no jet ski experience or knowledge whatsoever, thus you should not assume that anything I say or type is correct, and should always assume that I don't know what I'm talking about, or that I am lying, or both.
