HOW TO INSTALL OUR ZIP WIRE KITS

All of our Zip Wire Kits are shipped with full installation instructions specific to that particular kit but we have compiled the following generic instructions to give you an idea of how simple it is to create your own Zip Wire ride.

Anchor Points
Firstly you will need two anchor points to secure each end of your wire rope onto. For a Garden Zip Wire these will ideally be two trees at whatever distance apart that you require the length of you Zip Wire to be. If using trees as anchor points they will need to be healthy trees with no less then approx 30cm across the mounting point of the trunk. If you only have one suitable tree then our Wall Mount Bracket can be used to secure the launch end of your cable to a corner of your house. If no suitable trees are available or if you are carrying out an installation in a commercial location you will need to insert an individual poles into the ground or build mounting frames, these are usually constructed using telegraph type poles which can be purchased from Total Poles (Kent area) or from Railway Sleepers (Nottingham area).

Angle Of Attack
Once you have decided on your two suitable mounting points it is time to install your main cable. Start by mounting the landing end of your cable at a height suitable to allow the rider to safely dismount, this will vary depending on the average height of riders. It is important at this point to thread your cable through your Zip Wire Trolley and Zip Wire Brake (if included) before you have attached both ends of your cable. Now you are ready to mount the launch end of your cable, this is usually done by first attaching it to the cable tensioner but this will be explained in the supplied instruction manual. The launch end needs to be installed at a height greater than that of the landing end. The difference in height between the two ends varies depending on many variables such as length of the run, average weight of the rider and natural slope of the ground but to name a few so it is always best to start approx 2m (6.5ft) higher at your launch end and increase the difference until your desired speed is reached.

Taking Up Slack
When the cable length exceeds 60m it is very heavy even for two adults to take up the slack. In this situation we recommend the use of our Cable Pulling Kit which can either be hired or purchased outright.

Test Run
It is very important at this stage to ensure all your fixings are correctly tightened as per the included instructions. As a rule of thumb you should check all fixings on a regular basis but the first checks are naturally the most important. After you are confident that everything is secure it is time for your first test run. It is recommended to get the heaviest rider to carry out the test run as this should demonstrate the greatest strains that the Zip Wire will encounter. If the speed is as required then you are ready for action, if not then un attach at the launch end and either raise of lower the height accordingly.

Now enjoy your Zip Wire !!

* Please note that this installation advice is simply a generic guide to how a zip wire is installed in a domestic environment. Installation of zip wires in a commercial environment should be done in accordance to safety standards EN1176 and EN15567 and should be carried out by appropriately qualified persons.