[quote=MN3][quote]Does anyone know if there's a recognized way to try to reduce this damage on aluminum masts, so the bolt rope flows freely and the mast doesn't have to be junked?[/quote]
yes. you can create a wedge shape with wood (think door stopper or slice of pie) and use a rubber mallet and work the pinched areas open.
You don't put the wedge straight into the track, you angle it up or down the track and gently tap / run it up or down the length of the track, using as little of the wedge as possible but enough... you want to "work" the metal as little as possible as it reduces the strength of the metal but with this method you can open a pinched section of the track. this part of the mast is typically stronger than the front or sides of the mast as there are folds in the track where the other sides of the mast are simply a shaped similar to a can - think of how easy it is to squeeze and empty beer can and how hard it is to deform the top of the can due to the bent over rim[/quote]
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