Trying to recondition Soft Tub

[DIYTUB]

TLDR - Need advice on reconditioning a hot tub and/or tips on a good supplier for parts

Bought a cheap soft tub from CL last summer, decided to make it as new if not better for this year. I'm super handy and love to tinker and modify.

Acquired a new liner and have contacted a few people who sell parts making it clear that I was willing to spend money and what I'm trying to do hoping they'd advise me to as to what I needed but haven't had much luck. 

I'd love to upgrade anything i can while I'm replacing it, jets, intakes, light. I need all the gaskets.
Will probably hold off on pump for now but also interested.

Am I alone or do i just have to take it apart myself and work it out?

I either need an expert who is also going to sell me stuff or an enthusiast who can give me a shopping list.

The tub was cheap but now I'm in deep with the liner, keen to get it on as spring approaches and ... relax.

[DIYTUB]

[Jersey Hot Tub Repair]

I'd be happy to offer a suggestion or opinion, but I'm not entirely clear what you're asking. 

First of all, you bought this last summer?  So it's 9 months old and it already needs repair?  Is this a warranty issue, or are you just wishing you bought more tub than you did and are looking for an alternative to throwing it out and buying a new, more expensive, hot tub?

I'm not sure who "CL" is or what their hot tubs are, so I can't make specific comments without more information.  I can make up a list of things I'd want in a hot tub, but I don't think that would help you.  If you want to know "what do I need," I guess I'd want to know what do you have that you're not satisfied with.

Why do you want to replace the jets?  Do yo want more or are they not working?  Gaskets - they wear out.  Anytime you've got the thing empty and apart, I'd replace the gaskets.  So they don't fail when it's full of water.  Are you alone?  What do you mean?  You can get plenty of advice on-line.

Don't mean to pick on you, can you just be a little more specific in your questions so we can try to share our opinions in a meaningful way?

 

[Sebastian Hay]

Hi.It would be nice if you can be lil bit more detailed what is your question better  

[DIYTUB]

Hi guys, I worked most of it out after dismantling the tub but I thank you for your offers of help and apologize for not following up.

TLDR - I worked out what i needed but bought from the worst person on earth. To skip the misery read no further or scroll to the end for questions.

My tub is an older one with I think first gen jets, I bought it from Craigslist (CL) pretty cheaply, yes the liner was wrinkled to hell and the cover waterlogged but I enjoyed the hell out of it. As a project minded person I entertained the idea of restoring this beast and upgrading every item I could.

My main question was about what jets were suitable for my tub, and what parts I could upgrade. I had read all I could find on the internet, which really wasn't much but I had read of one person upgrading to spinning jets and recommending it and another recommending the aftermarket wrinkle resistant liners (the kind that requires you remove the therapy seat).

I bought the liner last winter after a windfall and started looking at parts but didn't get going until this year when I posted the above, a few days later I ordered parts.

I ordered five replacement spinning jets and two spinners and a directional for the therapy seat. I got the therapy seat rebuild kits. I bought two 5" suction upgrade kits and (because i read that you could) I got two filters, two durasocks and two spa frogs. I do not understand why only one filter is sufficient if there are two suction holes. I ordered everything I could from one place including $100 worth of chemicals and a few other items. The only thing this place didn't have was an upgraded LED light.

The old tub had dip LEDs and i could not find an affordable upgrade so I ordered a small starburst bulb replacement from amazon and plan to splice it to the old led wiring, or maybe find the proper socket and solder that on.

Anyway, the bulb arrived two days after I ordered it, shout out to Spa Depot, but I waited almost two weeks for my main order to arrive. This authorized Softub dealer had specifically told me he had these parts in stock, but when I emailed to ask where my order was he told me he was he said he was waiting on a part, the parts he names is not one I had ordered but i waited patiently. Eventually it ships, on a friday at 3pm, so i email to express my displeasure that my project was stalling without these parts and the whole situation headed South.

This might be the weirdest part of the story, the seller now goes off at me because he assumed I had received my order and found it to be incomplete. This is the first indication that he did not have the jets he claimed to have in stock. My order arrives, none of the upgraded spinning jets are in the package and one of the spinning therapy seat jets is missing. There is no packing slip or note of any kind. 

The emails have flown back and forth, each reply stranger than the next, and the seller is adamant that I should be happy with this. The latest is that they are in stock as of three days ago and  i asked that they be overnighted. I have not heard back and it is getting close to three weeks and my free time is about to run out. 

I seek to relax and get nothing but stress.

QUESTIONS -

Need a new cover. Everybody seems to be about the same price. I don't mind paying for all the upgrades but are they all necessary? Will gladly take recommendations or tips. 

I built a deck and left a hole to sink the tub into and am now digging further down into the earth to give the tub a lower profile. Has anybody done this or has tips on doing it or reasons I should not.

Can I use spray insulation foam to fill any gaps I feel are heat leaks in the foam prior to reskinning?

Will post pics of my project if anyone is interested.