Author Topic: Stilt centre of gravity is off (Read 6718 times)

Mike! · « **on:** July 07, 2009, 02:11:00 PM »

Back in February I bought a new pair of stilts after my old ones started bottoming-out a lot.

I bought a new pair with cuffs and bindings. Although I havn't had as much time to use them as I thought I would, only about 3 times so far each year.

Although I noticed something odd each time. And I know for sure now that there is something up with the left stilt. Whenever I stand in them my left leg is always off balance. It feels like my left foot is standing to the left of the footpad, which it isn't. This minor annoyance is effecting my abilities and starts to hurt my leg after long use.

I know it's the stilt. I never had issues with my last pair. When I put the left stilt on my right leg, it is my right leg that feels off-balance. Also I see that the shoe is wearing out quicker on one side than the other.

If I look at the stilt face-on I think the footpad is at a slight angle, it's tilted.

Anything to do? When I get home on Friday I'll try and post some pictures if needed.

Greggles · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2009, 02:12:42 PM »

hi, pictures would be good
sounds like you have warped your stilt

darfgarf · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2009, 02:26:47 PM »

sounds like it's the support rods, check to see if they're bent at all

and have you adjusted them at all? if you do ti wrong it can cause terrible warping

Spud · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2009, 04:37:45 PM »

Check support rods, see if they are off. Jason's did a support rod tutorial. Might be worth you checking it out:
http://www.projumpforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2337.0

I personally think it is more likely to be your calf cuffs. It's quite likely you have one of them out to the side a bit. Try adjusting them to see if it makes it feel better or worse.

XS · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2009, 05:25:16 PM »

cuffs are prolly out of alignment, that can make it feel like the frame is warped.

Jason · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2009, 07:09:56 PM »

I have exactlly the same problem every time I rebuild a set of stilts and there are three things that can throw them off

1- The support rods
2- The Cuffs mis aligned
3- The bearings arn't aligned properly

I have never had or seen a set of bent frames unless they have hit something hard like a step and it is normaly the footplate to spring section and the dent in the underneart is obvious

The order I straighten the stilts is to start with the support rods by making sure that they ar an equal length and the footplate is at rightangles
Next I use the string as in the above link but if the stilts are out I loosen off the bearing bolts in three places (top of hoof,under footplate and top one behind your knee)
Sometimes it is necessary to loosen the two small bolts on the top bracket

I then pull the stilts straight and hold them there while I tighten the bearings up again
Bounce them around a bit and check again but this time follow the guide here
http://www.projumpforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2337.0

As for the Cuffs you can check them by sighting down either side and lining them up with the footplate and the hoof but do remember that due to your calfs being bowed out (everyones are to some extent) they need setting off to the outside by a small amount (depends on you how much)

It is a lot easier to show than to explain but be assured that it is just a case of adjustment

Just look at them carefully and see what looks out and you won't go far wrong

Clive had the same problem with his new springs a couple of weeks ago to the point that he couldn't trick at all it took 10 mins to sort and he was away again

Jason

clive · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:56:40 PM »

oh yes i had trouble walking ,was triping, and jumping was not nice 10 mins and jason had the bocks all stright and they were a very big difference ..now i can do this again

Jason · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2009, 07:35:10 PM »

Year and the Bl**dy anoying bit is he can do

better than me

But I've still got the edge on

and maybe

Jason

Mike! · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2009, 07:38:37 PM »

Ok, here's the offending stilt:

The lower part of the frame:

A close up on the lower part. This looks really twisted. Espically, I notice for the first time, the hoof itself :s

And finally a downward shot, the kneebar bars are not at the same angle, but seem to fit confatably when my leg is in place:

I'll start to have a look at the support rods tomorrow. And the stuff in Jason's guide. Thanks for everything so far

Jason · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2009, 08:29:56 PM »

Yep that is well out of alignment

Check the bolt at the joint behind your heel and measure the two support rods to see if they are the same length (don't just measure the end bit as the rods may be different lengths or out at the top so actually measure from the underside of the kneebar support bracket down to the footplate support bar on both sides

When you adjust it loosen all the bearing bolts and the bolt behind the heel as when they are that far out they need to be able to move to settle also might be worth checking the two small bolts on the top spring bracket to make sure the bracket is in line with the spring

Once you have set everything up tighten all the bolts and check it again

Assuming that you have them on the right feet this should be your left bock and the cuffs are set up as if it is your right one which will make the problem worse as the cuffs are pushing your leg inboard which will make it feel like you are falling off the outside of the stilt

Have a look at the pics here as they are fairly well set up and you will see what I mean

http://www.projumpforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3611.msg51319#new

The second pic is the left foot and the third pic the right foot

Post a pic when you have straightened them

Jason

Mike! · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2009, 05:18:35 PM »

Right, after much tinkering today, and your advice, I think I've managed to hammer them back into some sort of shape. Spot the difference time:

When I loosened one of the support bars the horizontal bar under the footpad actually suddenly jumped up a few threads.. There was a lot of tension there.
Although it still does not look perfect they feel much, much better now. Totally normal. I was amazed that it worked.

Thanks a lot for the help

clive · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2009, 08:02:30 PM »

if anyone can jason can your stilts look ok to me now,not that i know much on this side,but from the pic before and now there looking good

darfgarf · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2009, 08:28:43 PM »

now the question is: were they like that from the factory? or due to something else, like you tampering, or one of teh support rods buckling a bit and causing them to be uneven

Jason · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2009, 08:45:57 PM »

Well done

I think that the bearing bolts were a bit loose when you got them and probably jumping on them with the cuff offset pushed them out of alignment

I have had it happen when I forget to tighten the bearings properly after a rebuild

They do look good now just keep checking them for a few bocks to make sure I find I sometimes need to tweek them a couple of times to get them perfect

Jason

GIZMOQUEEN · « **Reply #14 on:** March 06, 2010, 08:55:13 PM »

I've seem to be having the same problem- my stilts feel off balance.
Read through the entire post AND made a few amendments suggest by Jason to my my stilt.

But the right stilt still feels like its pulling to right- Can anyone tell me what might be causing this?

thanks

GQ

Jason · « **Reply #15 on:** March 06, 2010, 09:48:54 PM »

Hi Gizmoqueen

Have a look here and make yourself an adjuster (bit of string, paperclip and an elastic band)

If they all line up as in the instructions there are a couple of other things you can try

when I looked at your stilts last they looked fairly straight but I only did it by eye

Check that your knee hoops are even (they very rarely come slightly twisted to one side)

Take a picture pointing straight down from the top of the stilt and post it on here

Other test is to put your right stilt on your left foot and if the problem swaps feet you know you have a stilt problem

If it dosen't it could be that you are like me and have a slightly bent leg (thats why I use cuffs)

Jason

Ps if none of this works I will have a look at them next meet

GIZMOQUEEN · « **Reply #16 on:** March 06, 2010, 10:01:04 PM »

thank you Jason

Will give this go tomorrow

GIZMOQUEEN · « **Reply #17 on:** March 06, 2010, 10:11:30 PM »

Quote

author=Jason link=topic=3610.msg61238#msg61238 date=1267908534

If it dosen't it could be that you are like me and have a slightly bent leg (thats why I use cuffs)
Quote

Jason

Ps if none of this works I will have a look at them next meet

This may be the case. I fractured my right leg at nine, when I finally saw a doctor they said it had re-set and healed its self.
so not much they could do.

Jason · « **Reply #18 on:** March 06, 2010, 10:30:22 PM »

I had mine bounced between a tree by a Horse at a fair old speed so that sort of bent it a bit

I found Kneebars so painful I made my own cuffs as you couldn't but them them (That's how long I've been bocking now

)

The other thing you might try is swapping the kneebars over as I found one of my first pairs was bent and it made it better for me

Jason

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Author Topic: Stilt centre of gravity is off (Read 6718 times)