3 days on exos, 3 probs

[Mibsportler]

heya

i have been on my new exo pros and i luv them!!! the comfy binding is awesome and i can jump higher and it is easier (and lighter)

nonetheless there is a couple of things which i would like to know if someone else has the same probs as I do

first quick release - it is really nice if u want to change all the time but somehow i can't fasten it enough that after bocking of half an hour or so the bars start to move - especially the inner bars where there is less pressure from the lock

i also now seem to not be able to walk/run straight anymore - it is always kinda sideways - not had that before with the "old" 2010 v8 model

and last but not least - the right leg is after the third try now already really wobbly under the footplate - 2 times a walk of an hour to get into it and 1 time a jumping session of half an hour
bushing gone already?

anyone got any clues???

thx in advance for any help

[Locky]

Can you tighten the quick release bolt further? I notice one of mine is a not as tight and can move about a little. I've been meaning to tighten it but not got around to it.

and what exactly is wobbling beneath the footplate. I dont fully understand that bit from your description.

[Jason]

Hi mate

First the quick release for the first few sessions mine moved a bit (I think it is the bolt stretching) so after a few mins bocking sit somewhere and give the lever arm another half turn to tighten it and continue doing this till they stop moving
It worked for me but I did find you have to be quite strong about it (within reason   )

As to the walking sideways the only thing I can think of is have you got your cuffs straight this might sound obvious but a simple way to check is worth trying
When you first get on your stilts (not been on them for a day or so) walk in a straight line and concentrate on if you feel like you are falling off either of the footplates to either the inside or outside (could be both footplates)
Now the hard bit if you feel like you are falling off the outside of one of them move the cuffs towards the side you are falling off of
Yes I know this sounds wrong but it moves the hoof the opposite way so it will ballance you
If this isn't the problem maybe your turning into a Crab mate  

Now the bearing problem
No I don't think they are worn out already but I did find a problem with one which was easily solved
When the assemble them sometimes the outside of the bearing is smaller than the hole and the seem to be using some form of tape to pack it

My answer was to take the offending joint apart and clean it thoroughly then I coated the outside of the bearing and the inside of the hole it goes into with Araldite (2 pack epoxy glue ) you them assemble it with the bolt throught and a couple of extra washers to hold it all in place till dry
Things to be careful of is don't get the glue on the inside of the bearing of the bolt (you don't want them stuck in place   ) and clean all the glue off the outside and face of the bearing ( if you get any on them )

Funnily enough it was the one under the footplate that went on the one I repaired but I did all of them anyway just to be sure

Jason  

[Mibsportler]

@ locky: not possible to tighten them anymore - me not strong enough - and the bars r already a bit dented by how much i tried to tighten it 

and the whole footplate is wobbling - with my old ones it was the bushings gone - but new ones??? 

@ thx jason - as always u r there in need 

first - quick release - the first two times it was really bad - it was a bit better today - but my bar r now already dented at the position i fastened them  i prefer the old fashioned one with the screws as u only need to do it once and that's that

second - crab well that was one thing - i did the bars exactly like my old ones and I nearly fell over - so I adjusted them new and it was better - i think it just takes some time to get used to them - longer and footplates a bit different - so maybe i sort that out after some tries - and thx for the right left thingie - i read that before on a post u wrote and tried that out and it was a bit better!!! but i think to find the ultimate position will take me some more time lol or i am really already a crab - but then i wud need to buy another pair of exos for my hands

third - crap - i kind of understand what u write (theoretically) but practically that sounds like OMG - i will probably mess it totally up - hmmm - i might need to get to someone who is really good at that stuff - like u or some "oldies" in that sport so they can help me with it ( wud def be worth the travel  ) especially as I failed epically with my tyre socks ( the cool minimised way) and the tyre spring protection - only able to do foam (yellowbelly bocker version) or innertube - perfect tutorial - even I cud understand it hahahah
so i will just wait and see - or maybe even open it and have a look at it now lol

[Mibsportler]

opened it - bushings fine 

[billymaya]

hi mate the only problem ive had with my exo pros is a bolt came undone on my hoof but a quick email to naz soon sorted me out and im now back on them in double quick fashion

regards the quick release i have had to undo and do up mine several times to try and get my feet to feel right in them (the right balance) which is difficult to do as when you adjust them you have to lean on something and what feels right when your leaning on some thing doesnt always feel right when you start walking or running on them i have undone mine about 20 times trying to get my right leg correctly balanced so it feels comfy for me i havent had any problems with slipping of the calf cuffs as long as i tighten the quick release enough i have managed this without denting the tubes i do have some minor scratches on them where i have been pulling them up and down a bit lol

i think the balance boils down to a bit of fine fettling as they say until you get it right for you,

any other problems i suggest you contact naz and im sure she can sort out any of your problems with your stilts she is very very helpful

[Squeeker]

I used to have a wobble similar to what you describe. In case it is the same wobble, what I think you need to check is the bolts that bolt the bar underneath the footplate to the footplate. There should be two going horizontally through the footplate and one going vertically into the foot plate (you should be able to see it if you look through one of the holes on top of the foot plate or is you look underneath). My problem was I had lost the vertical bolt for each stilt. If this is the case, I went to a local diy store and bought some cheap nuts and bolts and just did the fiddle work of putting one in and tightening.

Hope this helps

[Jason]

If the bearings are fine mate it sounds like Squeeker may be the one with the answers

Don't be scared of the gluing bit mate it is a lot easier than it sounds

One other thing I forgot about is that when I first fitted my cuffs to the Exo pro's I stood them next to a set of old PJ's and set them to the same height
Big mistake the footplates on the Exo's are 50mm higher so the cuffs were 50mm lower and through my bocking off something awful

So do check as this will really make it hard

Jason 

[Mibsportler]

4th try 

bit wobbly - not getting worse - so i get used to that

knee bars at the right size this time - so feeling loads better

but the last thing which is still there is that the inner bar still moves - but only when running - not when u do jumping (different pressure point maybe 

i might try to put the right stilt as my left - as then the clamp is on the inside and that side is holding tight

will try 2morrow

[Mibsportler]

4th try 

bit wobbly - not getting worse - so i get used to that

knee bars at the right size this time - so feeling loads better

but the last thing which is still there is that the inner bar still moves - but only when running - not when u do jumping (different pressure point maybe 

i might try to put the right stilt as my left - as then the clamp is on the inside and that side is holding tight

will try 2morrow

and for god's sake jason - am not even considering doing this - just spent over 200 quid on them so i am not going to destroy them the first week I have them 

[bendover90]

nothing worng wiht them mate, its operator error, use a gentle tap of a hammer to tighten the quick release, the cuffs need adjusting, hence your croab footing, and movment is normall hope this helps

[Mibsportler]

@ jason: desperate after a one hour bocking tour on saturday - it really is loose now so i am going for it. 

so first where can i get that glue from??? asda/sainsbury or home/building shops?

and washers? can i also use my hands or do i v to buy some 

Araldite (2 pack epoxy glue ) - do u mean 2 packs of them or is that sth like a two component glue which u v to mix together

i probably end up asking after my first fail for something like - glueing for DUMMIES 


thx a lot

[Jason]

Ok mate first are you sure it's not the bracket that is loose

The one that joins the square tube under your foot to the top of the support as this has caused similar problems

If that is ok then we can begin

To make sure you get it right I'll go through it thoroughly

Undo the two hex bolts (one under the footplate and the other mid spring)

This will give you the round, bent tube section completely free of the bock

The bearings (white nylon if they are the same as mine) should come out easily if they are loose and causing the problem

Make sure you clean the outside of the bearings and the inside of the tube well you might find it easier with paint wipes or similar (like wet wipes but stronger)

Other things that will clean it are lighter fuel or any of the sprays they use on computers that contain Isopropanol

If you cant get any of the above just wash em and wipe well with paper kitchen towel until dry

The glue is a 2 pack epoxy as in you get 2 tubes and mix them together (get the 5 minute stuff not the 24hr one  )
Araldite is the manufactures name of the most popular one but there are many cheaper ones that are just as good for this job as we are using it as a filler not a glue

Don't mix up to much as it goes off quick and you only need enough to do one end at a time

All you want to do is fill the gap that is making it rattle and keep the hole through the middle lined up

So coat the outside of the two bearings that go in one end of the tube and coat the inside of the largest diameter of the tube end

Now push the bearings into the holes and put the bolt through the hole to hold it all straight

I put enough washers either side on the bolt to pull the bearings into their seats when I tighten the bolts but if you feel you can push them in by hand that should be ok

Let it set for 10 mins and them carry on with the others

Things to watch out for are getting glue in the wrong places

Don't get it on the bolt or the face of the bearing and if you do wipe it off well

It really is easier to do than it sounds here but I have tried not to miss anything

Any other questions fell free to ask

Jason 

[Mibsportler]

hey jason, done it with the lower two bushings and it is a bit tighter now but i can still move it slightly  but it actually was really easy after ur explanation for DUMMIS 

i might try it out tomorrow after school and see how it goes and let u know how i am getting on

thx a lot

[Jason]

Your welcome mate

Glad it worked

Jason