Surf Quebec Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 I'm wandering if a lot of people have "tuned" their Head stratos pro as discussed in this old thread in order to get more flex: http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=6008&highlight=head+tuning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 With a BTS kit and strong knee drive, I get plenty of motion out of my HSP's. I have not found a good reason to cut them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I've tuned the hell out of mine and I really dig them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf Quebec Posted December 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Queequeg, can you elaborate on your tuning ? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnaud Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Yesterday, I made the full modifications described here on a brand new pair of Head Stratos Pro. The flex improvement is just ... crazy !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf Quebec Posted December 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Arnaud, I've read the 20 pages of the thread before and saw your souplesse-head-2.avi movie. The modifications you're talking about are those ones ? En résumé, si on pars de chaussures "stock" En faisant sauter le rivet, la découpe est plus facile. - découpe et ponçage pour réduire l'épaisseur de la coque dans la zone d e frottement avec la tige - poncer la languette pour réduire l'épaisseur et augmenter sa souplesse - intercaler la rondelle plastique au remontage et rondelle métal sous la boucle de coup de pied - monter l'ACSS I can translate to english if someone is interested. D.T. I'm more on the light side, 160 pounds, so the head boots are less flexible for me than for a 220 pounds guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnaud Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Yes the video was made after all modifications En faisant sauter le rivet, la découpe est plus facile.- découpe et ponçage pour réduire l'épaisseur de la coque dans la zone d e frottement avec la tige - poncer la languette pour réduire l'épaisseur et augmenter sa souplesse - intercaler la rondelle plastique au remontage et rondelle métal sous la boucle de coup de pied - monter l'ACSS Oui !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coloradoking Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 im about 180 and im riding the head stratos pros, is that what you're talking about or are you talking about the stratos? either way i made my a bit softer for racing, they come completely locked out (not the best for pretty much anything). to tune them to be softer what you do is open up the angle adjustment/ walk/ride switcher and take a flathead screwdriver and twist the nuts on the spring (both on the outside and inside evenly) until the boots get to the stiffness you want hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDY_2_Carve Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Anybody tried these mods with a BTS? I have BTS/Yellow and I weigh 170ish. Is a softer flexing boot going to allow you to be a more dynamic rider? I'm plagued by very static riding...granted some of it is downright laziness. :o Would this mod help or perhaps promote a more dynamic technique? Otherwise if you just want a softer HB why not try a different shell or a stiff SB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coloradoking Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 its not so much about making a boot softer, if its too soft it starts to get unstable; but if its too stiff it'll make it hard to remain in good control; so just go up with a tool and mess around with it until it gets comfortable the BTS system is nice because its nice and adjustable, but you have to drill if you're using head boots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf Quebec Posted December 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 I'm using the BTS with blue springs. I did removed the wings in the rear boot but do not see much difference with the other boot, maybe a little more flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDY_2_Carve Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 the BTS system is nice because its nice and adjustable, but you have to drill if you're using head boots Already modded my Head SP's with the BTS, but thanks for the feedback! Not sure if this would help or not. I'll wait until SES and let a pro look at my riding before I hack up my boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfinsmiley Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I just did the stage one hack job from that other thread and it really helps. Just do it in baby steps and ride after each small step. The boots now flex to the point of my ankles limit of flexion really well, after that the stiffness ramps up real quick which to my mind is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Queequeg, can you elaborate on your tuning ?Thanks, I'll try and post photos later on ... but I've done most of the stuff Arnaud recommends and some other things too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Are there any other Head Stratos Pro modification updates ? It seems as though the modifications were a work in progress (constantly improving). Arnaud's, posts gave me the inspiration to do the modifications (I wish I could read French) and I'm happy I did. I started with cutting out the 'wings' and I was very glad I did. Now after making the committment to do the modification for someone else and taking the time to study what the limiting factors actually are, (especially after seeing his video, if you haven't seen it, check it out) I decided to "remove more plastic" as Arnaud refers to. The difference is Incredable. I look at it like Blueprinting an engine, all the little things that add up are important (pay specific attention to the champhers at areas of friction). As for the life long arguement about "Hard vs. Soft", I personally don't believe this comes in to play with the Tuning/Blueprinting. What you are really doing is removing the bind & interferance points which keep the boot from traveling through its full range of motion (without excessive force). I am now free to 'control' the Hard vs. Soft with the springs of the BTS (or another system of your choice). Same as a suspension in a car. You could spend thousands on trick shocks, struts, springs, shocks, bushings, bars and ect. But it would all be worthless if the basic geometry of the suspension system kept everything all bound up! Does anyone know of a supplier for boot hardware ( flange/flat headed bolts) that needs to be replaced after such modifications? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnaud Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Yes, Head tuning is continuous improvement :) You have understand the Head's tuning philosophy : free flexion without friction, than control through the springs. I put some english translation on the thread Direct link to the video : click here here is the ultimate tuning : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Just to add my two cents, with BTS (yellow) plus just the "wing cut," I'm LOVING the flex of the HSPs. I'm about 165 now, and with the soft orange tongues, I can actually get quite a bit of forward flex out of the boot. I just started carving in a serious way last year, but I can keep up with most of the faster guys on our mountain (if not look as smooth as they do while I'm doing it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 shawndoggy, I was happy with that mod aslo, until I seen Arnauds video! Try this, flex your boot as far forward as you can, go ahead, force it (I'll bet that you will have to). If it is like mine was, when I did this the Cuff overlapped the Shell and it got jammed in this position. I could not get the overlapped cuff back over the shell without prying it back with a screwdriver. 85% of the force needed to flex forward was created by the Cuff / Shell interface in the heel area, you can see that & feel it. When you do the "full cut" and drill & slit the Cuff you will NOT believe the difference! It will be like the video AWESOME. Nice summertime modification (if you can wait). I picked up all the hardware I needed (surprisingly @ Lowes) to assemble the boots without altering any of the original holes for $10. I'll post the the Lowes part numbers if anyone needs them. Arnaud, have you done anything with the front of the boot (tongue) and do you know if the Stratos & Stratos Pro tongues are interchangeable I promise, this will be the last time I ask ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 OK, I'm apparently an internet newb... but an eager boot hacker... where's the video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Post #5 above, where it says "here" (in red), page 19, Arnauds 2nd post at the bottom, click on "ici". Put it on Replay & You won't be waiting till summer after you admire it a few minutes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf Quebec Posted March 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Look on the www.extremecarving.com forum, you'll probably find it by searching the keywords "head tuning". I've downloaded it and unfortunately delete it. The video will show you that, once tuned, there is absolutely no resistance in flexing between the upper and the lower part of a head stratos pro boot. Only the BTS or ACSS will control the resistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 jp1 -- thanks! Please post up your lowes part numbers. I would be very interested in getting more progessive flex... right now at the end of my travel it does stop pretty abruptly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnaud Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 have you done anything with the front of the boot (tongue) Yes, I reduced the thickness of the tongue with the sand machine. Reducing thickness increase softness (According to inertia momentum formula, softness depends on cube of thickness : I = w*th^3 / 12)do you know if the Stratos & Stratos Pro tongues are interchangeable No, I don't know I promise, this will be the last time I ask !You're welcome ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twelsch42 Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 No, you don't know, or no they don't fit? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnaud Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 No, I don't know But I think they should be the same. Maybe different plastic but probably coming from the same mold (for cost reason) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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