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Head tuning


Surf Quebec

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Stephane, When I went to look at my boots better to see what Hilux pictures were showing, I noticed the stem on my (front boot) is bent again. I spoke wrong above :freak3:.

The boot that is affected by the chair lift hitting it would be the front boot (the one that stays in the binding while riding the lift). Check it out while loading on lift, I didn't think that was the case for me either, but it was (or I guess, still is). I guess when you get old and fat (me) it gets harder to push the front foot forward out of the way of the chair. Some are a lot lower than others and using a plate system compounds it more because of the added height. Luckily, I bought a spare while @ Bomber :biggthump time to go put it in & order a couple more.

Hey JP1,

You didn't happen to bend it when you were in Loveland? I bent mine on a chairlift there.

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Hilux, well your picture puzzled me enough I had to tear my boots apart to try and figure out what the picture was showing. Unfortunately, I do not have the Pro's just the Head Stratos (the tongues are riveted on NOT screwed on) so I had to drill out the rivets. The rivet that the tongue pivots on was simple enough, the other rivet, that holds on the buckle adjuster was blind (riveted from the bottom) :freak3:. I had to measure and take a guess where to drill since I could not drill from the inside of the boot out.

I've been wanting to do this anyway to change the tongues. A while back, I bought a used set of boots for parts and the (light) orange tongues that came with them were signifacantly softer than the (dark) orange tongues that were in the Stratos from new. I have been putting it off since the boots felt awesome the way they were, but being out of commission and having a couple of days off decided to remove the rivets and see what you were showing in the pictures & change the tongues.

Now I know exactly how you felt :barf:because both of mine are cracked :eek:.......

Do I think it will affect performance? Well it surely isn't a benefit, but I'll take my chances. I don't feel it is a serious structural concern, but certainly something to be aware of. I'm imagining that a fair amount of Stratos ( & Stratos Pros) are cracked in the same manner, although of several pair of Pro's I modified I've never seen it before.

A normal person would never even know it on the Stratos (because of the rivets, the tongue is probably never removed).

Anyway, I have the 'super soft' (light) orange tongues in them now. All I need is to heal up so I can get my boot on and try them bad boys out !

While I was drilling out rivets, I drilled them out of the 2nd strap up from the toe also. I cut down the width of the 3rd strap when I did the Modifications because my straps were touching ( not the buckles) when boots were flexed. I will now cut down the width of the 2nd strap and hopefully eliminate this interference also :)..

All I could think of 1/2 way through this episode was my Mother saying when I was a kid, "why can't you just leave things alone ?" :freak3:Never could :D Probably never will :)........

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  • 3 weeks later...

BTS should be coming in today...only problem is that when I ordered it, bomber told me they did not have any Raichle long pins in stock. I search a few threads, am I correct in that the pins are 3/16" in diameter? I am going to have to find something at Home Depot (Lowes is a little bit of a hike for me) that will have to work - any suggestions? I feel like I've seen steel rods of various sizes somewhere and I would just cut them to the correct length.

Also - I've cut the wings and drilled out the rivet. I get a lot more flex than I did with just cutting the wings (surprisingly not a ton, though). I think the boot tongues must really factor into it. Scary to drill through, and I kind of botched one of the holes....I might have to just get a new washer for the top part (discard the original black rivet-top with my now off-center drilled hole in it). Completely worth it, in my opinion - really feels like it opens the flex of the boot up and with the BTS I'm sure it will be great.

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Nick, I think I have a couple of Stainless Steel Fender Washers around that would work good for that. I also have a couple of shims I fabricated to fit between the cuff and the boot shell on the pivot bolt (further reduces friction between the pieces) if you want them. Let me know, I could meet you @ Blue.

Pins (if I remember :freak3: right are metric). I measured mine (5mm x 42mm long). The stock pins are 4mm (.1575"). Bombers Pins are 5mm (mine actually measure .199") You'd be better of with 3/16" (.1875") rather than the stock pins temporarily, until you can get the proper pins. I'll scrounge around for some 5mm metric drill rod.

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  • 2 months later...

shawndoggy, I was just re-visiting some old threads (the wheels are turning) and was curious, did you ever drill out the rivets?

I had good results sanding the 2nd and 3rd straps where they touched when fully flexed (my buckles did not actually touch, the straps did) to allow for clearance.

What is your feeling on the modified boots as compared to stock?

jp1

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shawndoggy, I was just re-visiting some old threads (the wheels are turning) and was curious, did you ever drill out the rivets?

I had good results sanding the 2nd and 3rd straps where they touched when fully flexed (my buckles did not actually touch, the straps did) to allow for clearance.

What is your feeling on the modified boots as compared to stock?

jp1

Yes, I did drill the rivets. Boots are perfect now though I wouldn't mind finding a button top screw to replace the hex bolt that's on there now. Just the right amount of flex for me but I tent to catch the bolts on one another when I'm walking to the chair.

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shawndoggy, I use T-Nuts on the inside with a Stainless Steel Button Head screwed into the T-Nut & polished, gives it a 'finished' look.

T-Nut (Lowes #137348) 5/16-18 X 5/8" with Stainless Steel 'Button Head' Allen screws (bolts).

Fastenall, McMaster Carr, Grainger or whatever Industrial Supply, or if you have a good Hardware Store locally you'll be in business :biggthump

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