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Just figured out the UPZ forward lean


scrutton

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Jeez. Epic frustration with using these boots last weekend. My forward lean wasn't identical boot to boot. It's near impossible to see what's going on with it when you go from walk mode to ride mode. Maybe I should carry around a protractor to measure my boot lean (grin).

 

So, I put the boots up on my board on the bench today and played with the lever, and moving it between the settings. As their web-page says, there are 4 positions. The lever evidently has some pin that engages one of the the holes in the track, that locks the boot into position. To go between lean positions, you have to pull down on the lever, lean the boot to a different angle, then let the lever go, and adjust the lean until the lever clicks into position. Most unfriendly really, but it's what we have got. Just glad I finally figured it out after 4 years of riding them.

It would be super nice if the walk-mode was a different button, so you didn't have to find the correct lean mode setting each time you go back into ride mode.

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There are 4 lines on the outside of the boot near the inside side of your ankle.  You should be able to sit on the snow when you are clipping in and see which line you are locked in on.  I am aligned with the 2nd line on the front leg, and 3rd line on the rear leg.  Also looking at the heel you can see where the position is.  Front leg the metal is not showing when the boot is not flexed (2nd position); rear leg about 1/4 of an inch of the metal is showing when the boot is not flexed.

 

I generally only go into walk mode if I have to walk a long distance, I leave as is in the café, on the lift etc. Coming from the deluxe with BTS and prior to that ski boots, walk/ride is a pleasure I don't need to use much.

 

If you are in the wrong notch, then simply go into walk and then flex to about where you want to be in the boot, back off every so slightly, then engage ride, then slightly flex forward and it should lock into that hold.

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I set mine in a pretty neutral position, so I just let the boot self-center and then I flip the lever and move forward until they click. If it feels funny on the board I stop and readjust.

You can also peek at how much metal is exposed under the cuff. Each click reveals a different amount that's easy to distinguish without even bending over.

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post-2350-0-02773800-1453135490_thumb.jp

I took a good look today and found the engraved lines on the boot. Here's a pic for anyone interested in learning more. I think I will mark these with a black permanent marker for easier identification. I do like Corey's idea of doing it by feel. I knew my front boot was awry last Sunday, but didn't understand how to change things at the time.

The pic is angled 90 degrees off. Not sure how to fix that.

Edited by scrutton
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BTW: You can fine tune with the nuts top and bottom if you want something between the positions. Turn both nuts up or down together.  Turn them in opposite direction (closer together) to stiffen the system or do the opposite to soften it. 

 

I'm surprised how much flex range the UPZ system allows with such short springs.  

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Well the difference in footbed canting from deeluxe to UPZ that I have experienced is finally in order. Flipped from 6* rear canting only and 3* canting only in front in deeluxe to what is now comfortable for UPZ... 6* pure toe lift front and 3* pure heel lift rear... Crazy

Edited by slopestar
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  • 6 years later...

Reviving an old thread.....

I was given a set of 28.5 UPZ boots that fit well.  I tried them on a race course and was pleased with the heelside turns but felt the forward lean was too stiff.  Here's a photo of the springs.  Is the softest flex achieved by turning both nuts as far apart as possible?  And what kind of tool do you use to rotate the nuts?

 

IMG_1823.JPG

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The DGSS system is easy to install, as long as the ankle screws are not frozen....  easiest to split the boot in half to put these on quickly....

I would also WARN if your bib ankle cuffs are tight as I have seen them "grab" the bottom spring and bend it... so for my usage, I have split the back cuffs a few inches....

Otherwise, I like those better than stock, and they are far stronger than stock, as my son has blown up a stock set of UPZ springs by ripping the spring and such through the plastic holder....

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On 1/21/2016 at 9:16 AM, slopestar said:

Well the difference in footbed canting from deeluxe to UPZ that I have experienced is finally in order. Flipped from 6* rear canting only and 3* canting only in front in deeluxe to what is now comfortable for UPZ... 6* pure toe lift front and 3* pure heel lift rear... Crazy

Are you talking canting... Or really toe lift and heel lift not canting... 

People miss use the terminology a lot... 

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I sent a note to UPZ and they were kind enought to respond:

The springs in the back will only make very slight adjustments to the flex, so it's pretty much set at softest and you can tighten the springs a bit to stiffen.

Upper spring is backward flex, lower spring is forward flex.

The real way to make the boot softer is to replace the tongue to a softer set. The model in the photo looks like the RSV boot from 15+ years ago, so not sure what is available for parts at this point.

Can check on our website and go from there

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With ACSS or DGSS (or similar - I've made my own) you don't need to think about the mode. Just ride. Best tuning possible for a boot, I think, and has effect for the whole running setup, and it's allowing you to move more freely, from EC style to slalom, no problem. Great riding dynamics which you can't get with locked settings. Huge change in how much more range of movement you will get when changed.

Before the spring tuning, I've been running lifts: 6 deg front toe (FTL) , 3 deg on the back heel (BHL). Now running 0 lift and cant (TD3's). Or 3FTL/3BHL on my secondary bind/board setup (with TD3 sw), no problem to change, perhaps two runs and fully adapted. With regular springs would be impossible, after the change, it feels like you're first time in slope.

RSV's tongue is stiff and I changed it to black even when I already had ACSS spring system. Unfortunately the heel of the RSV boot broke in -20c. Changed to RC10's with similar setup. Same parts fit to the both boots, just minor changes. 

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19 hours ago, Shred Gruumer said:

Are you talking canting... Or really toe lift and heel lift not canting... 

People miss use the terminology a lot... 

I made the point that i used to cant with the disc oriented so that the disc wedge angle was perpendicular to the edge. Pure lift is when the disc is oriented in line with the angle of the binding

I thought i was extremely clear.

 

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I just got a pair of lightly used RC11s and tried them out for the first time tonight.  

I had some difficulty getting the FLO liners heat molded - I wasn't able to prevent a bit of the inner fabric from creating a fold as I inserted my foot into the boot.  Spoke with Dan about it and used his suggestion of a thin nylon (pantyhose type) sock from my wife to have the smoothest sliding surface but it still happened on the third attempt.  I'll heat them up again with a hairdryer carefully at home and get the ridge smoothed out and then just let them self mold at this point I think. 

I'm switching from Raichle SB125s (stock lean mechanism, never used BTS) and the UPZ spring system, flex, and lean will take some getting used to.  3-4 short runs in and they felt good at speed but when I skid to a stop at the chair, the boots feel way softer.  Almost too soft comparatively.  I need to dial in the spring preload as next step I think.  I might be looking at stiffer springs and/or tongues depending.  

I'm in the smallest UPZ shell, 24.5 liners, and weigh 160 lbs.  

Edited by slabber
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