Problem with right Exo

[Redek]

Hi!
I noticed others had the problem of receiving an incomplete set of calf cuffs. Firstly I just wanted to say I had this issue
and the guys in Preston sorted it out for me after I sent some pics - thanks!

As I thought, I'm finding the cuffs much more comfortable than the knee bars. However I'm still running up against this one problem which is really bugging me out.
Basically my right bock does not seem to work with my movement like the left. I am noticing the hoof go further inside my stride, with more pressure on the inner side of my foot, and so it feels like my knee is almost pushing / falling out to the outside  - all in all I am left with the sense that my right leg is limping slightly and is 'out of line'.

I read some other posts that said the spring may be misaligned, but I've checked and it looks totally fine to me, I'm fairly sure this is a problem with my technique. I was getting frustrated today with it and pushed myself a bit far, spilled out and ended up on my arse. A car stopped thinking I had fallen off my crutches!

Anyway, has anyone else had this problem or got any advice? Any suggestions appreciated!

[billymaya]

hi buddy have you tried re adjusting the calf cuffs whilst your standing in them it took me ages to get mine feeling right loosening off the quick release pushing my foot left and right then tighening up again its not so much the up and down but getting the calf cuff and bars set in the middle so its all in line, ive found if i have the calf cuff either to far left or right that it throws my foot out when i run and jump, and i get exactly what you were saying feels like im walking on one side of my foot so try loosening off the quick release stand up on the stilt and push your foot slowly in the other directing you should feel your foot flattening off once you get the cuffs in line give it a go

[Locky]

As Billy says, this is almost definately due to the calf cuff positioning. Unfortunately there is no quick guide to this as everyones legs are different and indeed your right leg could be different to your left leg.

I would losen the bolts a bit (or use half losen the quick release if you have the pros) and find yourself a wall. Move the calf cuff in a half inch and see if its better or worse and then fine tune it until its just right. When it is right and you tighten the bolts up, make sure they are really tight and be warned that falling over can often knock them out of alignment again.
I use a marker pen to draw a line on my cuffs so I can make sure I can quickly get them in the right position again.

Welcome to the forums by the way. Where are you from?

[Jason]

Agreed with both the above especialy about the left and right leg being different I had that problem at first

One rule of thumb that has served me well is that I always move the cuff towards the side i feel I am falling off of
It sounds wrong but it isn't as the hoof moves the opposite way to the cuff (hard to explain)

Also I have found that the first few mins of bing on the bocks at the start of a session is the best time to adjust them before you start compensating for the lean

Jason 

[Redek]

Nice 1 guys, helpful suggestions. I thought/hoped it was to do with calf position rather than anything else and especially with the 'left to right' rather than getting the height correct.
I'm goin try fine tune the positioning tommorow. I gave it a break today, after yesterdays spill I had a nasty bruise on my hip. Its my own fault tho, I cant even stand up from sitting yet so I think I got to take it a bit slower.
Thanks for the welcome Locky,.. I'm from Norfolk (just south of Norwich).
I'll fiddle about with me stilts tommorow and post the results!

[Jason]

Good luck mate and don't forget to stick a picture of your bruise in the Ouch section

Thats if you can get a decent pic of it 

Jason 

[Redek]

Lolz, I would put a pic up but tbh its not even that badder bruise, as in its barely visible, even tho it does hurt a fair bit.
Ok I had another go at adjusting and still not getting anywhere
After I put on the stilts on the wrong way accidentally and tried walking I noticed the problem had gone over to the left side (unsurprisingly I guess)
I had another look at the right exo and have now noticed that the attachment at the top of the spring is out of line slightly. Also its making 'clinky' noises as tho somethings lose when I step on it (unlike the left one). I tried tightening up all the bolts but it hasnt made a difference, I think I'll have to go through the motions of repositioning the spring.

[Jason]

Have a look at the top bearing before you start adjusting as if this is loose it will throw everything else out

They come apart easy enough just take the cuff bars out and undo the hex nut and bolt (use good quality allen keys so you don't chew the head up)

You can then see if there is a problem

If all is ok straitening the stilts is easy just loosen the nuts that hold the spring on (2 top 2 middle) then you can adjust it from side to side assuming you have Exo's

If you have the older style have loosen all the bearing joints and pull the stilt into line while tightening them

Jason 

[Redek]

These are Exo pros.
Ok so I undid the bolts on the right one and tried realigning it, but with little effect. I couldn't really see how to move the spring into the correct positiion and have the fitting go into place thats half way down the spring.
(Im really crappo with these type of things). When I got it back together it did look slightly better, but still not as exact as the left (it looks out of line at the top of the spring with the metal bracket).
I gave it a go and actually it did seem much better after getting the cuffs into a good position so was really happy.
Now however Im paranoid that I got another problem! The left side feels less springy than the right. Im probably just being para like I said, but can someone tell me where the numbers are on the springs that show the weight, I cant see them. I did weigh them on my bathroom scales, slight difference of 0.1 kg (of the whole bock) but these are not good scales.

O yeah I fixed the 'clinkyness' by tightening a few of the bolts.

[Locky]

lol it's not the weight of the springs that is written on them, it's the result of a tension test the springs are put through at the factory.

It's hand written, sometimes quite faded on the bottom of the actual spring itself. Easy to miss but it's always there.

Just thinking about your alignment problem, if you get paranoid take the cuffs off totally and put the knee bars on. Because kneebars dont swivel they dont have this problem of cuffs being in the exact right position.

[Jason]

Ok mate

The spring is attached to the bracket at the top by 2 nuts and allen bolts (not the bearing bolt )you can tell the difference by using a 10mm spanner (it won't fit the bearing bolt as that is 13mm)

Loosen those two

The spring is attached in the middle by 2 nuts and allen bolts (again they are 10mm)

Loosen these two as well

The spring will now be able to rock side to side

Look along the underneath of the footplate from the front and you can see the spring

Check the position of this on the good one and then set the other one the same but opposite

Eg If the good stilt spring looks like it is a bit to the left put the other one a bit to the right

Tighten all up and they should be ok

If this doesn't work have a look at the fixing bracket under the footplate as that can come loose sometimes

If all the above fails post some pics so we can see what the problem is

Jason 

[Redek]

Nice1 its solved now, as you guys said it is in fact simple to move the spring around and I got the right in exact same position as the left now.
Right side feels normal when Im jogging now too which is a big relief cos I was worried this problem wasn't going away. Took me some time to get used to cuff positioning too, I realised they were moving about cos I wasn't tightening them fully.
The left side still feels less springy slightly but Im not concerned about this, Im sure this is my technique (o yeah both springs have got 68 on them).

Feel very worked out after just a half hours bocking. I thought I had Ok fitness levels, but after just a couple of lengths jogging down my lane and Im sweating already and tired. I still can't beleive it when I see vids of people getting 4,5,6" airs from standing. I got to get a bit better fitness then I can train for longer.

Thanks for your help on this one!! 

[Spud]

Pleased you sorted you probs out! The quick release is a god send for setting up calf cuffs. Where south of norwich are you?

[Jason]

I can sympathise with you on that one mate

I made my own cuffs when no one else had them so had to work this out on my own 

Took me 3 months 

As to the soft spring I swap my springs over every few months to equalize them as most people have a dominant foot and wear one spring faster than the other

Jason 

[Redek]

You made your own, lol fair play! Ye Id started to think that my legs might have been more different than Id thought since putting on stilts!

@Spud About 15 miles directly south in a place called tivetshall, between Long Stratton and Diss. Where abouts are u and where do u bock??

[Spud]

I don't live there as such but I spend 2/3 nights a week at Tibenham Airfield. I have been off my bocks for a little while but now I have started to miss them!

[Redek]

no way! was thinking that would be a good place. i havent been there for time, but used to get up to no good there back in the day 
So are u bocking there anytime soon? Im goin head down there in a couple of weeks to check it out

[Spud]

Awesome. I'll build my bocks over the next week or so drag them down there. There is plenty of flat concrete around to jump on but not much else. Still, that's pretty good for rural norfolk Let me know when you are thinking of going!

[Redek]

nice1 mate, I'll let u know soon!