Day 2 using PoweriSers

[zipp]

Hey Bill and Mr Frank,

Thanx for all the help and advice you are providing.

The 2 bolts in the centre of each stilt frame were all very tight.
Below is where i think the problem lies, as Bill suggested above...



A close inspection of the risers found that both hoof legs are not secured flush at the hinged area.
Attached is a picture showing the defective parts.
It would seem that the washers that fit on the inside (around the bearing), were not located properly (ie. flat flush around the bearing case), before assembly.
When the nut and bolt were tightened up, this misalignment of the washers has resulted in a twist occurring, and the pivot point is not square.
The washer has dug into, and deformed the bearing case, and the hoof leg.
This twist has bent the bolts at each end.
This bending and unequal pressure, is not letting the black spacer exert enough pressure on the spring to prevent the unbalancing side to side movement.
The hinges directly beneath the footplates are the same also, but not so badly out of alignment.
This looks like it was a Friday afternoon job, and the assemblers were in a rush to get done.

I have just mailed the SkateHut with this info, and have requested replacement hinge components, am awaiting their reply.
I think i am on the right track with this....??

[Bill C.]

Yes, that large washer is supposed to go around the stainless steel bushing (sleeve) as it sticks out a little between the two frame U's.  (Still a poor design IMO.)  But if not careful when assembling, the washer can slip off the sleeve bushing and rest against it's edge, as it hangs on the bolt that passes through them.  Crank it all down and you wind up with a deformed washer and a joint with play.  The retailer should send you new parts.

One bit of warning....  DO NOT try to bend the frame back if it is bent.  Well, if you do -- be really careful.  The slightest improper bend at that bushing hole and the stainless steel sleeves will no longer pass through the hole.  I almost messed mine up attempting to unbend a slight bend.  Best to get the sleeves back in place and then crank all tight so the pressure straightens out any slight inward bend in the hinge frame.

Zipp, I would still check those two knee cuff unit bolts on the problem stilt to make sure they are tight when you can get around to it.

[ElectricStapler]

wow, looks like they've changed their bearing design.
They sent me new washers, but they didnt fit around the tubes that go around the rod, so I just have them on the rod. Also, I have 2 washers in there, both very thin. I am very confused  now by this design and what is going on.

[zipp]

Zipp, I would still check those two knee cuff unit bolts on the problem stilt to make sure they are tight when you can get around to it

. Have done Bill, thanx. They were the tightest pair of nuts/bolts on each of the  units.
Don't worry Bill, i won't be attempting to bend anything at this point. I have noted the alignment issue.

It looks to me, as if it needs another washer in each side to pad it out square, but one with a slightly bigger hole to fit around the outside of the bearing sleeve (only by 1mm)? Or perhaps the originals are big enough, if assembled properly in the first instance. I guess none of my washers fit now, because they have squashed and deformed the bearing sleeve ends.

In fact, i don't even think that two metal arms that are joined by this hinge, are shaped and angled in a way that is conducive to a flush fitting join?? Surely one of them should be angled at the ends, to ensure a square fit??

Anyone got a pic of a nice square, flush bearing assembly, or are they all out of whack like mine?
I will check the kids projumps when i get home, to see how they compare.

Shame it is a bank holiday today, 1 extra day to wait for a reply from the shop.

[Bill C.]

Zipp, the assembled pattern from right to left in your photo should be:

- long bolt head
- small hole washer (just fits long bolt)
- outer U-frame
- small washer (just fits long bolt)
- large brass washer (just fits over bushing sleeve as it peeks out beyond inner u-frame.)
- inner U-frame
- bushing sleeve half
- bushing sleeve half
- inner U-frame
- large brass washer
- small washer
- outer U-frame
- small washer
- long bolt nut

That is what my written instructions indicated when I swapped in the new bushings.
Hope this helps.

[zipp]

Hey Bill,

Then it would appear that i am missing two small washers??
The angle of the inner U frame and the outer U frame, sort of suggest that something is missing, i think.
They are no where near parallel to each other, so no matter how tight you fasten the nut/bolt, it will never pull flush.

- long bolt head
- small hole washer (just fits long bolt)
- outer U-frame
- small washer (just fits long bolt)
- large brass washer (just fits over bushing sleeve as it peeks out beyond inner u-frame.)
- inner U-frame
- bushing sleeve half
- bushing sleeve half
- inner U-frame
- large brass washer
- small washer
- outer U-frame
- small washer
- long bolt nut

[Bill C.]

Shoddy factory assembly.  You should inform the retailer of the situation and have them ship you any washers or bolts that are missing or now misshapen by the improper assembly.  When I was assembling mine, it was rather daunting to try to position both the large and small washers properly between the u-frames and slide the bolt through.  I could see a factory worker just saying "screw it" and leaving out the small washer.  Naturally, if you have the same situation on the other stilt, get those pieces as well.

I'm at the office now, but tonight I will try to dig out the bushings assembly instructions sheet and post it.

[zipp]

Shoddy indeed Bill.
When i put mine back together again (best i could considering the state of the components), i can see how it could be tricky aligning everything before nipping it up. Even so, when i have shelled out £200 for an item, i expect a certain amount of attention to detail, especially when the safety of the item is an issue.

Have checked the kids projumps, and they are all square and sound at the hoof elbow.
Not so good at the footplate elbow, as they are slightly out of alignment there, but I think they should be satisfactory for the kids.

No need to go to the bother of the diagram Bill, although the thought is appreciated.
I have a copy which came with the projumps, and there is the same reference on this site, at the foot of the "repairs" section. http://www.powerbockresources.com/ It clearly shows 2 washers as you stated.

I know i have at least a 6month guarantee on these parts, but i will be hacked off if i have to return the risers complete, as I have spent time griptaping the footplate, taping the springs, and making rubber feet. Replacement parts would be my favorite option, i think.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.......I'll just have to wait and see what they say, i guess..... 
but the sun is shining now, and for the next few days, too.........so frustrating...
tick, tock.

[Bill C.]

Even if you are shelling out £200, I'm not sure a Chinese factory worker making just enough money to buy a bowl of rice is really going to care that much.   

I'm fairly certain you won't have to return the stilts.  Those parts are very inexpensive and my guess is they'll be happy to just send you a small bag of proper washers and bolts.

[Mr Frank]

I'm sorry to see you having so much difficulty with Powerisers, especially since I pointed you that way...  You got really unlucky with those, must have been somebody's first day at the assembly line.

I agree with Bill; the vendors probably get this often enough that they would know to just send you the parts and not make a huge fuss.

Good luck!  They really are wonderful when they're in working order!

[zipp]

Looks like you were bang on the money Bill.
The rubber matting i was using was far too soft.
Pic below shows 6hrs usage.



Had to take the car to the garage for a service today, and scrounged an old GoodYear tyre from them.
Cut some new hooves with an angle grinder. Very messy. Goggles, mask and long sleeves/trousers are essential.



The old hooves came off without much trouble.
Below you can see the new rubber glued and clamped in position by tie wraps. I made 4 little recesses for the front and rear tie wraps to remain, out of the way.
I hope these new ones will last a bit longer.



Not heard from SkateHut yet regarding the bearing assemblies. I am gonna chase them up now.

Fitted some small side spacers to the spring to minimize the side to side movement down there.
They are just plastic from a cd-rom case. 8cm x 1cm x 1mm glued in place.



Right, on the phone.

[Pieforce]

Hi,
I've just read this whole thread with great interest because my Powerisers, which have had only about four hours use in total now (it's been raining alot here lately) have started to behave in a way that suggests a similar allignment problem.  I'll do my best to describe it:
Ordinarily the footplate comes down directly over the hoof but on one of my PRs it now feels slightly skewed, coming down to the left of the hoof - it's pretty disconcerting!
I can't see any obvious bend and the only thing I've ever adjusted is the height of the cuffs as described earlier in this post.  Looking at Bills comments and the the way that Chuck's lower joint has an inward bend to it, it would appear that something similar has happened to my PRs.  I'll try and get some pictures up but in the meantime has anyone had this Skewing effect happen?

[zipp]

Hey Pieforce,

take a look at the bottom 2 pics in post#30.
Are your bearing washers skewed like that? They should be flat flush against the metal all the way around, not just at the bottom.

[Pieforce]

Just off home to check now - thanks Zipp - I'll keep you posted

[zipp]

Well this is day 4 using the Risers, and what a great day.
Went down the park with the kids, and worked on balance and confidence.
Sorry about the pix, they are video freeze frames which don't have the same quality as photos. The camera person (aged eight , is not professional either.









And a short vid of us messing around on some park benches:

Click here to watch park-bench-and-nipper

The new GoodYear hooves are holding up real well and are providing adequate grip. I think these will be loads better than the last effort.
Got bruises on both hamstrings due to todays 6hr usage.

Still no word on the bearing issue. SkateHut have passed me on the J&R distributer's who supply their risers, and they said they would look into it and call me back today......Which they have not.

I am beginning to think i should have gone for the 7's??