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*** The SkateLog Forum Has Been Replaced by SkateDebate Dot Com ***
FROM SKATELOG FORUM HOST KATHIE FRY IN MARCH OF 2020:
NEW FORUM NAME: SkateDebate Forum
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Roller Derby Forum Discussions about banked-track and flat-track roller derby events, teams, skaters, and training methods. |
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#21 |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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The Pivot Pin Neutral Point is a success!
After setting up my pivots to the neutral position and cranking down the king pin nut to 2.5 threads showing, start with the nylock flush with the top of the king pin and tighten 2.5 revolutions, and then shortening the pivot 2/6ths of a turn, I went skating. After I was already on the freeway for the 30 mile drive, I realized, I did not bring TOOL ONE. Did not have my Reflex tool or my pivot pin wrenches. So, the Pivot Pin Neutral method was going to have a trial by fire. After having been playing around with yellow cushions for the last few sessions, the blue setup felt a bit loose, but not over loose. But everything felt even. The skates behaved the same. ![]() Not too much grip at Holiday, but I did detect what I felt was a bit of loss of traction, which indicates a pin a little short. This will be easier to detect on the grippier floor at Fountain Valley tommorow. I will leave the action alone, but I will try lengthening the pins 1/6, maybe 2. In fact, I think I will lengthen the pins the 2/6ths. This will put it back to the neutral point. I may as well get a benchmark feel for what the neutral point is like paired with my favorite king pin nut position. It will either be dead on, or just a bit long. Good info for me to have for the next time I take things apart. Like I had hoped, setting the pins to the neutral point leaves them very close to where they SHOULD be. Then just a little fine tuning. ![]() ![]() I did not resort to the squeeze test at all, and in deference to the ladies who could not "get a grip" on that method ( ![]()
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#22 |
Yours Truly #D13
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK
Posts: 400
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So as I said in this thread, I figured I'd give this method a go, as I am one of those who can't 'get a grip' so to speak
![]() I'm using the DA45 Skins. I've followed the instructions and found that my 'neutral' point is just 1 full turn on the pivot adjustment. Any longer and the truck doesn't centre over the cushion (Blue barrel / conical, FWIW). I've now cranked down 2 turns. As Rufus found that taking the 2/6ths off to be short, I think I'm going to leave them at this 'neutral' point and give them a skate. Will report back after practice on Monday. ![]() |
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#23 |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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I was going to lengthen my pivot pin 2/6ths before Fountain Valley, but blew it off and just went. I did have my tools this time though. The skates felt fine as I was skating, but I quickly needed a restroom break. As I went to the sink to wash, I noticed someone had dropped water on the floor, so I decided I might as well take advantage of it and clean my wheels. There were of course, tell tale tire tracks through it already, and it wasn't like I spilled the water on the floor
![]() ![]() On a side note, my Reflex tool did get some use. A noob rec skater on R3's finally gave in and let me put some blue gummies on her trucks. I had her convinced before, but then she hedged. Got em on, she skated a bit, adjusted again, and she skated some more. I could see she was liking them, so I decided to mess with her. I skated up and said casually, "you know, if you don't like them, I'll be happy to put your old cushions on." She fairly blurted out, NO, I'M NOT GOING BACK. The look on her face was priceless. Kind of a shocked, how dare you suggest that look. ![]()
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#24 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 87
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It took a little bit of reading and re-reading plus that video. But it finally clicked, so did the neutral pivot pin location. Though I still want to mess with that, but almost across the board it made adjusting way easier. Now just to test them out. I'm already on blues so I'm wondering where my skating will set, I'm just hoping now that I've properly adjusted my skates, my right foot will stop going to sleep due to the pivot/king pin.
However, I found one issue when adjusting my plates. It's a bit off topic but I could use some advice. My left, back king pin is jammed in my plate. I have no idea how this happened (I've adjusted them before) but it's damn well set in there. Eventually I want to switch out my jump plate with washers, but if I can't get that sucker out, there is no doing that. Any suggestions? It's okay for skating now (lock nut is down tight). But I know I'm going to have to deal with it eventually. |
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#25 |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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Seems like the neutral point method is about as "paint by the numbers" as you can get. Once it is set, put your conical on and set the king pin nut. At that point you should be right or long. Then just methodically shorten until you dial out the one foot glide instability. In fact, I think leaving it long and shortening may be the preferred method, and this is why. It is easier to detect a long pin, skating wise. A one foot glide with instability is easier to detect than the short pin studder. I need a grippy floor, and preferably a grippy floor that I am familiar with to detect the studder. With the neutral point, you KNOW you right on or long. Adjusting from long to right is opposite of what I recommended before, because I noted that you cannot really tell how long a long pin is. With the neutral point, depending on how much you crank down the action, you know it may be long, but not very long, and all the pivots are the same. If you detect some wiggle, just shorten the pivot to tune it out.
On the king pin, if I had that problem, I would loosen the lock nut, get a rag to cover the non-threaded part of the king pin and use a vise-grip to help twist the king pin out. If the lock nut won't move either, same procedure, but you will need a friend to hold the skate, while you try and loosen both the lock nut and king pin at the same time. PS: The next time you have all your cushions off, compare your king pin lengths on one skate, front and back, to those on the other skate. If any seem long, try and get it set the same as the rest. A mismatched king pin length is a real PITA, especially if are counting rotations of the king pin nut to try and keep things uniform. Throws it all off.
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#26 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 87
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So THAT'S the big hub bub about pivot pin adjustments. I've read a ton about how you need to adjust your pivot pin (to help lessen the stress on the king pin) but never read why it was so huge when it comes to skating. So, if the pin is too long, it studders, if it's too short, it wobbles? Am I getting that right? It might solve the problem on a few issues I was having with skating. I did notice my left skate was adjusted way off.
Thanks for the advice, I believe I'll try doing that! Look into getting some grease as well, sheese. I was worried about that too since I can't screw the king pin ALL the way. It's really close, maybe less than a quarter of an inch away from being all the way in (that's what she said). So yeah, when tightening down my action there is maybe an extra thread more visible than the rest, but I don't think it's a huge difference than say... if I could only get it half way down. When I can find somebody with a vise grip, I'll give that a go. Thanks! |
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#27 |
Secretary of Skate
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hendersonville, TN
Posts: 4,345
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There is just too much variability in the DA-45 setup to rely on a "paint by numbers" solution. I'd buy it as a start point, maybe, but it's just as easy to adjust them correctly and be done with it.
There is enough production tolerance in the depth and location of the hole in the plate where the pivot cup goes to preclude any meaningful "one size fits all" solution. Also, I never set up a plate with 2-1/2 threads showing on the kingpin. If that's the case, I step up to the next harder barrel cushion. (With the newest iteration of the Harry stud, it appears to be a little longer than the old ones, so this all changes anyway.) Once you get the pivots correctly adjusted, you can safely go about one turn in either direction on the kingpin adjuster without getting into too much trouble. You really don't have to fiddle the pivots for a quarter turn on the kingpin. Like any other skate maintenance item, perodically make sure they aren't too loose or too tight.
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Find some roller derby girls. Don't try to romance them! That don't end well. okie 10/12/2011 Royals FTW! When only the shiny will do... Doc Sk8 05/19/2012 |
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#28 | |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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Actually, LONG will give a little wobble on a one foot glide. It will be very turney. So much so that stability is lessened. The studder is a little loss of traction on a hard leaning over push or cut. Best detected on a good grippy floor. That is why I could not really tell when I skated Holiday. That floor was a bit too loose, and I am not as familiar with it as some other floors. That is why now I am saying the one foot wobble, pin a little long, is a bit easier to detect. And knowing going in that your pin will be right or long, but in in any case CLOSE, you can just tune it out if you detect it. Good point. Anyone can have some variability. I have none right now on my Invader. I did have some until I reset that one king pin. Figure out how yours is. Check each pivot pin neutral point. Did they all come out the same? Cool if they did. Measure all you king pins against each other. Is one long? Take note and adjust you king pin nut adjustment accordingly.
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#29 |
Technology Ninja
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 11
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When trying to adjust my girlfriends DA-45's I noticed that my wrenches do not fit very well when trying to adjust the pivot pin. Any suggestions on where to find thiner tools to make this process easier?
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#30 |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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Good tools tend to be a bit thicker. (Craftsman) Cheapo wal-mart tools tend to be thinner. Good for THIS job.
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#31 |
Technology Ninja
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 11
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Thanks, I normally don't even look there for tools, as the job is only as good as your tools, but for this job it sounds like I need to get some Harbor Freight specials lol. Thanks for the info.
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#32 |
Yours Truly #D13
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK
Posts: 400
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So I have to say that this worked really well for me. No wobble on a one foot glide and didn't notice any stuttering either (unfortunately I am still having problems with my boots hurting my feet, but that's another issue entirely). Going to try this on my VBK / Invader too to see what results I get on that
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#33 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Stockholm
Posts: 115
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![]() I also have DA45 Skins, but I'm having a bit of trouble with the pivot pins. I just can't seem to get them short enough. When I switched to softer cushions (Am on yellow barrel, blue cone now) and cranked them down a bit (not a whole lot, really) I noticed that the geometry seemed off - the pivot pin pushed the truck up (or down, towards the floor) so that it is not at a right angle with the king pin and cushions. So I added some washers above the barrel cushion to get the angle right. This sort of works, but I still need to have my pivot pins as short as they can go, and I think they're still pushing in the cups. Also there's not a whole lot of king pin left now, and I'm wondering if this really is the right way to go at it or if I'm making some sort of obvious rookie mistake... ![]()
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/hyper/ SEDS-head. |
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#34 | |
Derby Coach
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NE Nevada
Posts: 370
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http://www.thinwrench.info/ They are great quality tools and work quite well for working on skates\bikes.
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Koach Skary Hardkore Dixie Wreckers NV East RollerGirls (FML) Elko, NV |
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#35 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SW MO
Posts: 185
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The wrenches I carry in my gear bag are from a $9 Harbor Freight set. They work fine for this job.
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#36 | |
Technology Ninja
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 11
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#37 | |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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![]() ![]() I was confident with the squeeze method before, but then I got all discombobulated with my Invader and couldn't get it adjusted to save my life. My pins were all over the place. But I got my confidence back with the Pivot Pin Neutral Point and have things squared away nicely.
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Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#38 | |
Ninja Naked Mole Rat
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: San Antonio Tx
Posts: 4,348
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__________________
Don't let people live in your head rent free. ~princessfluffhead~ BontQRL/InvaderDA45: Seba-FRX: Alkali CA9 |
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#39 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Stockholm
Posts: 115
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/hyper/ SEDS-head. |
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#40 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 87
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Wow, I did not know what I was getting into when trying to fix that kingpin I mentioned earlier on. I took my problem to a local skateboard shop (we don't have any pro skate shops, sadness) and we get that pesky king pin out only to find that the threading on the kingpin and plate are completely jacked! After a trip to ACE and some very awesome skate shop guys, I know how to thread and tap my kingpin/plates. HA! It's going to require some adjustments but man, what a headache!
Also, I'll be trying out a new cushion combo with Venom. They're a boulder company that has some pretty high quality cushions, once I roll on them it'll be up on this board! Love it here!! ![]() |
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