wedging the AXEl and ll

trish erickson · Post by **trish erickson** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:50 am

Hey Maria,

I tried to log into the sk8kings site but apparently I have had a brain fart and I cannot remember my user name or password. DUH.

BUT...maybe everybody here can give me some insight. I have and AXEl and an AXEll and I was wondering about the best way or different ways to wedge the rear of each. I have an AIRFLOW truck for the rear of the AXEl. I want it set for TS and tight hybrids. So I want it turny. I think I have had it wedged with 1 Kiro wedge and a flat but maybe I need to run it with 2 soft wedges? I obviously don't grasp the concept! I want to run the AXEll for Hybrid and GS. I have a splifire that runs with a tracker baseplate. What would be the best way to wedge it for speed and stability? If anybody has some ideas, please post them. Thanks all...see ya in Dixie land!

Gary Saenz · Post by **Gary Saenz** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:25 pm

Trish,

Here's how I have my Axe II set up with the Splitfire on the Tracker baseplate. Two Khiro soft wedges (10 degrees each) and a small 1/8" spacer under that to level it out with my front truck. The Airflow could be set up the same. For me the deader the rear truck feels the better I can pump through the cones. This has been very stable for me. I've had it up over 25mph with no problems.

Richy Carrasco · Post by **Richy Carrasco** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:54 pm

I send all the Axes with proper wedging, the same way I ride them! It should have one 1/4 inch +two steepies in the back! In front two steepies and a .062 Oi! AXE ARMY!

Stephen Lavin · Post by **Stephen Lavin** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:02 pm

Gary, looks like you already got a 1/4" under that rear anyway. Trish, Richy just gave me an AXE I last weekend at La Costa (spoils of C Div Pump win) - it's wegded as he describes above. I got an AXE III a few weeks ago for my boyz and it's wedged similar.

BTW, won that Pump Station race on a CHIxILL deck Chris Novatny built.

These AXE decks rock and Richy's got this so wired on setup for specific riders. Maybe someday I can work up a couple stripes into the AXE Army!!
SL

Mark Chandler · Post by **Mark Chandler** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:43 pm

Trish,

Wedge it enough to get it "flat," and then add another 5-12 degrees of wedge to suit. Generally, this is one Khiro wedge over neutral/flat for most folks.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:04 pm

Here's a question:

If everyone (and it seems that way,) is piling on wedges under the kicktail to get the truck flat again, why not make the kick with a wedge instead of bending the wood? Something similar to a Logan Earth Ski kick only leaving the bottom flat instead of contoured to match the top wedge.

I don't think it would be too difficult: make a flat Axe and glue on a wedge cut to the proper angle. VOILA! the truck is flat and the kick is available for the leverage some skaters want for slalom.

trish erickson · Post by **trish erickson** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:56 pm

I should clarify that yes, The AXE does come ready But because I am such, such, such, an airhead, when I removed the original rear truck to put my new AIRFlow on.... I didn't take note has to how to put it back together. I know that sounds corney but this is the same chick that thought my first rear splitfire sucked until she figured out it was put on backwards...yes, I could use a pit-crew to help me!

And besides, now that I am getting to know the different types of styles and trying to find mine, it doesn't hurt to ask how everybody sets their boards up. That's if you all don't mind me askin'. And thanks for all the helpful info. It's finally starting to sink in.

Got your email Ritchy, I'll ring you. Thanks.

Trish

Eric Brammer · Post by **Eric Brammer** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 12:51 am

Wes, that's a brilliant bit of retro-engineering that I wish would take place. One of the issues with mega-stacked wedges is that the bolts used to mount the truck become so long that they twist under the side-loads generated from pumping through turns. I've been working on a wedge-riser kit that bolts to the deck, then has short bolts to mount the trucks, trying to decrease the lever-arm action that long bolts tend towards having when holding multiple stacked wedges against an angled baseplate/deck surface set-up like we see fairly often now. A solidly wedged bit of wood on top of a less-aggressively kicked-up tail would be a good compromise, although the mounting bolts would still be on the longish side.
Hmm, I've got a Stephens (Logan-knockoff) laying around here somewhere... Would moving the rear truck All the way back still be legal in a Vintage race??

Richy Carrasco · Post by **Richy Carrasco** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:14 pm

For anyone concerned , Any Top racer wedges there trucks alot for max reaction! All bolts bend because of the Angles . Maybe you guys should try this and brave the new world!!!! Dont be afraid the speed wont kill you! No Axe rider has ever had any probs with hardware ! Wow I didnt know We now have Wes and Bram riding Axes now.........Oi!

Stephen Lavin · Post by **Stephen Lavin** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:43 pm

Yeah Wes what gives man!? The flex guys are going a bit stiff these days huh? Me too. Kinda' like learning to ride all over again - well not really - but you know what I mean.

Bend the bolts man life goes on. When it's hard to mount the truck base 'cause the holes don't line up after wedging just take a wheel or something blunt and carefully/easily push those screws in direction needed from the top third of the screw/bolt. You may want to remove a wedge, bend, then put it back on. You;'re only talking like a 2-3 mm bend if that much anyway.

Not likely you'll have any trouble once all is tightened up.
SL

Eric Brammer · Post by **Eric Brammer** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:31 am

I'll send you a proto of my wedge block once I am allowed on a Bridgeport Mill at work, Ritchie. I'm pretty sure that Khiro Bob can source out a mold-maker that'll do a similar item at, oh, 1/4 the price of my time machining, once you've got a proto to backwards-engineer from. I'll even toss in a good legible set of plan prints with it.

But, I'm not on an Axe myself, simply been riding various KT-Slalom boards I've bummed from others(an Axe amoung them). Schwippy been's tweaking All of his rear hardware on the S-cambers. Simply check the bolts religiously, don't ride something that looks kinked or twisted (bent a little is o.k., until the nut dosen't thread). Thin rubber pads between the deck and riser, riser[s] and truck help keep things in place, too.

It's not a design issue, yet, but it may be a consideration in future Slalom deck design. There's a few ways to fix the over-tall wedge/long hardware issue, for now those will do. When we get to more power transfer and higher traction, it may be worth build the deck with a different truck mounting system. Time will tell...

Maria Carrasco · Post by **Maria Carrasco** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:29 am

Thanks for the input. Happy to look at your proto. We're always interested in ways to fine tune things. We should have some interesting things coming this new year!

Joel Crawley · Post by **Joel Crawley** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 2:36 am

Richy Carrasco wrote:For anyone concerned , Any Top racer wedges there trucks alot for max reaction! All bolts bend because of the Angles . Maybe you guys should try this and brave the new world!!!! Dont be afraid the speed wont kill you! No Axe rider has ever had any probs with hardware ! Wow I didnt know We now have Wes and Bram riding Axes now.........Oi!

Richy I'm going to give it a go. I just got my Axe II foamy today. I'm not used to riding with any wedge at all. I'm using Radikal both front and back (rear offset). I've always let the bushing do the talking.

You've set it up as I assume you do with the wood boards since the stack of wedges/risers look the same. I'm trying to resist the temptation to take them off and put my flat risers on. When I was using Indys I always wedged them but haven't since I got my Rads. So you think that's the way to go huh? I'll give it a shot.

Tod Oles · Post by **Tod Oles** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 4:38 pm

Joel,

I won an Axe III at the Dixie and set it up as Mr. Bomber wedged it from the Axe skunk
works... Rad fnt. 30* Seismic rear.

And although I'm more of a flex aficionado and rely on the dynamic steering a flexier deck provides, (cuz I'm a weakling) I see why Richy with his power and talent goes so fast on this type of setup, it's Direct Drive baby.... Oi !!!!!

T.O.

Richy Carrasco · Post by **Richy Carrasco** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 4:39 pm

Yo Joel -- Leave the wedging -- ride like the Kings. Make sure your back truck is adjusted firm and the front is adjusted for quick turning. The AXE is designed for the front to turn and the back to drive & accelerate. Radikal is an excellent truck choice and works great with the AXE and the AXE wedging.

Richy Carrasco · Post by **Richy Carrasco** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 5:09 pm

The AXE III which is intended as a GS board is not wedged as steep as the AXE I & II. For GS you want to be able to lay into your turns without the board overturning. The AXE I & II are all about reaction. The whole concept of the AXE series was to move on from the slow reaction of flex boards and bring the reaction and control back to the rider. To maximize this concept also requires proper foot placement which makes your shoulders square up to the course for more symmetry. The heel of your back foot should be just extending over the end of the tail wedge and the toes should be driving the rail (think 45 degree angle). For your front foot -- toes should be in the middle of the front truck on the rail with your heel near the other rail.

Here's a pic of Tim Kienitz demonstrating great GS form at Hood River 2006:

Any AXE Army members that have specific questions about their set-ups -- e-mail me at SK8KINGS and I'll be glad to help you personally.

Joel Crawley · Post by **Joel Crawley** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:11 am

Richy Carrasco wrote:Yo Joel -- Leave the wedging -- ride like the Kings. Make sure your back truck is adjusted firm and the front is adjusted for quick turning. The AXE is designed for the front to turn and the back to drive & accelerate. Radikal is an excellent truck choice and works great with the AXE and the AXE wedging.

Well Richy that's exactly what I did. I left it as you sent it. I haven't had a chance to fully take it out (tomorrow for sure) but I ran it a couple of times down my drive which is pretty long (400') so I can get a good pump going on. Man I'm loving this! What I'm really loving is that tail. I can really drive off of it. Plus having some concave locks me in on the front. I don't even think I'm putting a toe block on it.

Very nice, well thought out board and I'm happy at this point that I used your set up. Thanks to you and Tod for talking me into keeping it the way it was meant to be.

Art Pryde · Post by **Art Pryde** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:08 am

Joel,
Sweeet choice on a deck, and welcome to the ARMY, if you weren't already enlisted! I'm waiting for my AXE II Foam deck, so it'll be interesting to compare notes.

Richy designed a great platform to help keep your feet in place and help you drive through a course. I really like how the AXE II is a great all around deck for loose tight courses, tight hybrids, and GS. I ran the AXE II @ 21" wb at the Hood SGS (Triathlete, Steven King designed course) and felt nimble throughout the whole course, but in control when the speeds exceeded 20mph.

Hope you can find a good parking garage to practice during the wet season, and hopefully we'll see you at a race in 2007, or hear about you just having fun riding.

....Tod, you ain't no weakling....you're just fast, and it would be so cool to see you on an AXE I for tight.

Later ya'll

Tod Oles · Post by **Tod Oles** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:16 pm

AHHH,

Art, you've seen me ride tight...

I'm lucky I haven't poked my eye out yet....

It's been great to meet all you Axe grinders, not a weakling in the bunch!!!
Have a great holiday season!!!

Tod

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wedging the AXEl and ll

wedging the AXEl and ll

Weeeeeeeeeedging

out of the box race ready!

Kicked-up tails

Wedges

Wedges and tails

Yo Braaaaaaaaaamr

Re: Wedges

A Chixill review...