subsonic Polliwog

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Eric Sanders
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:34 am
Location: Arab, Alabama

subsonic Polliwog

Post by Eric Sanders » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:59 pm

I got one ordered, I'm just curious about trucks size for it. I was thinking going with Indy 101's or my 107 splits. What are those who have this deck running on it ? Thabks for any advice/tips.

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

Trucks on the Pauliwog Subsonic

Post by Paul Howard » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:24 am

Hey, Since it's my model, I'll give you my personal 2 Cents:

It's my favorite board ever for Tight slalom, Super tight, and tighter hybrid/general. For trucks I have used different combinations but I always came back to this:

Asphalt Playground PHASE ONE rear truck in the 107mm width, Gary has re-issued this design but with a new baseplate, it used to be on a Tracker RT-X baseplate and now it's on an Orion(?) baseplate. You could go narrower for tight, but I'm one of those oddballs that does not get any advantage with trucks narrower than 100mm.

Tracker RT-X 107mm front positive wedged 15 degrees and that has been rebuilt with an 8mm axle and lathe-cut hanger ends, an extended length kingpin and soft bushings(yellow stims or Khiro whites with mini-bushing "donuts" cut from Khiro barrel bushings to add bushing height and thus turning ability). Also, trimming your front wheels significantly narrower will make tight fast turns noticably easier and so far, I have not had a front end traction problem as a result. If anything, now my board goes into a more predictable and more controllable 4 wheel slide when I want it to which is much safer than having the back end only slide around a turn.

Also, if you really want to be a gearhead on the front truck, take the kingpin out, and cut down the platform where the bottom bushing sits on the baseplate by 1/8", you should still have a good solid 1/4" or more of base to put the king pin into. This allows you to put taller bushings(or adding the aforementioned khiro do-it-yourself "donut") in the bottom AND the top which will dramatically make your turning easier in the really tight courses.

I have a Radikal Front and I love it on Super tight flat courses 4' center to center on the straight sections plus 5'-7' on the offsets. Otherwise, anything bigger and faster on a slope my rebuilt RT-X has been my preferred truck.

If you want to use this deck for G/S, I recommend getting one made on the stiff side for your weight to handle the longer wheelbase.

Also, I really like using the PPS C-foam for a heel lift kicktail. I place mine approx 45 degrees canted so that the edge under the ball of my foot is perpendicular(90 degrees) to the long axis of my rear foot. Confused?

Anyhow, everyone is different but what I have written has worked QUITE well for me. Good Luck - Paul Howard
I just dig slalom!

Eric Sanders
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:34 am
Location: Arab, Alabama

subsonic pauliwog

Post by Eric Sanders » Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:01 am

Thanks for the advice Paul, I'm still waiting like an expectent father for the deck to arrive.
Since I never ordered a custom deck before the wait is killing me. I may go with an old Indy 101 up front and a 107mm Split in the back.

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

Subsonic PWog

Post by Paul Howard » Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:21 am

Eric, good choice, I think that combination will work well for you. You can also put longer kinpins in Indy's, if you have the new Indy with the new kind of kingpin, just knock/press it out and get the longer hex-head grade 8 3/8" replacemen. Next mix some JB Weld to fill the space around the hex head to keep it from rotating and bake it in the oven at about 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 hrs and that will cure the JB Weld faster and harder. You can l-i-g-h-t-l-y oil the hex head of the new kingpin to make future removal easier. Works like a charm. The extra length kinpin and taller bushings will make a very noticable difference on tight courses. Adios - P
I just dig slalom!

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

A Subsonic Follow up story for the Pauliwog 30 model.

Post by Paul Howard » Thu May 14, 2009 3:59 am

I decided to followup here for the Pauliwog model as well. Same as the story as the Scout for bigger courses, the Pauliwog for me is my hands-down favorite deck of all time for tight slalom and especially "parking lot slalom". Jeeeze I LOVE this deck! I'm still using the wood-core with diagonal stringers and fiberglass over it top and bottom version that is pictured on the www.subsonicskateboards.com website under the "slalom" decks section. I still prefer concave with wheelwells and no kick but add my own canted kick for the back foot but Scott makes 2 versions with different angles of concave and kick as well as concave only, whatever you prefer.

Scott made it for me in the winter of 2004? Like the Scout, I have sold off or loaned out all my other tight slalom decks except of few of sentimental value. I can ride every other tight slalom deck until I'm comfortable with it, then step back on my Pauliwog and BAM! I'm noticably more comfy, solid and faster, cleaner. I'm not the fastest guy for sure, but I've now been using the same deck for 4+ years and no other deck feels as good and secure and doing what I want it to do under my feet on tighter courses. Thanks Scott! - Paul
I just dig slalom!

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