Introduction: Powerisers Powerbocking Jumping Stilts - Off Road Powerbocking Mods

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Jumping Stilts - mods and comfort

Step 1: Off!! Road!!! - Roooooaaaaaaarrrrrrr!!!!

Hi guys, been a while.
Bought a pair of Powerisers a while ago after seeing a couple of vids of guys trail trekking with them ( yeah I know your supposed to be doin the crazy mad jumps n stunts but we are all different ).
The mods here are for trekking and comfort, anything ya see, if ya like the idea but want to be doing insane jumps and stunts ( very cool ), just assess how the mod applies to you, don't want someone getting injured unnecessarily.
That being said, I love these beasts so wanted to do this instructable ( more of a show n tell really ) - see what ya think.

Step 2: Removable Off Road Treads

As you can see my Poweriser legs/hooves don't look quite standard and the idea behind this will be in the next step.
So! - I knew the idea of Bocking off road appealed and I remembered seeing a show or news reel about the military using frames similar to jumping stilts for moving troops around over greater distances on foot like this, and though it takes a bit of getting used to, off roaring/trekking like this is a real pleasure.

There is no big mystery to the removable feet.
I took an old aluminium bike wheel and cut it into sections ( anyone who knows about my other builds - yes the Bike Wheel Bow has now become something else ).
I called into our local supermarket and picked up a 99p chopping board ( hdpe I am guessing ) and cut two strips.
Using a piece of scrap I bent and marked out where the bends and treads would go, before commiting to the real items then flattened it out to transfer the markings etc.
Bent up the real feet and bolted on the treads with 4mm bolts.
I happened to have some small bungees and as ya can see the fit a treat into the frame, go round the back tread and lock into the other side - am guessing you can get them on EBay or even make up your own.
I now had the ability to go from road feet to off road within one minute, without taking off the bocks.

Step 3: Feet/Hooves - Cheaper and Long Lasting ( Old Models Only )

Aaahhh those crazy feet.
Now if like me ya did some! study about the item you where going to buy - buuuttt ! didn't go quite deep enough then you may have ended up buying one of the original Powerisers, these have a solid hoop that goes in front of the knee and!! feet that are not removable - to upgrade ya have to buy the whole lower leg, but we don't wanna do that do we.
Pair of new legs = £104 UK
Removable feet after fitting new legs = £50 per pair UK every time they wear out ( unless ya make boots out of bike tires - check out the YouTube vids ).
Scooter wheels ( 110mm ) found on EBay for £12 per pair x 2 = £24 - aaannndd when your tread wears down on one side, ya just turn the wheel round to the new stuff.

OK let's assume you have an original pair.
Right at the end of the spring ( foot end ) there is a small bracket with a hole.
Take your scooter wheels ( they must be the kind shown for this to work ) and drop in those old nasty bearings ya have lying around.
Drop in some new 8mm bolts, long enough to go right through the center - don't worry about taking out the original bolt, it comes out pretty easy and nothing goes BOIIINNNGGG!!.
Now! - using your spare bearings and a couple more long bolts pass the bolt through the wheels ( through the spokes this time ), through the cutout in the bracket and out the other side, lock off with nuts ( or a wing nut for easy turning round to new tread ).
The wheels cannot spin and you now have some slick, extra wide, colour coordinated, half the price of shop bought rubber feet - aaannndd being scooter wheels you can even choose the durometer if ya want.
I added a cable tie around my wing nuts just to make sure the buggers could not come loose but only little ones I could break pretty easily in case I wanted to turn the wheels when I was out n about.

Step 4: Crazy Shoes

So if you, like me bought the original Powerisers you know about the knee bar where the top of the leg is secured, well I must have big feet or fat legs cos it is a right mission getting my feet through the hoops and down to the foot plates - sooooo.
The answer seemed obvious - take a pair of trainer type shoes or boots ya don't wear much.
Cut/take out the fastenings ( laces or Velcro ), ya will not need them as the bindings hold everything closed and in place.
Find a couple of good fixing points at the heels and sole, make a couple of holes with care and cable tie to the frame.
Now your fat little feet slip straight through the hoops and into the shoes like butter ( I carry my regular shoes in my backpack just in case ).

Step 5: That Extra Grip

OK - so the foot bindings on the originals are pretty solid but I found the leg strap rather wet, with a plastic gripper clamp thing that seemed to come a little loose after time and I wanted my Risers to be very secure espessially if I was going over uneven ground - so.

I got some two inch Velcro.
Made two longer lengths that would go from the front of the leg, round the back, round the front and then fasten.
Placed the long lengths against the hoop and with smaller lengths fitted them to the frame ( it's easier to look at the photo )
Now when I put on the stilts I have the foot bindings, some basic ankle bindings made out of Velcro to hold my jeans out of the way - plus holding my foot nicely at the back of the shoe, the standard upper leg strap and the new, much tighter and more secure addition.
Good to go.

Step 6: That Leg Strap

A little addition to the original upper leg strap/binding.
Getting tension into this strap to secure a snug fit can be fiddley but by adding a paracord hoop it allows much better grip when doing things up.

Step 7: Aaaaaggghh My Spine

The springs on Powerisers etc are strong but delicate when it comes to impact damage so decided like lots of folks to cover them in a more impact resistant material.
I have seen lots of posts and vids where people have used inner tube but I find that flimsey and with poor impact resistance - however a good mountain bike tire has lots of rubber for stuff to try and penetrate, plus it does not tear like inner tube when pierced.
No big magic - cut a length and using cables ties work from one end wrapping the spring - unlike the other method you do not need to break apart you stilts and! you can colour coordinate here too.
The stilts I am using are for a slightly lighter person so as a small extra bit of support I even left in the wire of the tires.
This did a well smart job and looks at least as good as any other I have seen.

Step 8: To Conclude

This has been a great discovery and I love getting out n about, plus being higher up ya get some cool views - one word, watch out for low trees.
No matter how you Bock be it jumping or trekking - have fun, be safe.