My first Luge

[Dr D]

I built a classic luge/buttboard and a variation of the infamous gumball machine luge yesterday. The buttboard was the simplest piece of fun I have ever built.:biggthump

the bigger luge is still in prototype phase and looks to perform well but I need to stiffen it up some. Its a woodie and my big butt obviously needs another stringer underneath it. I ran my local hill with no problems but it has as much flex as my longboard. I am going to try using the half inch aluminum square tubing down each edge to stiffen it up.

Any suggestions from the peanut gallery welcome:lurk:

I have been running about 45 -50 mph luge style on my Dregs 56" deck with randalls flipped over and hard bushings. they are wedged as well for less turn in the rear and more in the front. The buttboard works even better than that. I am hoping to feel safe enough on the luge to speed it up a little.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Photos!

Keep the hyde on:biggthump

[Dr D]

So Here's the deal I scrapped most of the original luge and rebuilt it on a 2x4 drop rail. I reinforced the lower rail with a piece of aluminum angle on each side. home depot has everything!:biggthump I basically have a pegless rail type luge with gumball style hamstring support and handles. It works great lots of adjustability for trucks possible I will update as I fine tune it.



The other is the buttboard. its not quite to comp standards as I made it a little wider but it has a nice controllable leverage on the trucks for my 12 year old:biggthump

[Dr D]

I blew my front left wheel yesterday at 52 mph on a 4 mile hill. kryptonics 76mm 78 duro I think, anyway it ran on the hub until I got it stopped. I expected a wipeout but it wasn't even really a problem. I would like some advice on the best speed wheels that won't overwhelm an 8mm axle. what duro and size, favorite brands etc. I am leaning toward abec 11 flywheels in the 83mm size.

[Gecko]

Fly's are nice though they ride/feel harder than the durometer due to the core. Melting wheels is usually do to bad or sometimes only dirty bearings.

[Dr D]

the bearings were fine after and before. I put them on the extra wheels and finished the next two runs. I don't know, is it possible that the nut was a little tight on that side or something? seems like the bearing would show signs of a problem if it came from them. IT was a chip sealed road so lots of sharp edges etc. none of the other wheels from either set showed much wear even. I just assumed that since it was on the front it had more weight on it and more lateral force in the corners. I figured that it had a flaw in the urethane or something.:confused:


I am totally sold on the luge!:biggthump what a rush. yet very stable and controlable compared to the downhill boards.

[Dr D]

Fly's are nice though they ride/feel harder than the durometer due to the core. Melting wheels is usually do to bad or sometimes only dirty bearings.

is there a hub design that works to pull heat away from the urethane? speed vents maybe or is it just a name?

what about the aluminum hubbed ones.

[Gecko]

Flywheels have the largest core and wheel diameter choices of any wheel out there. Speedvents don't really have a proper shape for luge

[Dr D]

great thanks

[Gecko]

I need to qualify that Flys have the biggest core that I have seen that also has a wheel shape that will work well for a luge (drifting corners and what not)

[Dr D]

tandem front trucks now!:biggthump


I also put a set of big zig retros on the front axles for grab and left the round shouldered kryptos on the back for drift. I will let you know how it goes.

[Jon Dahl]

Gimmie some recomendations on trucks and wheels, for i am going to build a woodie soon. Local pawn shop has used leathers in my size for $85, time to dress for the crash!

[Dr D]

I am using randall RII with the hangers flipped. they are as cheap as $30 a pair on ebay. they work well no wobbles and just adjust the bushings according to your weight as you would on a downhill setup. I have two on the front and one on the back. Any downhill speed wheel seems to work. my downhill buds are telling me the cored wheels like kryptos are prone to heat failure but then others like the abec 11 flywheels. basically you want a little drift on the back axle and you want the fronts to stay hooked up. I have kryptos on the back and retro big zigs on the front currently. I am leaning toward the landhawgs from landyachtz next go round. I am having a metal luge built as well so we will see how that goes.

[Gecko]

I have a set of the 77mm Landy Hawgs (80a) that I love nice fast wheels that roll softer than they are...soon to be on my speedboard

[Dr D]

I have a set of the 77mm Landy Hawgs (80a) that I love nice fast wheels that roll softer than they are...soon to be on my speedboard

those are the ones I am looking at. they slide well to which surprised me since they have such a soft feel.

[Gecko]

yeah they really do drift very nicely...MHM convinced me to buy them instead of a set of Gummys or Strikers, I skated them on my HC until I decided that I needed (well wanted) a speedboard to really exploit them