Modifications to Soloman's FSK Crossmax 3 2004

Modifications

As is the way with most skates I see the first thing I think of is what I'm going to change, which is nice with the FSKs as it's easy to do, most of the bits can be removed with a 4mm Allen key and many have seen me sitting on the kerb at the beach with bits of skate in small piles all around me.

Once I'd got home the skate got taken apart to see what had changed since last year.

What I've ended up with isn't pretty, the snot green wheels don't go with much, but it's a comfortable strong set up that that should last me all year, and I know I can recognise my skates in the piles Crossmax3s in the corner of the Vic or the next skater party when the summer comes.

Chassis and Heel plate

The first issue I hit was the chassis, I'd just got hold of a large number of 80mm racing wheels I wanted to use, my day to day wheels were all the same size tooand I'd been used to a flat set up from my Crossmax2s, not something you can do with the 247EA fixed HiLo chassis. At the same time I picked up the skates I also got a pair of Crossmax1 chassis in a rather tasteful grey. These went on the next morning with my old wheels.

Having talked to Scoobs in Club Blueroom the shop about the heel plate I know that the old chassis could be used as-is just raised up off the plate, but I wanted the strength you would get with it located properly. Once I'de got back home where some tools I saw the easiest thing to do was slim down the rear of the old chassis so it was the same size as the new chassis, this took a few minutes with a flat file. This meant I could run a flat set up with the heel plate, not that important, but it's nice to have. The original wheels then became indoor and skate park wheels.

Section of the area in question

Rivet/Ankle area before modification.

Rivet/Ankle area after modification. (the red line is where the plastic used to go and you can see the cutting marks on the rest of the plastic above the rivet)

With my first pair of FSKs I would get slight pain on the bottom of my outside ankle bone. So took steps to sort it out, and have done the same modification to all the other pairs of FSKs I've had since.

Once I took the skate apart I wasn't surprised to find the construction was the same as last year. The problem area lies near the cuff rivet. It's where the three moulded parts of the boot meet, the first bit is the softer section that carries the laces, the end crosses over the top of the cuff rivet, which pushes it in towards the liner, this can be trimmed so it clears the rivet.

The next bit you notice is the bottom section of boot that the chassis attaches to, above the hole where the cuff rivet comes through. The sharp edge points inwards towards the liner and the ankle bone, I assume this makes assembly of the skate easier, but it does lead to a potential area of discomfort.

I ended up rounding off the sharp edge all round the cuff rivet, using a flat file (the plastic is quite stiff and works well) and a flap wheel in an electric drill.

I've also used the women heel lift from a pair of Deflectors, as it gives a bit more lift than the standard one, should help with the ankle bone issue a little.