Baby Roos stopper balls are not working :(

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Any suggestions on how I can repair/replace the stopper balls on my 5M roo? The kite is in good condition except that the stopper balls on the struts don't work very well. The struts are so small that if you lose even a little air you have to do it again.

Any way to get them to work again? I have tried pulling it out upside down, flicking it, pulling it out slow, fast whatever. Nothing seems to work on a consistent basis.

K4L · Since 19 Jan 2009 483 Posts Obsessed

http://forum.bestkiteboarding.com/viewtopic.php?t=8043&highlight=bladder+ball

groundclown · Since 12 May 2007 135 Posts Hood River Stoked

Moto-

When you pull out the pump hose end from the valve, grasp the nipple with your thumb and index finger. Hold the hose with your other fingers of the same hand, squeeze the nipple and stretch it away from the strut elongating it into a cone shape. once stretched into a cone pull the hose out letting your thumb and index finger slip off the nipple, and the ball will funnel into the lodged position nearly every time. holding the strut upside down helps too, but no need if you stretch the valve into a cone shape as you pull out the hose.

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Just a follow up - this "cone" technique works pretty well. A dude named Jerry came and gave me a demonstration on the snatch patch.

krazedkiter · Since 08 Jun 2009 183 Posts Florida Stoked

Best has changed out the old style stopper balls on their struts and replaced them with membrane valves. Let me say from experience with having both, the membrane valves are night and day compared to stopper balls.

With the balls, you have to make sure they are seated when you remove the pump or you lose air. The membranes are a no brainer, just remove the pump and they self seal.

I would think around $50 would get yo ua new set of strut bladders fo that size. You will have to keep these little poker sticks handy to deflate them or you could just sew them on your valve cover for each strut like they are on the newer kites. I do believe air temp (i.e. cold?) was a reason for them changing from stopper to membrane.

http://media.bestkiteboarding.com/manuals/08_Membrane_valves.pdf

If you dont wanna spend, you can buy small zip ties and wrap them around the valve stem at the top where the cover inserts in to the stem. If you do this, loosely put a zip tie around each stem. Close the valve (insert the valve cover) then bring the zip tie to the top of the stem. Snug it down so there is no movement but not tight tight. Now just use as you normaly do and the zip ties stay in place. This wont solve the air spilling out when you remove the pump but it sometimes helps to hold air. You can also get new stopper balls from Best.

See the photo in this thread:

http://forum.bestkiteboarding.com/viewtopic.php?t=8058&highlight=tie+wrap

Good luck