I currently bowl on old wood lanes with no backend reaction.  The lanes are stripped on Monday and Thursday.  I bowl on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The front part of the lane are oiled to a med/heavy condition with the carry down left from Monday's league and open play.  I can't get my ball to make a move down the lane. It just slides down the lane.  Would sanding a ball down to 220 get me any reaction or would it just burn up too soon and hit weak.  I played straight up 5 tonight with a Monster Bruiser sanded down to 400 with some success.  I'm just looking for a little swing room, not skip-snap.

On heavy oil with weak backends, nothing is going to give you much swing room.  Looking at your profile, why aren't you throwing the Throttle instead?  It is designed for heavier oil than the Bruiser.  Take a maroon (320) or green (600) Scotchbrite pad to the Throttle and leave the Bruiser at a sheen or light gloss for medium conditions.

In general, I'm not a fan of sanding below 400 grit.  Most of the time it's too much surface.  The ball may use it's energy too early.  If there isn't as much oil as you think, you might damage the lane.
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Penn State Proud

For your information, the lanes have not been resurfaced since the end of 92.  So yes the heads are bad.  So even with the heavy oil, would the ball still burn early?  If true, would going to loft be a logical solution (Mika K).  The pattern isn't a sport pattern, but it is flatter than any other house I've bowled.  Unfortunately those other houses are over an hour away.  This house was the toughest last year in our travel league, so I am somewhat pleased with my averages so far this year (205, 209).  In case your wondering, I have the highest average in one league and the second highest in the other.

I WOULD SUGGEST SOMETHING DRILLED TO ROLL EARLY BUT STILL TO MAINTAIN MOST ENERGY TO THE BACK. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT A HOUSE THAT I USED TO BOWL AT, AND I DRILLED A WOW SOLID. THE LAYOUT WAS 5 X 1.