Insert screw head issue.

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

After mounting many different bindings with inserts over the last few years, I'm starting to notice a problem that seems to be inherent to the newer Marker Duke/Baron/Tour.
It's the rear base plate that is the issue. I've seen cracks form and eventual failure happen on more than one now. It seems that the screw's smaller diameter head and steeper taper angle is producing stress on the plates at the screw holes.
The plates have very thin plastic in the area where the tapered screw heads sit and the machine screws have quite a bit less surface area compared to the stock binding screws. In some cases I've seen the screw heads gouging into the plastic plate, then the base plate begins to crack and fail, originating at the screw holes.

I've searched around for "flat" M5 screws with heads that are shaped more like stock screws but can't find any source producing such a thing. Now I'm searching for some kind of conical washer to use a band-aid fix to spread out the force on the plates.

Any thoughts?

[NW_SKIER]

Maybe a flexible rubber washer will alleviate some of the stress without creating any slop. Definitely going to follow this as I plan on mounting my dukes with inserts next year.

[1000-oaks]

Head taper should be the same for all standard metric flathead screws (90 degrees), head OD varies by screw mfg and style (allen key vs Phillips). Maybe look around for M5 screws with larger OD heads?

PS: You really don't want to see what I did to make M5 screws work perfectly with CAST toe baseplates (which are made for M6 screws), lol.

[Muggydude]

I think part of the issue is that the inserts create somewhat of a countersunk hole on the skis' surface (whereas the normal screw holes without inserts do not do this). When you tighten the screws, it pushes the plastic down, causing it to warp.