Mismounted Freeriders!!!! HELP

**iggyskier** · 09-27-2005, 02:02 AM

So, got my brand new gotamas a few weeks ago and went to have them mounted w/ freeriders by Backpackers in Tacoma. Get them back, everything looks good and I'm super excited about them.

While trying to not think about my organic chem test in 7 hours I was messing with them and relized that the heel piece for the left ski is mounted a few mm off of where it should be.

When the binding is in the touring mode with the highest lift you can see that it sits about 3mm to the right of where it should. When it is pushed down it slides into the little notch on the top. But just normally sitting it is a few mm to the right. See pictures.

Its position with no pressure.

Again

What it should look like and does when pressure it placed on it.

So...now I really don't know what to do. When it is locked down it appears to be fine and shouldn't matter really when touring....but I have no idea if it will actually stay together. I also doubt it could be remounted at the holes would be right next to each other.

Anyone know whether the heel piece could be remounted or whether it will be fine if it is mounted a few mm off?

**H-wood** · 09-27-2005, 02:46 AM

This is why you shouldn't get your shit mounted in the summer at a city shop, especially non-standard set-ups like Fritschis w/ fat skis. It's asking for trouble, like having the guys at Grease Monkey do a valve job on a Ferrari.
When getting Fritschis mounted it's a really good idea to find out if the shop has a jig (although I don't know off-hand if the Fritschi jig is 105mm wide), and how many mounts they've done. If they have to do a freehand mount (no jig), they should be asking you for more money- if not, they don't know what's up.

There's 3 possibilities:
1. The jig hung up on the protruding side edge (not properly seated), throwing the holes off to one side.
2. Mount was done freehand because of no jig or jig not wide enough for Gotama, with shaky results.
3. The metal frame that the rail pivots on (toepiece) is bent- this happens when you use them- can be gently bent straight. It'll probably work ok, but it will feel annoying when you skin. Seems unlikely in a new binder.

Measure the location of the toe and heel pieces relative to the sides of the ski- this should tell you whether the components are off-center on the ski.
If they are, you should talk to the shop. If I mounted my own skis with that result, I'd probably just ski on 'em, but if you paid for gear, it should be done properly.
If the shop feels the mount is iffy for some reason and they can't guarantee the results, they should let you know.
Remounting 1cm forward or backward (probably best for pow) is fine, but the ski will lose some value.

my 2 cents

**iggyskier** · 09-27-2005, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by H-wood

This is why you shouldn't get your shit mounted in the summer at a city shop, especially non-standard set-ups like Fritschis w/ fat skis. It's asking for trouble, like having the guys at Grease Monkey do a valve job on a Ferrari.
When getting Fritschis mounted it's a really good idea to find out if the shop has a jig (although I don't know off-hand if the Fritschi jig is 105mm wide), and how many mounts they've done. If they have to do a freehand mount (no jig), they should be asking you for more money- if not, they don't know what's up.

There's 3 possibilities:
1. The jig hung up on the protruding side edge (not properly seated), throwing the holes off to one side.
2. Mount was done freehand because of no jig or jig not wide enough for Gotama, with shaky results.
3. The metal frame that the rail pivots on (toepiece) is bent- this happens when you use them- can be gently bent straight. It'll probably work ok, but it will feel annoying when you skin. Seems unlikely in a new binder.

Measure the location of the toe and heel pieces relative to the sides of the ski- this should tell you whether the components are off-center on the ski.
If they are, you should talk to the shop. If I mounted my own skis with that result, I'd probably just ski on 'em, but if you paid for gear, it should be done properly.
If the shop feels the mount is iffy for some reason and they can't guarantee the results, they should let you know.
Remounting 1cm forward or backward (probably best for pow) is fine, but the ski will lose some value.

my 2 cents

Thing was my friend had his new explosives mounted there a week before I did and it came out fine. Another kid had ski mounted with older fritschis last year and it also worked out fine. I'm pretty sure they use a jig, but I guess I donno if they make one wide enough for gots. We were told to go there as well. T-locs sucks.

They aren't bent as they were just taken off another pair of skis where they worked and fit perfectly. I will measure everything tommorow and see if it is just the heel piece that is off. The other ski seems to be fine.

I think it is going to be very annoying touring as it slides down and to the left everytime it is pushed down. I really don't want the mount anywhere else either. The mounting point is pretty far back as it is, but I don't really want them more foward either. I guess I'll just go back and see what they say.

**Oslo T. Norway** · 09-27-2005, 08:39 AM

Could be that the toe assembly is mounted
a hair out of skew. It would telegraph
into the situation that's occured.
Don't know enough about Freerides
to really say, but would think
you would be OK, since weighted
is fine. You might try having
the shop back off the toe screws,
then lock in the whole deal. Retighten
toe screws. I say have the shop
do it, then they know of their booboo,
if that is the deal. Otherwise no one
learns.

**cj001f** · 09-27-2005, 08:43 AM

try loosening the 4 screws on the toe and tweaking it true. If that doesn't work it really isn't a BFD

**marshalolson** · 09-27-2005, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by cj001f

try loosening the 4 screws on the toe and tweaking it true. If that doesn't work it really isn't a BFD

seconded.
more than likely, this is a problem with FR tolerances, and not a mis-mount.
this happens fairly regularly.

**iggyskier** · 09-27-2005, 10:10 AM

just loosened the screwes and tried to tweak it back. It goes into the normal position, but once the screws are tightened it just goes back to how it was.

Last night when I was tired and studying it was definentally a BFD. Now it just kind of sucks. The mount was pricey ($40) and new gotamas aren't cheap. It would be nice for it to be perfect.

As long as it will still ski well and safely I guess I don't care.

**iggyskier** · 09-27-2005, 11:57 AM

Just went and talked to the tech. he said he mounts on a jig and the mount was fine. He also said basically that this happens sometimes to Fritschis and that it won't be a problem, besides some more noise when touring.

So, I guess problem solved. He said every once in awhile tweak it a little and it may help.

Another good note: BD is finally making ascensions with STS instead of just with clip-fix. I like the ascensions more than the glide-lites also. So, picked up some new 130mm Ascensions w/ STS.....skins are ridiculously expensive. No more purple too, they are orange this year.

**PNWbrit** · 09-27-2005, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by iggyskier

Just went and talked to the tech. he said he mounts on a jig and the mount was fine.

Fine as in they face approximately forwards and aren't mounted to the base of your skis?

It probably isn't a huge problem - just possible you'll torque the bar or fall off the riser - but you were paying $40 to have something done right. Store should at least refund your money.

**iggyskier** · 09-27-2005, 12:51 PM

He said he did it by the Jig and didn't mess up. Not much else I could say. he said it just happens with these bindings sometimes.

I also doubt I will fall off the riser. I would really have to torque the binding out to get far enough outside the riser.

I'll ski them and if there are any problems I'll bring them back. From what he said and those above this happens fairly often. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

**Jumper Bones** · 09-27-2005, 01:09 PM

For the record, Backpacker's Supply is probably one of the most reputable shops of that variety in the Tacoma area. Your other choices are REI (if those assclowns have any idea what they're doing, which I highly doubt), or Martin Volken's shop in North Bend, which isn't exactly a hop and a skip away.

**marshalolson** · 09-27-2005, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by iggyskier

he said it just happens with these bindings sometimes.

I also doubt I will fall off the riser. I would really have to torque the binding out to get far enough outside the riser.

this is true. i have done probably 100 FR mounts with a jig, and every once in a while (like 6 or 7 times), the binding is not perfectly straight. there has never been an issue with the ski-ablility/tour-ability (as far as i know) with them.

if you torque hard enough to get out of the riser, it would have happened anyways... (which has happened to me while kicking in, traversing ice patches).