A NEW METHOD-TURNTABLE BINDER BRAKE BENDING

[Gordyman]

THIS THREAD ORIGINALLY HAD PHOTOS OF ZR-S BINDINGS GETTING BENT (HEH). I AM SORRY I LOST ALL THAT. FOLLOWING PHOTOS SHOW A 10 DIN ZP BINDING(SOFT-CORE TURNTABLE), & I DON'T HAVE PHOTOS OF THE ACTUAL BENDING PROCESS. BUT I BELIEVE THIS THREAD CAN BE MORE HELPFUL THAN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.

ITEMS NEEDED:

1. bench vice OR an old ski or a short length of 2x4 AND a large C-clamp
2. ski pole cut in half OR metal tube of comparable length with inside diameter large enough to accommodate brake arm
3. good sized pipe wrench
4. 1-2" thick flat little wood or high density synthetic block to clamp down brake heel plate

CLAMPING BINDING FOR BRAKE BENDING:

1. Position binding in vice so that one clamping surface contacts base of binding and the other surface contacts brake heel plate.
2. Position little flat block to protect heel plate.
3. Clamp down vice and brake arm facing up is ready to bend.

OR

1. Secure an old ski or a length of 2x4 to work bench.
2. Mount binding to 2x4 or old ski.
3. Position C-clamp so that it will clamp down brake heel plate.
4. Position little flat block between C-clamp and heel plate.
5. Tighten down c-clamp so that brake arms are very firmly actuated in the "up" position. This way is actually kinda nice because both arms are accessible for bending at the same time.

The following photos show a high density foam being used, although I recommend something harder.



BENDING BRAKE ARMS:

1. Use pipe wrench to secure short/inner section of brake arm.
2. While bracing pipe wrench with one hand, with other hand slip ski pole over end of brake arm to the point of bend and straighten brake arm.
3. Re-position pipe wrench to establish new location of brake arm bend.
4. brace with pipe wrench and make new bend with ski pole.
5. Repeat 1-4 on other arm TAKING GREAT CARE TO GET NEW BEND LOCATIONS THE SAME.

RE-INSTALLING BRAKE SPRING:
I have found the easiest way is to push the spring in (using TWO hands) as in this photo:

[freak]

hey, looks like a fast way...
im gonna try this the next time

freak~[&]

[Damian Sanders]

Nice...but are you saying it's ok to bend them straight initially while clamped like this?

[Gordyman]

That is what I did.

[Conundrum]

Nice! Putting the plates back on can be a pain.

[marshalolson]

great method. nice man.

[mmmthmtskier]

This is something my dad would have thought of doing. The use of the pipe wrench(I guess just pull out every semi-fixed jaw wrench in the tool box to vary the brake bend width?) is brilliant. Cue "Real Men of Genius" song for Slim and Gordy! Go get 'em, "Mr. Flip-the-bird-at-no-help-companies-I-can-do-it-myself-at-no-cost-to-me" guy!

[SuperGaper]

Great technique!!
We have been using a method somewhere between yours and the take it all apart method at our shop.
We would mount the binding on an old ski, flip the turntable heel all the way around (180 degrees), clamp the brake treadle with c clamps, bend to 90 degrees, then move the c clamps around to create a fulcrum (like your pipe wrench) and finish the bend.
Took probably 20-30 minutes a pair.
We will be doing it this way from now on!
I have 5 pairs of P-18/z series bindings so I have tried just about everything.
(except disassembly)

again, Kudos

[corn dog]

I just did some old tt08s. The key to reassembly was to make sure everything but the plate ( and springs) was exactly in the right place. It could be very close but not quite right, in which case it was impossible to get the plate back on. If you are careful not to have all the pieces fall apart when you initially remove the plate and brakes I found it went back together easily.
I tried doing some bending with the boot in the binding but cracked the little crescent piece that the rear screws go through. Maybe the tt08s have more plastic/less metal.
Anyone got some old tt08s or 09s they want to sell me?

[Damian Sanders]

Can you be more specific about how you made the intial bend straight? Thanks!!!

[SuperGaper]

Once you have the treadle clamped in the vice take two benders, old cut off ski poles or conduit or whatever, slide um up as far as they will go and have at it.
I have done 20-25 pairs and no breaks (of the brakes). Just make sure you stay on the same plane when bending - i.e. make sure the brakes still clear the topsheet but aren't too high above it.
I think it is easiest to both arms at the same time- though it may not matter just haven't done em one at a time.

[corn dog]

. Just make sure you stay on the same plane when bending - i.e. make sure the brakes still clear the topsheet but aren't too high above it.
.

This deserves highlighting or repeating or whatever. Since the brake sits on the ski you've got to keep it in the same plane, not much wiggle room. With the sallys I did the brake is higher up off the top of hte ski so you've got a lot more room for getting the brakes somewhat out of alignment and still have them workable. Not with these, had to do one set twice when, after bending, the brakes reached down below the plane of the ski even with the boot in

[elchupanebre4]

Nice, Looks like I can stop procrastinating on some p18's I haven't wanted to bend....

[arem86]

Nice, I might try this instead of taking the whole thing apart. on a somewhat unrelated note, the little platic ring I've pointed out on my ZR's is cracked...can I get replacements, is the cracking going to effect how the bindings work?

[gwat]

I was always a fan of full disassembly when bending my own brakes. I bent a pair for a dude the other day and needed a quick and dirty method so with the bindings still mounted to the skis I used chopped ski pole to bend the brake straight then rebent around the ski. Looks as good as any brake I've bent and took no more than ten minutes.

[npm]

that was mad easy...i accidentally bent to around 120 instead of 100 but who cares!!


on a different note, on the other heelpiece my baseplate is broken...does anyone have any extra? would be much appreciated.

[npm]

okay so i bent my brakes to fit 130 mm, and theyd do on 98 mm scratch bc's...will this be an issue

[gwat]

ummmm.....kind of. they will drag huge when you're on edge.

[npm]

ummmm.....kind of. they will drag huge when you're on edge.

maybe ill bend it back straight and make a new bend.

[seanpistol]

I don't mean to poop the party here, but I'm not a fan of this method. I did the same thing about a year ago, and bending it like this actually tweaked the plastic part that holds the two brake arms together. Every once in a while, a brake arm will wiggle its way out of the plastic and stick straight out to the side, making it completely useless. Then I end up having to take the brake completely apart, fix it, and put it back together. The same thing will happen a few months later. This probably won't make sense unless you've taken the brake apart and know what piece i'm talking about.

Slim's method takes longer, but it worked out better for me.

Just my two cents.

[soul_skier]

anyone have an extra set of FKS brakes lying around, just picked up a pair of ZRS w/ the brake arms cut off.

[strode420]

so i'm giving this my first go soon here on a pair of fks155's. from the looks of everything, as long as i......

a) tightly clamp the brake down (w/ wood padding of course)

b) isolate the torque point with shop-instrument-of-choice (a la gordymans pipewrench) right at the bend so no parts on the heelpiece itself are getting torqued, just the brake arm from the bend to the end of the arm

c) bend and rebend as close to original angles as possible

d) bend slow enough so as to not break the brake

......i should be ok?

parts a, b, and c don't seem like too much of a problem, it's just part d that i'm kind of worried about. any advice for increasing my chances for non-breakage, thereby decreasing my chances of non-brake-age? i assume bending as slowly as possible is the best method? for anyone who's broken a brake arm, did you do it straightening or rebending?

thanks

[strode420]

bueller?

[Professor Chaos]

Im about to bend my P18s. I dont find Slims method of compete disassembly daunting, in fact Id prefer it, but this just seems a lot faster.

Anyone recently give it a go?

[300hp]

yup, so easy and worked perfect. I had to do some fine tuning once mounted to the ski just to make sure the brakes tucked and didn't drag, but just as simple as it looks!
Hunter