STH 12 Forward Pressure

**Skeeze** · 02-10-2011, 06:26 PM

The Salomon Manual isn't super clear, but it appears to say that the back of the worm screw should be flush with the back of the heel track for correct forward pressure. I don't doubt that, of course, but when I first searched for the answer online, I saw some posts saying that the back of the worm screw should be about 5mm behind the back of the heel track. Can someone just confirm that the screw is supposed to be flush with the heel track?

**skimaxpower** · 02-10-2011, 06:42 PM

Sally 997/977/916/920/900s/912/914 etc thread, all u ever wanted to know

**liv2ski** · 02-10-2011, 07:21 PM

I am a total jong on this topic, but when I bought some Lhasa's and adjusted the sth16 to fit my boots, I used fig 7 below.

**Skeeze** · 02-11-2011, 12:39 AM

Does that mean you went past the end of the heel track at all, or just to the edge?

**Skidog** · 02-11-2011, 09:11 AM

screw flush with heel track is how ive ALWAYS adjusted these.

**EEC** · 02-11-2011, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by skimaxpower

Sally 997/977/916/920/900s/912/914 etc thread, all u ever wanted to know

12341234

**brannen** · 12-01-2013, 11:11 AM

that post is long without photos
every year i have to check again, is this the way it goes?

and this is incorrect?

this is how i have been doing it, so lets hope so

**carey** · 12-01-2013, 02:02 PM

The first picture is correct. The Screw should be flush with the back of the heel track.
the picture is pretty clear in the current Tech Manual.

**Island Bay** · 12-01-2013, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

Screw head flush with the end heel track makes no sense, for reasons I won't get into typing on my phone. Definitely wrong though, those hash marks under the screw head are likely the correct zone.

Correct. Hash marks on screw mark the zone.

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 12-01-2013, 03:05 PM

^^^ Wrong ^^^
The first picture is correct. The second is not correct and is showing not enough forward pressure.
It's always been screw head flush with the back of the housing. There aren't even "hash marks" on the STH series heels. Never has been...

**Ted Striker** · 12-01-2013, 04:28 PM

Wow. I can't believe this is a debate.

Cut and paste from the Shop Practice Manual:
With the boot in the binding (closed position), adjust the forward pressure to align the top of the screw head with the back of the heel track.

The manual has a picture, but here's a better one I found on the googles:

**Island Bay** · 12-01-2013, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs

^^^ Wrong ^^^
The first picture is correct. The second is not correct and is showing not enough forward pressure.
It's always been screw head flush with the back of the housing. There aren't even "hash marks" on the STH series heels. Never has been...

I absolutely agree that first pic marks the correct position. And in that same pic, you'll see the diagonal marks on the screw shank partially covered by the "housing cylinder". Those were the marks I referred to, and my STH heels certainly have them.

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 12-02-2013, 09:56 AM

There is no debate here.
The one (and only) correct way to adjust the forward pressure on the STH's is "flush with the housing." There is no danger of it bottoming out that way.
Those are not hash marks that you see there on the forward adjustment screw. They are merely rough clamp marks that are there as a result of the manufacturing process.
Flush with the housing, period.

**carey** · 12-02-2013, 03:01 PM

The heel piece has a couple of centimeters of adjustment fore and aft to account for different bsl. This is done using the worm screw. Adjust and fine tune with the worm screw to where the head is even with the heel track with the boot in the binding.

**skimaxpower** · 12-02-2013, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

^ So how does that method account for slightly different BSL's after the initial mount? I'll take a look at my STH's later this week, but for now I have to call "popular myth" on that method.

Dude. You're wrong. The shop manual is right.

I've drilled and tested hundreds of Salomon bindings. It is not a popular myth. It is the only correct way. It is required knowledge for Salomon binding indemnification.

Screw head flush with the back of heel track is the ONLY correct answer to this question.

**auvgeek** · 12-02-2013, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

^ So how does that method account for slightly different BSL's after the initial mount? I'll take a look at my STH's later this week, but for now I have to call "popular myth" on that method.

I'm a Sally JONG, but I'm pretty sure you adjust the worm screw with the boot out of the binder and then you check forward pressure with it IN the the binder. Even for BSLs on the small side, when the boot clicks into the binder the screw will be flush with the housing if the fwd pressure is high enough.

LC · 12-02-2013, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by skimaxpower

Screw head flush with the back of heel track is the ONLY correct answer to this question.

Yep. Why is there any arguing going on here? All I can think is that some people are getting confused in that turning the screw affects the screw head's position inversely to that of a Market/etc. Tightening the screw tightens the forward pressure by moving the heelpiece forward, but the screw head appears to move back relative to the end of the heel track, and vice-versa. Just concern yourself with getting it flush with the back of the track anyway, that's all that matters.

**swerve** · 12-02-2013, 05:05 PM

Go read the shop manual for yourself. Screw head even with back of heel track is what I get out of reading that. Maybe you get something different.
http://www.salomoncertification.com/...pare_Parts.pdf
Page 21 in the PDF has the pertinent info about adjusting the heel.

**Chugachjed** · 12-02-2013, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

I don't dispute that's what the Salomon bible says, but (like many bibles) that doesn't mean it's correct. I'll check out an STH heel this week, currently changing my quiver from Marker to Salomon.

The manufacturer's recommendation is incorrect? It's not. Screw head flush with the track is correct forward pressure on EVERY worm screw salomon binding.

Edited to add: every worm screw salomon with the exception of those old 916s with the zz plate system, and STH2 with the flush to the housing screw.

**spindrift** · 12-02-2013, 11:24 PM

Strange thread. Strange objections to reality - i.e. forward pressure is correct when screw head is flush with back of track.

It might be worth noting however that, as I understand it, the STH 2 forward pressure is set differently - with the screw being flush to the plastic housing when the boot is in (rather like the Marker Royals). Anyway, be careful about making assumptions when moving between the STH and STH 2...

LC · 12-03-2013, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

I'll agree that when doing a new mount, lining up the back of the screw head with the end of the track (coincidentally) puts you at the correct 3mm setting. But if you're using any other BSL than used for the original mount, you need to use the adjustment instructions in the above diagram.

I understand what you're saying; I still say you're wrong. Adjusting the forward pressure screw changes the position of the heel unit but not the position of the track, the screw housing (the black part at in the diagram above) or the screw itself. Snapping a boot in moves the heelpiece and the screw head backwards but not the screw housing or the track. 3-4mm gap as described above will always make the screw flush with the back of the track anyway, so do that if you like, same thing. I mounted two pairs of STH 16 Steels this week at 308mm to accommodate 304 and 315mm boots and will be setting them with the screw head flush with the back of the track.

**coldfeet** · 12-03-2013, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

Edit: the plot thickens.

I'll agree that when doing a new mount, lining up the back of the screw head with the end of the track (coincidentally) puts you at the correct 3mm setting. But if you're using any other BSL than used for the original mount, you need to use the adjustment instructions in the above diagram.

Aren't the ZZ's the ones with a weird connecting bar? I don't think that applies to normal non-ZZ bindings.

I don't have STHs, only 997s, where the screw head is supposed to line up in the hashmarks just before the end of the track. (That may be where the confusion started.) It's the same principle though. Think about it this way: when you turn the screw to adjust for BSL, the upper/middle part of the binding moves forward/back, but the screw and track do not move. When you snap a boot into the binding, the middle part with the DIN setting spring barrel moves back, and it also pushes the screw housing back a little, but the track does not move. When you have the length set correctly, the middle part of the binding pushes the screw housing back the right amount to hit the hashmarks or end of track. If you try setting the length too long, it will not push the screw housing back far enough and the screw head will be in the wrong place.

(Edit to clarify: This isn't intended to muddle the hashmarks vs end of track difference: different models of bindings. Only to explain why 1000 is wrong about the BSL adjustment. The screw doesn't move with the binding housing when you adjust BSL.)

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 12-03-2013, 10:43 AM

Different binding models have different forward pressure adjustments. Comparing older and newer versions to the standard STH's is a useless argument. Apples & oranges...
1000-oaks could not be more wrong/misinformed on the correct way to set forward pressure. Yet he still tries to make an argument that there is room to somehow tweak it to make it better. There isn't!
Anyone who has recently taken and passed a Salomon indemnification certification exam knows the right way to do this.
This forum is of no use to anyone if there are uninformed people continuing to peddle unsafe bullshit theories.
Please step aside and let the pros (that work in shops and deal with these bindings day in and day out) answer the technical questions. Thanks!

**oftpiste** · 12-03-2013, 02:51 PM

Same 'screw-head-lined-up-with-back-of-track' system for STH 14's (maybe a couple of model years old - blue)?

I found it a trifle confusing as there are hash marks on the track reminiscent of systems where the back of the worm screw needed to be somewhere in the range between the hashmarks.