PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[Damnstraight]

"If I Remember Correctly"

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Well I feel dumb...

[SkiLyft]

Well here goes it. Put inserts in my goats and was out of my usual west system g flex so I ran to the local hardware store and grabbed a tube of their two part marine epoxy.

It was thicker than normal however I committed and used it. Anyways after several days on my shifts touring I noticed that the toe unit was moving... I cranked down the screws and realized that I had a spinner (1 of the 2 screws that’s actually holds the toe part in place) and the epoxy failed.

Anyways I pulled the insert and re-applied the epoxy and let it cure. A couple days of touring later the other toe started moving. I attempted to re-tighten however again... a spinner FUCK (again one of those very important 2 screws).

So at this point I realized that the new 2 part marine epoxy I bought was garbage. Soo I sucked it up used a screw extractor and removed all the inserts.


Filled holes with my new supply of g flex

Tapped in 5/16” plugs


Let cure for 24 hours.

Re drilled for inserts, tapped, added more g flex with inserts and let cure for an additional 24 hours.




Just mounted the shifts and these inserts feel super solid. Will continue to ski and report if there is a failure.

As a side note who out there is skiing shifts with inserts? Anyone else have similar failures? Maybe this should go in the shift thread but I think this issue was due to bad epoxy and not the shifts.

As a side note if you get a spinner on one of those 2 screws in front of the AFD you may be fucked as those are a very important screw in the design.



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[aguo5520]

So I was mounting pivot toe piece and after hand tightening all the screws snug, I noticed that there was a noticeable gap between the topsheet of the ski and the bottom of the toe piece...

So, I realized that I probably didn't make sure the toe piece was flush on the ski before screwing in. What's the best solution for this?

I can think of two solutions:
1. drill out the threading in the pivot toe piece and use the existing holes (what size bit do you use to drill out the binding toe piece threads?)
2. plug holes and redrill and rescrew in the same place

[reckless toboggan]

This is not rocket dentistry.

Maybe some people shouldn't mount their own fucking skis.

[dschane]

So I was mounting pivot toe piece and after hand tightening all the screws snug, I noticed that there was a noticeable gap between the topsheet of the ski and the bottom of the toe piece...

So, I realized that I probably didn't make sure the toe piece was flush on the ski before screwing in. What's the best solution for this?

I can think of two solutions:
1. drill out the threading in the pivot toe piece and use the existing holes (what size bit do you use to drill out the binding toe piece threads?)
2. plug holes and redrill and rescrew in the same place

Or, you can just drive it in flush from where it is.

Or, the threads may be fine, so just back out screws carefully, re-reglue, drive screws all the way in.

If you don't want to go with the simple options, I'd fill holes with 24-hour epoxy, let cure, and re-drill.

[::: :::]

Need help, mounting some junior skis tomorrow with Marker Free bindings.. cant seem to find any junior templates, may need to make something and I have not mounted anything without a template... any advice?


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On a scrap piece of solid core plywood or a 2x4:
Locate boot center on the ski
Beer
Locate the toe & mark the holes
Beer
Put the heel in the middle of its adjustment range
Beer
Locate the heel best you can using the boot & mark the holes
Beer
Drill baby drill
Beer
Adjust forward pressure
Beer
Set din
Beer

Then try it for real on the skis

[eskido]

Well I feel dumb...

Damn straight...

Heehee, sorry couldn’t help it. There’s so many of those fuckin things idk either

[::: :::]

can it be done with just a 6pack?

oof! that's seven, huh?








maybe he gets better by the time he gets to the skis, and it's an even 12?

[Timberridge]

Or, you can just drive it in flush from where it is.

If he used a regular drill bit which leaves a volcano he needs to shave it flat w/ a chisel or make a pass with a countersink bit. Even a shouldered binding bit can leave the hole high, so if you want your binding to lay flat on your ski then you need to get the edges of the holes flat.

if the skifishbumone used your calculations at the shop,
he’d either be 370lbs or going in for a liver transplant.

Or if weed = beer, he'd need a bale of weed.

I'm not a fan of being over the legal limit if you're using paper templates, a centerpunch and freehanding the centerline with a ruler. Drunk and high shop rats use a jig, which requires far less neurological effort than a template.

[::: :::]

if the skifishbumone used your calculations at the shop,
he’d either be 370lbs or going in for a liver transplant.

Or if weed = beer, he'd need a bale of weed.

i'll stick with my day job then : p

[mtskibum16]

So I was mounting pivot toe piece and after hand tightening all the screws snug, I noticed that there was a noticeable gap between the topsheet of the ski and the bottom of the toe piece...

So, I realized that I probably didn't make sure the toe piece was flush on the ski before screwing in. What's the best solution for this?

I can think of two solutions:
1. drill out the threading in the pivot toe piece and use the existing holes (what size bit do you use to drill out the binding toe piece threads?)
2. plug holes and redrill and rescrew in the same place

This is the issue I have with the binding themselves being interference with the screw threads. Even if you hold the binding flush, if the screw rotates half a turn before biting the hole in the ski and threading in, then your binding has just raised half a thread turn. You can crank and hope the plastic in the binding strips before the ski hole but it seems sketchy. Then if you back the screw out to start over, there's a possibility the threads drop in to the plastic thread (while turning backward to drop in to the start of the threads). Because you started half a turn off between the binding and ski hole they will still be off. IMO, the best idea is to drill out the binding holes so that they don't catch the threads of the screw (and no more). Then set the binding flush, rotate screw CCW until it drops in to the existing threads, and continue. You could also try fully tightening the screw and see if the gap closes. I had one that did that last weekend, and it snugged up flush.

This is not rocket dentistry.

Maybe some people shouldn't mount their own fucking skis.

It's actually pretty ironic. It's not that difficult, but there are plenty of things that can go wrong. This thread is full of people who have had trouble. IMO, there's probably a way higher percentage of people that have had problems while mounting their own bindings then those who have had problems from shops messing up their mounts.

[Timberridge]

This is the issue I have with the binding themselves being interference with the screw threads. Even if you hold the binding flush, if the screw rotates half a turn before biting the binding hole and threading in, then you binding has just raised half a thread turn. You can crank and hope the plastic in the binding strips before the ski hole but it seems sketchy. Then if you back the screw out to start over, there's a possibility the threads drop in to the plastic thread (while turning backward to drop in to the start of the threads). Because you started half a turn off between the binding and ski hole they will still be off. IMO, the best idea is to drill out the binding holes so that they don't catch the threads of the screw (and no more). Then set the binding flush, rotate screw CCW until it drops in to the existing threads, and continue. You could also try fully tightening the screw and see if the gap closes. I had one that did that last weekend, and it snugged up flush.

I honestly have no idea what you are talking about here.

[pyromaniacman129]

I honestly have no idea what you are talking about here.

The holes in the toe piece have threads. So when you put a screw through it threads instead of just sucking down to the ski creating a gap. Imagine two spaced nuts on a long bolt spaced apart. Hold both nuts and turn the bolt. They both thread but lock a gap in place.

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[Timberridge]

I still don't get it. The only time I've not been able to get a flat mount is 1) if the hole is not deep enough or 2) the hole has a volcano. Or in the case of inserts you leave them proud.

I've seen a slight gap if (~the thickness of paper) if the screw volcanos the topsheet going in, in which case tap the hole or use a countersink bit to chamfer the topsheet before mounting.

[mtskibum16]

I honestly have no idea what you are talking about here.

The holes in the toe piece have threads. So when you put a screw through it threads instead of just sucking down to the ski creating a gap. Imagine two spaced nuts on a long bolt spaced apart. Hold both nuts and turn the bolt. They both thread but lock a gap in place.

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Right. The screw threads through the binding, so if you are not holding the binding flush (and firm) and not pressing down very firmly while you thread the screw in, you will end up with a gap between the binding and ski. Some people may never notice because if you continue tightening, the plastic in the binding usually "strips" as the screw is snugged up and the binding is pulled down flush.

Edit: But if you are a mounting newb, you might not be pressing down firmly enough, get a gap, and freak out before screwing it in all the way in and getting rid of the "problem."

[aguo5520]

This is the issue I have with the binding themselves being interference with the screw threads. Even if you hold the binding flush, if the screw rotates half a turn before biting the hole in the ski and threading in, then your binding has just raised half a thread turn. You can crank and hope the plastic in the binding strips before the ski hole but it seems sketchy. Then if you back the screw out to start over, there's a possibility the threads drop in to the plastic thread (while turning backward to drop in to the start of the threads). Because you started half a turn off between the binding and ski hole they will still be off. IMO, the best idea is to drill out the binding holes so that they don't catch the threads of the screw (and no more). Then set the binding flush, rotate screw CCW until it drops in to the existing threads, and continue. You could also try fully tightening the screw and see if the gap closes. I had one that did that last weekend, and it snugged up flush.


It's actually pretty ironic. It's not that difficult, but there are plenty of things that can go wrong. This thread is full of people who have had trouble. IMO, there's probably a way higher percentage of people that have had problems while mounting their own bindings then those who have had problems from shops messing up their mounts.

Yea, what you described is exactly what happened to me. I think I may have fucked up in that I let some of the screw stick out the base when aligning the binding on top of the ski. I'm planning to epoxy the hole, redrill, then make sure that the binding sits flush on the ski by making sure the screws aren't sticking out of the bottom of the binding piece at all, then screwing in again.

[aguo5520]

Right. The screw threads through the binding, so if you are not holding the binding flush (and firm) and not pressing down very firmly while you thread the screw in, you will end up with a gap between the binding and ski. Some people may never notice because if you continue tightening, the plastic in the binding usually "strips" as the screw is snugged up and the binding is pulled down flush.

Edit: But if you are a mounting newb, you might not be pressing down firmly enough, get a gap, and freak out before screwing it in all the way in and getting rid of the "problem."

I feel like if you keep tightening, there's a high chance you'll get a spinner instead of stripping the plastic in the binding.

[Timberridge]

A proper binding bit like Wintersteiger is tapered. Unlike a machine thread screw (like the ones that go into inserts) the binding screw has a taper as well. If you had a magnifying glass on a cross section of the hole you will see that the first couple threads on the screw don't bite into the top of the hole so you can leave the screw proud a couple mm's from the bottom of the binding which allows you to get the toe or heel centered and lined up on all 4 holes. You don't need to press the binding down as you're screwing it in.

Yeah if you leave the screws sticking out a bunch and try to press the whole thing into the holes first then crank down on the screws, you'll chew up the walls of the hole and get a spinner.

If you mount even 1 pair of skis a year its worth investing in a tapered binding bit. They're like $10 and it takes all the guesswork out about depth and possibly using too small or large a regular bit.

[reckless toboggan]

It's actually pretty ironic. It's not that difficult, but there are plenty of things that can go wrong. This thread is full of people who have had trouble. IMO, there's probably a way higher percentage of people that have had problems while mounting their own bindings then those who have had problems from shops messing up their mounts.

I agree.

[mattig]

Which binding is this again that strips if you try to snug it down? Feels like fake news, but I'll try to keep an open mind.

I know my sths have bumps near the end of the screw travel.

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[mtskibum16]

Which binding is this again that strips if you try to snug it down? Feels like fake news, but I'll try to keep an open mind.

I know my sths have bumps near the end of the screw travel.

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Eh, I think you're missing what we're talking about. It's "fake news" for the guys that have some experience, but it's a somewhat common thing for people with less experience mounting. Just discussing the fact that the screw can start threading in to the binding "screw keeper" section then if you're not pressing down hard enough and it doesn't instantly grab the hole in the ski you can end up with a gap between the two. I have had this happen (minimally) with pivot/fks. I haven't mounted any other bindings.

To clarify and use an extreme example, imagine you spin your screw halfway in to the binding holes so like half the screw is sticking out under the binding. Then you start threading it in to the ski. There will be a gap between the two and the screw will want to stop before it's all the way in the ski. If you keep going you'll either strip the ski hole or the binding hole (which would allow the gap to close).

Edit to say, it's not as big of a deal as maybe I'm making it out to be, but it's enough to cause some concern for people without much experience.

[dschane]

Need help, mounting some junior skis tomorrow with Marker Free bindings.. cant seem to find any junior templates, may need to make something and I have not mounted anything without a template... any advice?


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Can't say it's the correct template for Marker Free, but this helped me out:

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...paper-template

[homebrewd]

On a scrap piece of solid core plywood or a 2x4:
Locate boot center on the ski
Beer
Locate the toe & mark the holes
Beer
Put the heel in the middle of its adjustment range
Beer
Locate the heel best you can using the boot & mark the holes
Beer
Drill baby drill
Beer
Adjust forward pressure
Beer
Set din
Beer

Then try it for real on the skis

I approve this method. Q

[dcpnz]

Well, finally got my shiftys mounted. Successfully used and cleaned the kitchen counter before the other half even knew I had a new setup.
Lucknau's template is good - although now after reading the shift failure thread i'd probably move the center nub back 1mm to allow for flex.

Not sure how long this combo will last - its a bit heavy for heading uphill for a weight weenie like myself @ 3.0kg per

[mtskibum16]

Well, finally got my shiftys mounted. Successfully used and cleaned the kitchen counter before the other half even knew I had a new setup.
Lucknau's template is good - although now after reading the shift failure thread i'd probably move the center nub back 1mm to allow for flex.

Why does the toe system need to allow for flex when alpine bindings are all rigidly mounted? Id probably rather reduce rebound flex than have the toe of my binding pop off.