Brake Arm bending tips?

[krp8128]

Searched a bit last night, couldn't find a how to.

Brought 2 sets to work this morning (solly and tyrolia) to use the big vise. Had a heck of a time bending the 1st arm, so I tired heat on the 2nd. Just broke the arm on the sollies.

WTF am i doing wrong? Please pont me to the how to if it exists. I need to bend these 2 sets today, as I am leaving town tomorrow and skiing Sunday/Monday.

[Mr. Toad]

You know anyone with an oxy-acetylene torch? Use a small tip and aim the flame away from any plastic and it'll bend easily. I've never tried a MAPP torch but I'd assume it will work as well.

[krp8128]

You know anyone with an oxy-acetylene torch? Use a small tip and aim the flame away from any plastic and it'll bend easily. I've never tried a MAPP torch but I'd assume it will work as well.

USed MAAP, and that is how I broke the solly arm.


For future reference:

A Video TR: How to Bend Brakes

Tyrolia Brake Bending

Apparently my AM search skills are better then my PM...

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

Bending brakes often ends in breakage. It's way easier to just get the right size brake. AND you won't lose your skis on the next powder day either.

[El Chupacabra]

I never use heat for bending brake arms, and the only ones I've broken have been FKS.

Salomon brake arms are soft and bend easily; they are probably the ones I've bent the most of. YMMV - all the ones I've messed with have been older models; probably the newest was a 914/912 spherical binding type. Are the new STH/ Z/ whatever arms more brittle?

[gwat]

I never heat the arms and in the few dozen pair of brakes I've bent maybe two have snapped.
A good vise is your best friend. Instead of a pipe/old pole I use a box end wrench to get the arm the first 30 degrees or so then use a hammer to whack it the rest of the way. Make sure the arm is tight in the vise.

[LC]

- Mount binding
- Install brake
- Clamp boot in binding
- Clamp the binding-side of the bend with large vice grips
- Slide a small box wrench over the brake arm (old ski pole works almost as well)
- Bend straight or to 45 degrees (depending on taste) slowly while bracing the rest of the brake with the vice grips
- Clamp with vice grips about 5mm before where you want to new bend to be
- Rebend with box wrench slowly while bracing the rest of the brake with the vice grips

I find this easier than using a vice, and the results are just as good. I've done this to pretty much all modern bindings, never with any heat, and never broken any. Bracing the rest of the brake with vice grips is important otherwise you might crack the housing and/or end up with wobbly brakes. New style Markers (Duke/Jester/etc) are the toughest to bend.

[haydukelives]

Salomon's were easy.Tyrolias were tough. Just like French vs Austrian

[krp8128]

Did the tyrolias on the skis as they only needed a small tweak.

Held the sollies in vise grips mounted in a vise, super easy.

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[cat in january]

Your search skills need work. Been around here a bit too long for this.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...bending+brakes

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...bending+brakes

[~mikey b]

Bump for that reason.

[rip]

[TCNROMPER]

+1 on using heat leads to brakeage…Only time I have broken a pair is with heat.

[PeachesNCream]

Bump. Looking to bend some solly brakes. Looks like heat is a bad idea and I don't have access to a vice. One option seems to be to mount the binding and bend while the boot is in the binding. The other option I thought of was to drill a hole and stick the leg in there for bending. Anyone have other good/bad techniques for bending brakes?

[mtnjam]

Bump. Looking to bend some solly brakes. Looks like heat is a bad idea and I don't have access to a vice. One option seems to be to mount the binding and bend while the boot is in the binding. The other option I thought of was to drill a hole and stick the leg in there for bending. Anyone have other good/bad techniques for bending brakes?

Take them to a machine shop or local ski/bike shop and ask them if you can use their vice. They might just do it for you.

[PNWbrit]

Two pairs of vice grips or locking pliers place one either side of bend... widen as needed.

[PlayItLeo]

If you don’t have a vice, just bend them while on the ski a la Marshal’s break bendy technique. Listening to Kind of Blue while you do it will make it go more smoothly.


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[EWG]

I've used a mtn bike handlebar in a pinch. Stick brake end into it. Bend. Hope. Enjoy.

Worked fine for me.

[PeachesNCream]

I should add that I'm *attempting* to bend 90mm brakes to fit a 130mm ski. Hilarious I know but every ski shop is sold out of solly brakes and the trip is this weekend. I was thinking I'd have to make the horizontal part longer so might have to go for a double kink instead of just a widening.

[XXX-er]

the thing with not supporting both sides of where you want the bend is you might break some plastic parts, it depends on what the brake is made of

I bent a 7TM brake wider using a splitting axe and a chopping block but anything you do to telly gear will probably be an improvement

[HAB]

the thing with not supporting both sides of where you want the bend is you might break some plastic parts, it depends on what the brake is made of

I bent a 7TM brake wider using a splitting axe and a chopping block but anything you do to telly gear will probably be an improvement

Helllloooooooo new signature

[Marshal Olson]

Wow. That brake bendy video is 13 years old. Holy
cow.

[Djongo Unchained]

It's way easier to just get the right size brake. AND you won't lose your skis on the next powder day either.

I should add that I'm *attempting* to bend 90mm brakes to fit a 130mm ski.

Turn up the Din.

[Bandit Man]

Wow. That brake bendy video is 13 years old. Holy
cow.

Crazy...I have used that technique on many an STH-style Salomon brake. Bending 85’s to fit my OG Pontoons was my greatest feat. Props to you Mr Olson!

[waxoff]

I should add that I'm *attempting* to bend 90mm brakes to fit a 130mm ski. Hilarious I know but every ski shop is sold out of solly brakes and the trip is this weekend. I was thinking I'd have to make the horizontal part longer so might have to go for a double kink instead of just a widening.

Please post a pic if you pull that off. That'll take some serious macgyver moves to succeed with!

I am crossing my fingers you find luck in the Solly brake swap thread so you won't have to attempt the bend. I'd trade you in a heartbeat for 130's, but I'm across the pond so no luck here.