G3 ION Brake Removal

[Steddy]

Before you call me JONG, I grew up tele skiing and have still yet learned the intricacies of the alpine binding I love.

I just need to figure out how to get the heel piece off old skis and onto the new. Front screws of the heel piece are hidden by brake and it needs to go. Easy for most; drive a pin out, fiddle with a screw driver, pry brake arms out (quote Wildsnow)...

Upper or lower pin on brake assembly and further detail help, anyone? You're talking to a contractor here; I can deal with mechanics and tools - don't wanna chase the wrong thing.

Thanks and I need to go Sat, stat!

[NW_SKIER]

Just dial the adjustment screw on the heel and move it back. Now you can see the screws. Jong

[mall walker]

Not to totally hijack, but is it possible to remove the brakes anyway? I have a pair where the mechanism keeping the brake elevated in touring mode seems to constantly and annoyingly fail, and at this point I'd rather just remove the brakes.

Am I stuck remounting (or filling the holes with inserts) and buying new heels?

[NW_SKIER]

Not to totally hijack, but is it possible to remove the brakes anyway? I have a pair where the mechanism keeping the brake elevated in touring mode seems to constantly and annoyingly fail, and at this point I'd rather just remove the brakes.

Am I stuck remounting (or filling the holes with inserts) and buying new heels?

The brakes do come off but there is no heel pad for flat touring mode then. I thought about that with my first pair. I run the lt brakeless model now.

[1000-oaks]

It is not easy to remove the brakes, unless you just cut off the arms and everything. The brake housing is part of the "forward pressure" system and must remain.

[HukuTa_KydecHuk]

It is not easy to remove the brakes, unless you just cut off the arms and everything. The brake housing is part of the "forward pressure" system and must remain.

Could you please explain a bit about what you mean saying forward pressure system? Is it because of AFD on the heel pad? Last trip I realized that I'm done with these brakes and decided to remove them completely. So today I managed to do this without cutting and drilling anything, just haven't removed brake catching mechanism springs yet. I am looking on it from all angles and can't see any potential problems. Well, besides the obvious one, that I will not have a smooth platform under the heel while touring flat (looks like without brakes it will even be -1 or -2 degrees, not flat). Am I missing anything?
I tried searching on g3 ion forward pressure and found Lou's article on wildsnow about Ions where, in short words, he says that there is no forward pressure on this binding

[1000-oaks]

This is as far as you can go removing brake parts: https://www.wildsnow.com/wp-content/..._3517-copy.jpg

The black aluminum piece that houses the hook for latching down the brake pedal has to stay, it's part of the spring-loaded assembly that allows the heel to move rearward when the ski is deeply flexed, and is what holds the heel in walk mode. You're correct that there is no actual "forward pressure", but people often call it that when referring to the ability of the heel to slide backwards when the ski flexes.

Might be possible to remove the hook from the housing (can't remember), but it would take a ton of work to do it - complete heel track teardown and reassembly. If you want the hook gone, probably better to just hacksaw or Dremel off the protruding part.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Removing the brake on the Ion will void any manufacturer warranty or liability.

[HukuTa_KydecHuk]

This is as far as you can go removing brake parts: https://www.wildsnow.com/wp-content/..._3517-copy.jpg

The black aluminum piece that houses the hook for latching down the brake pedal has to stay, it's part of the spring-loaded assembly that allows the heel to move rearward when the ski is deeply flexed, and is what holds the heel in walk mode. You're correct that there is no actual "forward pressure", but people often call it that when referring to the ability of the heel to slide backwards when the ski flexes.

Might be possible to remove the hook from the housing (can't remember), but it would take a ton of work to do it - complete heel track teardown and reassembly. If you want the hook gone, probably better to just hacksaw or Dremel off the protruding part.

Thanks for the info! I got no intensions on removing brake hook or a part of heel baseplate, I'm happy with the current state which is the same as on this photo. Unfortunately heel brake housing on my Ions looks plastic, not aluminium but still I don't think it's possible to crush something there with my 160 lbs

[1000-oaks]

Unfortunately heel brake housing on my Ions looks plastic, not aluminium

Hmmm, since you've come this far, you could try scratching it and see if black paint comes off.

[HukuTa_KydecHuk]

Hmmm, since you've come this far, you could try scratching it and see if black paint comes off.

Yeah, you're right, it's kind of a plastic coating, not just the paint, but underneath there is aluminium.
By the way, did you remove the brake mechanism springs? If yes, how did you do that?

[1000-oaks]

I didn't remove the brakes on a pair of mine, I just modified them so the brake arms could be swapped for different widths (using Onyx arms, which are the same as Ion arms).

[ntblanks]

I didn't remove the brakes on a pair of mine, I just modified them so the brake arms could be swapped for different widths (using Onyx arms, which are the same as Ion arms).

Hey 1000-oaks - reviving this as I might grab a pair of 95mm Ion 12s to use with my 112mm skis. Was thinking I would just hack off the brake arms as I would prefer a leash anyway. But it sounds like you have discovered a hack for swapping brakes? Any info you can share would be appreciated.

[1000-oaks]

^ It's really not worth all the effort, either cut them off or get baseplates that have the right brake width. Trust me.

[ntblanks]

^ It's really not worth all the effort, either cut them off or get baseplates that have the right brake width. Trust me.

Trusted. Thanks.