Broken FKS Heel: threaded metal stuck in heel arm

[Vitamin I]

How do I fix this?

Notice in photo that the arm tube on the right is empty (good), but the arm tube on the left has a broken piece of threaded metal arm inside it (bad).

I don’t know how to get enough grip on the inner piece to successfully unscrew it out of there. Should I drill it out? Or drill it a special way that will allow enough grip to unscrew it? Or what?


.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Norseman]

let er soak in PB Blaster for a bit, then try a small EZ-Out. When that fails, dremel a slot to use with a flat blade screwdriver. Be fine to cut into the arm a tad even... I'd bet.

[Vitamin I]

I like the dremel idea! I've never tried any dremel tools, so this gives me an excuse to buy some.

.

[Dee Hubbs]

Left hand drill bit. It will spin out once the bit catches.

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

Throw it away and get yourself a binding from this millennium.
Just kidding... not kidding.

[Mustonen]

I had that happen. A dremel would have been cleaner. I forget what I used, but scratched enough of a slot in to screw it out with a flat screwdriver. Only took a couple minutes after I figured out a plan after a while of head scratching.

[gwat]

Throw it away and get yourself a binding from this millennium.
Just kidding... not kidding.

Hmmmm
All metal goodness designed over 40 years ago (and basically unchanged in that time).......
Or the plastic junk of current designs......
Ya, I know what I'll be riding.

[tuco]

If you go dremel route, use non-fiber reinforced discs, they have a thinner profile(safety glasses). Also, get something sacrificial to grind on so you can make the disc a smaller diameter. Fits much better into tight spots

[1000-oaks]

Heat up the end of the tube (not red hot, just decently hot) with a small butane torch to crack the corrosion, let it cool, then use one of these: Micro Grabit Screw Extractor Kit. Good to also have the larger kit: Grabit Screw Extractor Kit.

[SumJongGuy]

Hit some thrift stores and keep checking Craigslist for a donor pair of skis with all metal FKS on them. I ended up with a nice stash of Salomon 900 series and some back up all metal 727s for retro skis by doing that.

[SumJongGuy]

Hmmmm
All metal goodness designed over 40 years ago (and basically unchanged in that time).......
Or the plastic junk of current designs......
Ya, I know what I'll be riding.

You do realize you posted this in a thread about dealing with a pretty fucked broken all metal FKS right??

[1000-oaks]

I'm a fan of bindings with metal structural parts, but can't say I'm surprised that this heel hasn't been used for Look/Rossi racing bindings for quite a while. Kind of like the sloppy factory steering in an FJ40 Land Cruiser, it has too many joints.

[Mustonen]

You do realize you posted this in a thread about dealing with a pretty fucked broken all metal FKS right??

Not that fucked. Find an old donor set of bindings or buy a replacement brake kit and you’re back in business. Those look pretty well loved, but that heel has lots of mileage left.

[gwat]

You do realize you posted this in a thread about dealing with a pretty fucked broken all metal FKS right??

Ironic, eh?

[reckless toboggan]

Ironic, eh?

Don't ya think?

[Vitamin I]

The problem is fixed! Thanks for all the advice and ideas.

...dremel a slot to use with a flat blade screwdriver...

This method worked great. Didn't take long, but without a vise, I just sat on the couch using many hands, feet, & knees to hold the binding part and the drill steady enough to keep the spinning disc from walking around as I tried to cut 1 clean narrow slot. In the end, the slot was NOT very cleanly cut, but provided just enough grip for a flathead screwdriver. Turns out the corrosion was not creating much resistance---the original problem was merely no grip at all on the recessed metal.

And yes, I am noticing this winter that FKS heel arms seem to break somewhat frequently for park skiers in Whistler. I don't ski park, and I prefer metal Salomon bindings, so I only use FKS when I buy a used ski that already has FKS holes that fit my boot. But I do collect spare FKS parts to keep them out of landfills, and in this case, I was fixing this FKS heel for a park skier in need. My preference for metal Salomons over FKS is not a durability issue or release/retention issue--- it's that I prefer the transmission characteristics of Salomon over FKS.

.

[Dee Hubbs]

I am noticing this winter that FKS heel arms seem to break somewhat frequently for park skiers.

The FKS design does not stand up well to crashing while landing switch. The intergraded brakes put a lot of stress on the mount when they dig in going backwards.
When I worked in the shop the majority of FKS failures were a result of failed switch landings. Most of the time it was from "Just Riding Along" but once more questions were asked it was almost always a result of a switch crash.

[SumJongGuy]

The FKS design does not stand up well to crashing while landing switch. The intergraded brakes put a lot of stress on the mount when they dig in going backwards.
When I worked in the shop the majority of FKS failures were a result of failed switch landings. Most of the time it was from "Just Riding Along" but once more questions were asked it was almost always a result of a switch crash.

I picked up a pair of 1080s with FKS at a thrift store a couple years ago. They are mounted on a 1/2" plate. I speculated that was to keep the brake from digging in during switch landings.

[Jonny Snow]

It's pretty easy to bend up a set of FKS brakes so they don't contact the ground so much, and don't clear the ski until a full release. Park skiers also need to properly set their forward pressure, higher than normal, and an appropriate din. If a brake gets bent, it needs to be bent back before the binding is damaged.

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

That old turntable heel design is good in some ways and is outdated and terrible in many other ways.

Pros:
1. A heel that pivots with the boot during a lateral release at the toe is one of the safest designs out there.
2. The hole pattern is super short on the ski, which translates into the smallest "dead spot" of any binding.
3. They are made of metal. (But still DO break)

Cons:
1. They are SLOPPY! Just put one in a vise, insert a boot, yank the boot (fore and aft as well as laterally). Watch the whole heel piece mechanism flex... with a scary amount of movement!
2. Forward pressure is not even close to being a finite adjustment. It's basically just a guess.
3. The brakes are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE! This is a huge problem if you plan to use them on more than just one pair of skis.
4. They don't self-center the boot. Your heel will often be off to one side or the other after clicking in. Not the case with most other designs.
5. They suck in powder since they require a lot of down force to engage, and get clogged with snow very easily.
6. The heel housing doesn't actually contact that much of the boot lug. This causes gouging of your boots over time.

I used to love them... but they are so outdated at this point compared to modern bindings, why even bother?

[Mustonen]

That old turntable heel design is good in some ways and is outdated and terrible in many other ways.

Pros:
1. A heel that pivots with the boot during a lateral release at the toe is one of the safest designs out there.
2. The hole pattern is super short on the ski, which translates into the smallest "dead spot" of any binding.
3. They are made of metal. (But still DO break)

Cons:
1. They are SLOPPY! Just put one in a vise, insert a boot, yank the boot (fore and aft as well as laterally). Watch the whole heel piece mechanism flex... with a scary amount of movement!
2. Forward pressure is not even close to being a finite adjustment. It's basically just a guess.
3. The brakes are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE! This is a huge problem if you plan to use them on more than just one pair of skis.
4. They don't self-center the boot. Your heel will often be off to one side or the other after clicking in. Not the case with most other designs.
5. They suck in powder since they require a lot of down force to engage, and get clogged with snow very easily.
6. The heel housing doesn't actually contact that much of the boot lug. This causes gouging of your boots over time.

I used to love them... but they are so outdated at this point compared to modern bindings, why even bother?

I really like the way they ski. Noticed some of the centering stuff.... wonder what that dynamic is like while skiing? Never noticed anything off.... the heel might move around a bit. The toe is locked in, though, and tipping always feels very direct and locked in.

In re: powder, that’s one place where they rock. You don’t have to use any downward force. Put your toe in, reach down, pull up the dildo. Also, never had a gouging problem, though I’ve heard of that.

Forward pressure has never been a problem for me. I guess that could be a pain point? Dunno why, though..... and I buy a pair of bindings for every pair of skis I ski. I only have 4, so I guess a really large quiver could be a problem.

Not so much disagreeing, just counterpoints. Love those bindings. Unreasonably so.

[gwat]

Pros:
1. A heel that pivots with the boot during a lateral release at the toe is one of the safest designs out there.
2. The hole pattern is super short on the ski, which translates into the smallest "dead spot" of any binding.
3. They are made of metal. (But still DO break)

Cons:
1. They are SLOPPY! Just put one in a vise, insert a boot, yank the boot (fore and aft as well as laterally). Watch the whole heel piece mechanism flex... with a scary amount of movement!
2. Forward pressure is not even close to being a finite adjustment. It's basically just a guess.
3. The brakes are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE! This is a huge problem if you plan to use them on more than just one pair of skis.
4. They don't self-center the boot. Your heel will often be off to one side or the other after clicking in. Not the case with most other designs.
5. They suck in powder since they require a lot of down force to engage, and get clogged with snow very easily.
6. The heel housing doesn't actually contact that much of the boot lug. This causes gouging of your boots over time.

Haaaaa!

1. Your forward pressure is wrong
2. You need to learn how to set forward pressure. It is simple.
3. Uhhhh what? Wrong, just wrong. Brakes can be swapped just like any other binding.
4. Your forward pressure is wrong.
5. More likely it's you that sucks in powder. +What Musty said.
6. Hmmm. Dunno. I've put 300+ days on boots in exclusively turntables and don't have any of this gouging you speak of. Your forward presure is probably wrong.

Click into your Salomons (or better yet, Markers), go skiing and stop spouting this fake news.

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

Haaaaa!

1. Your forward pressure is wrong
2. You need to learn how to set forward pressure. It is simple.
3. Uhhhh what? Wrong, just wrong. Brakes can be swapped just like any other binding.
4. Your forward pressure is wrong.
5. More likely it's you that sucks in powder. +What Musty said.
6. Hmmm. Dunno. I've put 300+ days on boots in exclusively turntables and don't have any of this gouging you speak of. Your forward presure is probably wrong.

Click into your Salomons (or better yet, Markers), go skiing and stop spouting this fake news.

I've been mounting these bindings for the last 26 years. No joke.
The forward pressure is NOT finite. It changes quite a bit as you push down or pull up on the boot heel. (try it, you'll see)
The heel DOES NOT center the boot reliably. (again, try it, you'll see)
The brakes are NOT interchangeable. That's why they are sold in specific brake widths.
The boot gouging problem does depend on the type of plastic used in the boot shell. Some are worse than others.
Having to reach down and use your hands in order to step into your bindings is lame. Two-piece heel pieces are much "softer" to step into than single pivot designs.
Also, I'm pretty sure that I don't suck skiing powder having been a pro skier for 17 years of my life including competing on the World Tour Big Mountain circuit, being featured in multiple ski movies and magazine covers. (thanks for the insult though).

Check your forward pressure. It's probably off...

[GPP33]

I've been mounting these bindings for the last 26 years. No joke.
The forward pressure is NOT finite. It changes quite a bit as you push down or pull up on the boot heel. (try it, you'll see)
The heel DOES NOT center the boot reliably. (again, try it, you'll see)
The brakes are NOT interchangeable. That's why they are sold in specific brake widths.
The boot gouging problem does depend on the type of plastic used in the boot shell. Some are worse than others.
Having to reach down and use your hands in order to step into your bindings is lame. Two-piece heel pieces are much "softer" to step into than single pivot designs.
Also, I'm pretty sure that I don't suck skiing powder having been a pro skier for 17 years of my life including competing on the World Tour Big Mountain circuit, being featured in multiple ski movies and magazine covers. (thanks for the insult though).

Check your forward pressure. It's probably off...

My wife put me on the cover of a scrap book, does that count?

Maybe you do suck at skiing powder and that’s why you “competed in” and didn’t “win” the world tour big mountain circuit? I mean, if I bothered to compete I’m pretty sure I’d win skiing my pivots.....

Obviously joking. I’m sure you could kick my ass on a big slope. I don’t ski pivots because of reliability, forward pressure, elasticity or a smaller foot print. I ski them because they have a “dildo”. I and 99% of the other skiers on the mountain probably couldn’t tell one binding from another while we’re skiing, despite what most on this forum will tell you. I know one of my pairs of bindings holds my heel down and the other one somehow makes me stinky. If I cared about all those things you mentioned I’d probably have a 20 ski quiver since the proper ski probably has a bigger effect on control than one binding to another.

[buttahflake]

Shop guys hate these finicky, overpriced clamps. Shop guys love, Tyrolia Attack 13’s and 16’s. Buy Tyrolia’s!

Go on now