Cracked boot shell fix

[klauss]

Anything work on stopping further cracking on boot plastic?

[XXX-er]

using a small drill bit to drill a hole at the end of the crack will stop it from running any further

then just keep skiing them

[Meadow Skipper]

I'd try this, it's worked in the past on some boot repairs.
https://www.tognar.com/urethane-purple-pack-3-5g/

[Muggydude]

Take a Dremel, cut off the little portion to the left of the crack. Then use a small rounded grinding stone bit (diameter ~3/16?) or sanding bit and smooth out the crack and blend it into the surrounding area

[swissiphic]

Like XXX'er said. Then maybe look into plastic welding? I've repaired some cracked plastic auto wheelwell liners by welding with a soldering iron. Held good but doesn't see the stress of a ski boot. Worth looking into. I've repaired some shattered shells in the past for temporary duty with a few layers of Gorrilla tape onto cleaned and slightly warmed shell plastic on the inside and outside of shells. Got skiers through at least a few days of regular use.

Hey Meadowskipper; is that stuff you linked to basically like freesole...or different?

[Meadow Skipper]

I don’t know what freesole is, but the urethane repair is the only thing I’ve used that will stick to boot shells. It works something like epoxy, but better suited to boot plastic.

Edit: I googled freesole, and the urethane repair is different - it hardens like plastic.

[swissiphic]

I don’t know what freesole is, but the urethane repair is the only thing I’ve used that will stick to boot shells. It works something like epoxy, but better suited to boot plastic.

Edit: I googled freesole, and the urethane repair is different - it hardens like plastic.

Ahh, I see. Thanks for the intel!

[Talisman]

See if you can buy a new or used cuff for the boots (ski swap or recycled sporting goods store).

[nickinbc]

The cuff on my Maestrales broke completely at one pivot. I did a quick bodge repair using a bit of sheet steel to hold the plastic together. Do feel a little slop but not too bad. Although Scarpa did say they might have a spare it never materialized so I ended up skiing the rest of the season in them - rather surprised it held up. Now just scored some replacement cuffs (well whole boots) at a reasonable cost at the ski swap so surgery is in order (lowers have been punched so doing a transplant).

[dewam]

My son fixes a lot of plastic fenders and cowlings by drilling the end of the crack to relieve stress (as XXX-er said) Then he sows the cracks up to stop the flexing. He drills holes on both sides then stitches with high quality bailing wire like monel of the appropriate size. Adds that bad ass Frankenstein look. He has told me that if the part is still made a credit card is the best repair. Den

[SumJongGuy]

Drilling a hole at the end can probably stop it. How much more would be lost to just trim the rest from the crack in a circle back around towards the front of the boot to be sure it wouldn't run the other way UP the cuff? Being a stiff 130 it might be on the brittle side and crack again in cold even with the hole drilled.

Also, I heard red ones crack faster..

[XXX-er]

Its a piece of plastic that gets stressed every time you use it, the plastic is cracked you ain't gona do anything to fix it worth spending any $ or energy on short of drilling a little hole

If you like that boot start looking for another deal right now on your terms

[2ndDivision]

Wanted to add to this thread - My boot recently started to crack, so I drilled a 3/16" hole at the end to stop it from propagating, then filled the hole with the urethane recommended above. I put duct tape on the back of the crack so the urethane wouldn't just go through everything. I haven't skied on them yet, but it does seem like a solid fix. Images below (can't figure out how to embed it, so here's the links).

https://imgur.com/vwzc6oX
https://imgur.com/9cTrKoG
https://imgur.com/hHluBW1

[::: :::]

Its a piece of plastic that gets stressed every time you use it, the plastic is cracked you ain't gona do anything to fix it worth spending any $ or energy on short of drilling a little hole

If you like that boot start looking for another deal right now on your terms

kinda this ^^, except that you are somehow stressing that location on the shell...
might want to consider another boot

[turnfarmer]

My son fixes a lot of plastic fenders and cowlings by drilling the end of the crack to relieve stress (as XXX-er said) Then he sows the cracks up to stop the flexing. He drills holes on both sides then stitches with high quality bailing wire like monel of the appropriate size. Adds that bad ass Frankenstein look. He has told me that if the part is still made a credit card is the best repair. Den

This. I’ve seen helicopter c repair very expensive bubble doors using this technique, Seem to hold up well. not as stressed as a ski boot though.
They used stainless steel lock wire.

[XXX-er]

I think the stress a ski boot undergoes is very much more than what the door of a chopper gets, i mean it just sits there and gets a bunch of vibration, cracks again

if someone wants to hack a boot repair have at er but i think you maybe pissing in the wind

[SoVT Joey]

[rfconroy]

Having tried multiple methods in the past, try to get some more life out of the boot, but realistically its time to start looking for either a new upper cuff or full boot.

Like folks stated:

Drill a small hole at the end of the crack, fill with urethane after scuffing the top surface to increase bond strength between that materials. You could also look into attaching a secondary piece of plastic on top of the crack... but again at SoVt stated, you're just buying time at this point.

[2ndDivision_2.0]

my old account got locked out, so posting on a new one...

Anyway, the urethane fix didn't really help. It came off pretty quick over the crack, but did stay filled in in the hole that I drilled. So, I'm calling it a temp fix, and going to start looking for new boots. Will probably keep these as back up boots/for friends to use, but kinda bummed I'm losing a pair I love.

[Mex]

Wanted to add to this thread - My boot recently started to crack, so I drilled a 3/16" hole at the end to stop it from propagating, then filled the hole with the urethane recommended above. I put duct tape on the back of the crack so the urethane wouldn't just go through everything. I haven't skied on them yet, but it does seem like a solid fix. Images below (can't figure out how to embed it, so here's the links).

https://imgur.com/vwzc6oX
https://imgur.com/9cTrKoG
https://imgur.com/hHluBW1

I have this exact crack on both my tecnica Mach 1 LVs. I’m going to drill and try the urethane I think. Thanks for the post.


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[Hood26]

Shoot me if I am wrong, but it looks like you upper cuff needs radiused; at least that’s what the boot guy called it when he did to my Technicas.

When you are flexing into the boot, the cuff need more room between it and the bottom shell. So I would, just cut that whole bottom part, starting at the end of that crack and then across the front of the cuff, just under the buckle, off with a dremel. The boot needs to be taken apart to complete the task, but once it’s apart it is relatively straight forward.

You can check if my thought is right by putting your boots on and flexing into the shins, if the plastic gets out of shape between the bottom cuff and the shell, then you know you have a clearance issue.

I am not a dentist or a boot fitter though, so maybe take them to a boot fitter?

[XXX-er]

wow its almost like you could just do nothing at all ?