New (Green and Black) Speed Radical Heel Gap Issues?

[ahparker]

So I just went out for a tour with a new set of Speed Radical bindings (the new green and black version), and I was getting an insane amount of heel rubbing and catching with any slight decambering of the ski. Like stepping into a powdery skin track type of decambering, not much at all. I understand this is normal to a certain degree and I’ve been skiing in different Radical iterations for the last 6-7 years, so I kinda know what to expect. I was getting this on like every other step almost.
Anyway, I thought it was really bizarre and figured the heel gap was off, but it was spot on and the binding mounted centered. Doing a side by side comparison with the same boot with another pair or Speed Radicals it seems like the turret isn’t turning quite far enough or it’s somewhat off center or something. The gap on the left side of the binding is significantly smaller than on my other pair. Hard to tell from the photos but probably a couple mm at least. Was getting this in both bindings to the point where I thought I might be damaging things (probably not).
Anyway, wondering if anyone has had this issue or would have any suggestions on fixing it. I did email Dynafit customer service, so we'll see what comes of that. Thanks in advance and sorry for the gigantic pics, not sure how to make them smaller.

[1000-oaks]

Isn't the gap too small? Thought the top of three humps in the gauge are supposed to be in a line.

[ctsmith]

The gap looks right to me, based on the plastic spacer tool.

[ahparker]

It’s kinda hard to tell from the photo but the bumps are definitely in line. And in either case the gap is the same as the other set, but the weird gap in tour mode still exists. Not sure since everything else looks basically the same. Crazy how noticeable a small +-2mm difference makes.

[whatsupdoc]

Is the rear pin alignment correct (when the boot is clicked in does the heel insert fall perfectly into the pins)?

[ahparker]

whatsupdoc, that's interesting,. I just checked that and they are definitely off to the side a bit where they should naturally line up. It would make sense given how the rubbing and gap is off centered. I measured the mount on the heel again and it still looked like it was centered to me, maybe 1mm off, kinda hard to tell though. Thinking it's a mount issue?

[GPP33]

If the heel is centered then the toe may be twisted. The 2.0 has a rotation feature for the toe so they'll ski fine but when you lock it down for climbing your boot will be off center. Is there a rotation adjustment so you can control where the heel lands when the toes are locked? I also thought the new ones had a spring for preloading the heel piece which requires an almost zero gap at the heel. I'm certainly not an expert on this, just remember what i had read when I was researching my first gen rads before I bought them.

https://www.wildsnow.com/2599/dynafi...ce-shim-gauge/

https://skimo.co/tech-binding-heel-gaps

Edit: after looking at some pics it looks like there isn't an adjustment for rotation. a couple degrees twist isn't easy to fix, hopefully that's not what's going on.

[Spyderjon]

GPP33, the OP has fixed toe'd Speed Radicals not the rotating toe'd Radical 2's.

[ahparker]

Yeah, for the Speed Radicals there's no twist adjustment that I know of and they still use the 5.5mm gap, no spring pre load that I'm aware of at least. Guess I'll head back into the shop that mounted them and see what they say. It does seem that a few degrees off would be quite the tricky fix. If anyone has dealt with something like that I'd love to hear about it.

[reckless toboggan]

For toe heel alignment, back off the screws in the toe piece, not all the way out, but just so the toe piece can wiggle. Then, in a cross pattern, tighten them down, each about a half turn at a time, until their snuggled up again. Recheck the alignment with the boot.

If necessary, then do the same with the heel piece.

Sometimes if you/the shop used a drill only, and didn't use a cross pattern, the bindings can get torqued and tighten up slightly cock-eyed.

[waxoff]

Yeah, for the Speed Radicals there's no twist adjustment that I know of and they still use the 5.5mm gap, no spring pre load that I'm aware of at least. Guess I'll head back into the shop that mounted them and see what they say. It does seem that a few degrees off would be quite the tricky fix. If anyone has dealt with something like that I'd love to hear about it.

Without claiming it will fix it, but you can try loosening the toe piece screws a little bit and adjust the toe, then carefully tighten the screws incrementally til they are all set.

If you notice the toe piece goes off centerline when one special screw is tightened, you want to tighten the other three first. This would be the easy fix, and what I would try first.

[ahparker]

Thanks for the suggestions. That makes sense. Do you find it weird that would happen on both bindings that were just mounted?

edit: maybe not if it's the same tech using the same process

[Spyderjon]

Forget that cross pattern tightening etc. There is a proper technique for mounting a tech binding so that the toe is in line with the heel:

- Mount the heel
- Partially install all four screws so the toe binding is attached but will moved around a mm or two in any direction.
- Install the boot in to the toe toe binding and lower the boot until the boot heel sits on the pins, ie the pins go up the 'funnels' each side of the heel insert. There's no need to fully click the boot in to the heel binding
- With one had putting downward pressure on the boot cuff, tighten the front two toe screws
- Gently remove the boot from the toe binding and tighten the two rear toe screws
- Reinstall the boot in to the toe binding and check the heel drops straight down on to/in line with the pins

So all you have to do is slacken off the toe screws and follow the above process.

[reckless toboggan]

If you notice the toe piece goes off centerline when one special screw is tightened, you want to tighten the other three first. This would be the easy fix, and what I would try first.

Yup. Was gonna suggest this if the general reset didn't work.

[reckless toboggan]

Forget that cross pattern tightening etc. There is a proper technique for mounting a tech binding so that the toe is in line with the heel:

- Mount the heel
- Partially install all four screws so the toe binding is attached but will moved around a mm or two in any direction.
- Install the boot in to the toe toe binding and lower the boot until the boot heel sits on the pins, ie the pins go up the 'funnels' each side of the heel insert. There's no need to fully click the boot in to the heel binding
- With one had putting downward pressure on the boot cuff, tighten the front two toe screws
- Gently remove the boot from the toe binding and tighten the two rear toe screws
- Reinstall the boot in to the toe binding and check the heel drops straight down on to/in line with the pins

So all you have to do is slacken off the toe screws and follow the above process.

Hadn't heard of this one.

Good tip.

I'll try it next time I mount my own fucking skis.

[ahparker]

The shop was able to straighten out the toes and they sit lined up now with the pins. The gap still strikes me as smaller and off center from my other pair. The tech I was talking to definitely seemed to know his stuff and couldn’t really explain it. Ended up suggesting to slightly dremmel the anti rotation stopper thing to let the piece rotate a little more since it’s slightly off center. That and that the ski, Dynafit Beast 98, is softer so it decambers more and I notice the effect more. Guess I’ll just go ski it again and see what’s up, might have to just deal.

[GPP33]

GPP33, the OP has fixed toe'd Speed Radicals not the rotating toe'd Radical 2's.

Missed the “speed”. Sounds like he got it fixed though.