When do you stop using a binding?

**poleplant** · 08-25-2020, 11:31 AM

My main question is for a pivot 14 heel that releases 4 lower than it reads, so if set at a 10 it releases at 6. Should I crank to 13 (I need a din of 10) get it tested by a shop and keep skiing it or is it time to retire the binding.
Other than that besides obvious breaks, when do you decide it’s time to retire a binding?

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**Jtlange** · 08-25-2020, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by poleplant

My main question is for a pivot 14 heel that releases 4 lower than it reads, so if set at a 10 it releases at 6. Should I crank to 13 (I need a din of 10) get it tested by a shop and keep skiing it or is it time to retire the binding.
Other than that besides obvious breaks, when do you decide it’s time to retire a binding?

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Get it tested by a shop and have them look at forward pressure while they are at it. I wouldnt ski on it if it was releasing like that. The question you need to ask yourself is how much are your knees worth to you?

**ZomblibulaX** · 08-25-2020, 01:50 PM

Get it tested. Bring both your boots and make sure they check for excessive sole wear. Forward pressure is super finicky on pivots so make sure they check it and know what to look for there. Not every certified tech has a damn clue how to properly adjust forward pressure on pivots.

A shop isn’t going to test at whatever din you crank it to, they’re supposed to adjust according to your specs, then calibrate the spring so the binding releases in the appropriate range.

Bindings can be calibrated +/-2 to test within range, if you’re having to adjust more than that you should just retire them. 14’s are cheap, get yourself some new ones.

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**Skidog** · 08-25-2020, 05:03 PM

When it's broken beyond replacement parts if i like them. Otherwise, when it breaks.

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**Tjaardbreeuwer** · 08-25-2020, 07:51 PM

I am wondering about replacement too. The rollers on the toe wings are quite worn, nowhere near round anymore. Still tests ok in the machine, but that’s not real life.

**snowaddict91** · 08-25-2020, 08:39 PM

If the DIN was off by that much with forward pressure in spec, I'd probably retire them.

I usually run my bindings till something breaks or gets pretty sloppy. The alpine quiver is 100% pivots now and some of them have hundreds of days on them though.

**poleplant** · 08-25-2020, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by ZomblibulaX

Bindings can be calibrated +/-2 to test within range, if you’re having to adjust more than that you should just retire them. 14’s are cheap, get yourself some new ones.

Planned on bringing them to a shop, good to know the specifics, thank you.

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**gaijin** · 08-26-2020, 06:11 AM

/nothing

**anotherVTskibum** · 08-26-2020, 08:59 AM

Well, with my Atomic 614s, the spring flying by my face while I was reinstalling the heelpiece seemed like a good indication.

As others have said, if the boots and pressure are in spec, that much divergence from indicated release value would give me the heeby-jeebies. At the same time, if it's stable at that difference, I'd probably keep skiing them (I have skied more than one set of bindings with non-functional indicator windows that I set by feel; this method is not endorsed by the manufacturers).

**ZomblibulaX** · 08-26-2020, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by anotherVTskibum

...the spring flying by my face while I was reinstalling the heelpiece seemed like a good indication..

Had a guy come in the shop with a busted heel on an old M51 SC years ago. He knocked his tails on the ground to get some snow off, and the other heel spring shout out, ricocheted off the floor and punched a hole in the ceiling. Time to retire.