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-   -   Can I set my own bindings? (http://www.skibanter.com/showthread.php?t=15101)

Suanne Lippman February 13th 07 08:12 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the boot
size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so setting the
adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old skis should be
fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I wouldn't
worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt because I
would spring for a prudent expense.

Thanks.



JQ February 13th 07 08:19 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 

"Suanne Lippman" wrote in message
...
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the
boot size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so
setting the adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old
skis should be fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I
wouldn't worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt
because I would spring for a prudent expense.

Thanks.

Is she worth the $25 or so dollars that it would cost to have a professional
do it or not?

JQ
Dancing on the edge



Norm February 13th 07 08:31 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 

"Suanne Lippman" wrote in message
...
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the
boot size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so
setting the adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old
skis should be fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I
wouldn't worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt
because I would spring for a prudent expense.

Thanks.


What JQ said. Its cheap, why wouldn't you just get it done right?
Chances are the bindings will be just fine if you do what you described.
But for $25, why **** around? Its her legs you'r gambling with. You bet
right you gain $25, you bet wrong, you have a painful and extremely
inconvenient if not disabling injury.



Walt February 13th 07 09:08 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
Norm wrote:
"Suanne Lippman" wrote in message
...
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the
boot size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so
setting the adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old
skis should be fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I
wouldn't worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt
because I would spring for a prudent expense.


What JQ said. Its cheap, why wouldn't you just get it done right?
Chances are the bindings will be just fine if you do what you described.
But for $25, why **** around? Its her legs you'r gambling with. You bet
right you gain $25, you bet wrong, you have a painful and extremely
inconvenient if not disabling injury.


What JQ and Norm said. Although when I had my bindings adjusted,
inspected & tested early this season it was only $15 and took all of ten
minutes. Depends on where you go, I suppose.

Sure, you can put the bindings on the skis and set the DIN yourself. As
you say, it's pretty foolproof (and far easier than it used to be). But
can you *test* the release functionality? I mean *really* test it,
where the release occurs at X newton-meters of torque within an
acceptable tolerance, not some vague "seems like a reasonable amount of
force"? Unless you have some calibrated torque test gear, the answer is
probably "no".

Take them to a qualified tech. Don't be a cheapskate.

//Walt

alf February 13th 07 09:22 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
Walt wrote:


What JQ and Norm said. Although when I had my bindings adjusted,
inspected & tested early this season it was only $15 and took all of ten
minutes. Depends on where you go, I suppose.


I would only add to go to some specialized ski shop. I left my son's
skies at Sport Authority chain and they were suppose to adjust/test
bindings just for $15. When I came to pick them up the bindings and
paperwork indicated two different numbers for one ski. They just tried
to play it out and finally the service gay change the setting to match
the paperwork to cover up his ... ugly.

Other ski-only shops would charge $35 or $60 or so. I was told it is
worth to do at least once when bindings are new - a few % of them does
not hold to specs. Afterwards, once checked it is quite safe to adjust
them on your own.

A.

Walt February 13th 07 10:24 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
alf wrote:
Walt wrote:

What JQ and Norm said. Although when I had my bindings adjusted,
inspected & tested early this season it was only $15 and took all of
ten minutes. Depends on where you go, I suppose.


I would only add to go to some specialized ski shop. I left my son's
skies at Sport Authority chain and they were suppose to adjust/test
bindings just for $15. When I came to pick them up the bindings and
paperwork indicated two different numbers for one ski. They just tried
to play it out and finally the service gay change the setting to match
the paperwork to cover up his ... ugly.


Yeah, like tattoos, haircuts, and appendectomies, you don't want to do
it yourself and you don't want to go to the cheapest guy in town.

I took mine to the demo center of the "best" ski hill in the state. I
was surprised it was only $15, but I didn't balk.


Other ski-only shops would charge $35 or $60 or so.


$60 for a release check? Does that include complementary Champaign and
a shoe shine while you're waiting?


I was told it is
worth to do at least once when bindings are new - a few % of them does
not hold to specs. Afterwards, once checked it is quite safe to adjust
them on your own.


You were told wrong.

You have to adjust them when new to fit your boots and you also have to
adjust them whenever you change boots. You should not try this
yourself unless you know how to adjust the forward pressure (aka
pre-load) - it's important to the release functionality and if you get
this wrong the DIN is meaningless.

I don't recommend changing your DIN away from the standard, but going up
or down a DIN point is an adjustment you can make yourself. If that's
what you mean by adjusting them on your own, then you're half right..

Standard advice is to get them serviced once a year, or whenever you
change boots. You can probably stretch this out to a couple years if
you're feeling lucky.

//walt

alf February 13th 07 10:48 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
Walt wrote:
alf wrote:

Walt wrote:


$60 for a release check? Does that include complementary Champaign and
a shoe shine while you're waiting?


you right, it oncluded mounting ...


You were told wrong.

You have to adjust them when new to fit your boots and you also have to
adjust them whenever you change boots. You should not try this
yourself unless you know how to adjust the forward pressure (aka
pre-load) - it's important to the release functionality and if you get
this wrong the DIN is meaningless.


worth to know ... thx a lot ...

VtSkier February 13th 07 11:06 PM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
Suanne Lippman wrote:
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the boot
size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so setting the
adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old skis should be
fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I wouldn't
worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt because I
would spring for a prudent expense.

Thanks.


Go ahead and use the bindings, but spring the 20 bucks
it will (should) be for a torque test and put your and
her mind at rest. Make the problem someone else's so you
don't get blamed if something goes wrong.

bumpfreaq February 14th 07 01:28 AM

Can I set my own bindings?
 
On Feb 13, 5:24 pm, Walt wrote:
alf wrote:
Walt wrote:


What JQ and Norm said. Although when I had my bindings adjusted,
inspected & tested early this season it was only $15 and took all of
ten minutes. Depends on where you go, I suppose.


I would only add to go to some specialized ski shop. I left my son's
skies at Sport Authority chain and they were suppose to adjust/test
bindings just for $15. When I came to pick them up the bindings and
paperwork indicated two different numbers for one ski. They just tried
to play it out and finally the service gay change the setting to match
the paperwork to cover up his ... ugly.


Yeah, like tattoos, haircuts, and appendectomies, you don't want to do
it yourself and you don't want to go to the cheapest guy in town.


Hey, what's wrong with cutting my own hair? I mean as long as I'm not
the cheapest guy in town........ wait, I guess I am the cheapest guy
in town.... what's wrong with that?

Chris
5 days

I took mine to the demo center of the "best" ski hill in the state. I
was surprised it was only $15, but I didn't balk.

Other ski-only shops would charge $35 or $60 or so.


$60 for a release check? Does that include complementary Champaign and
a shoe shine while you're waiting?

I was told it is
worth to do at least once when bindings are new - a few % of them does
not hold to specs. Afterwards, once checked it is quite safe to adjust
them on your own.


You were told wrong.

You have to adjust them when new to fit your boots and you also have to
adjust them whenever you change boots. You should not try this
yourself unless you know how to adjust the forward pressure (aka
pre-load) - it's important to the release functionality and if you get
this wrong the DIN is meaningless.

I don't recommend changing your DIN away from the standard, but going up
or down a DIN point is an adjustment you can make yourself. If that's
what you mean by adjusting them on your own, then you're half right..

Standard advice is to get them serviced once a year, or whenever you
change boots. You can probably stretch this out to a couple years if
you're feeling lucky.

//walt




Private February 14th 07 03:12 AM

Can I set my own bindings?
 

"Suanne Lippman" wrote in message
...
I just bought a pair of Fischer skis and bindings over the internet for my
wife. (actually everyone local was out of stock for the year!)
The system is such that mounting the bindings and setting them for the
boot size is pretty foolproof. She is a very conservative skier, so
setting the adjustments at the very bottom of the scale (4) like her old
skis should be fine.
I am able to pop the boots out with what seems like a reasonable amount of
force

Is there any compelling reason to have an "expert" check this over; are
brand new binding likely to be really far off? If it were for me I
wouldn't worry about it, but I would hate to see someone else get hurt
because I would spring for a prudent expense.

Thanks.


If you need to ask........then the answer is YES.

Small expense.........big consequences possible if incorrect.

Get it done (and yours) at the same time as a base grind or complete tune-up
if you do not do your own. Talk nice to the tech, or even better, bring
beer. You can definitely consider the beer as a prudent expense.




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