VtSkier wrote:

The Real Bev wrote:
JQ wrote:

"jimbo" wrote:
Well, lots of good advice. BUT, unless the "expert" you choose uses
the device that actually pops the boot out of the binding to check
the release torque, you might as well do it your self. I haven't seen
any rental shop that does anything more than set the DIN. In fact, I
haven't seen any retail stores that do anything more. I have seen
only one "expert" shop that used the device I mentioned.

Just my opinion, jimbo

I seen a few places do the binding test at others I haven't because it
was done in a room that you have no access to.
The tool goes in side the boot and has a gauge similar to a torque
wrench but when the boot pops out it hold the reading.

I believe most shops have the tool but generally it is kept out of sight.

It seems like it might not be all that difficult to make your own out of
a shoe tree and a torque wrench.

That is essentially the Vermont Safety Research system.

1) you need to be able to read the torque wrench at the instant
of release. To do this, the VSR wrench has a little plastic
sliding thingy (technical term) that moves with the indicator
and stays put when the indicator pops back to zero. I don't
know if VSR puts the plastic thingy on the wrench or if the
wrench comes that way.

Couldn't you just watch carefully and note the point of release? Doing it
several times ought to clinch the matter.

2) with those two items you can now test lateral release at
the toepiece.

3) to test forward release (more important IMO, because my
ONLY releases in the last 10 years were sticking my skis into
a mogul and having a double eject), you will need a "leg" for
the shoe tree. The torque settings depend on the length of
the "leg" and the leg has to be firmly attached to the boot.

To me this is the larger problem.

Yeah. I'm even having difficulty figuring out where/how to attach the wrench
unless there's a kind of torque wrench that I've never seen (socket sticking
straight out in line with the handle). OTOH, I don't do moguls or ungroomed
and am unlikely to do anything but fall to the side and roll ski-less for a
while.

4) your torque wrench needs to be calibrated in newton-meters
(European standard) not foot-pounds (US standard). Not a
difficult problem, but will avoid a lot of math since the
tables for binding torque values are all listed in Newton-
meters.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/ and
http://www.onlineconversion.com/torque.htm

Is there a difference between "pound foot" and "foot-pound"? And WTF is a
poundal foot?

--
Cheers,
Bev
__________________________________________________ ____
"Parasites plus suckers do not add up to a community."
-- Thomas Sowell