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Old February 15th 07, 08:36 PM posted to rec.skiing.alpine
VtSkier
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Posts: 1,233
Default Can I set my own bindings?

The Real Bev wrote:
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.


You can probably get fairly close, and the torque values
for any given setting are a "range", not a single value.

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.


The "leg" in the VSR system has the 1/2" square hole in the top
of the leg, positioned such that the arm of the wrench is
in line with the "leg". There is a small foot shape at the
bottom of the leg to keep it from rotating. It then has a
cable which goes under the heel of the boot and attaches part
way up the leg to hold everything in place. We used to put
the ski, boot, leg and wrench on the floor with a human foot
on the back of the ski to hold it in place. The whole assembly
is at least 4 1/2 feet tall. Remember that the length of the
"leg" is critical for accurate measurement.

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


Yeah, I figured a table would be available, but it shouldn't be
too big a deal to get a newton-meter wrench.

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


Pound-foot is simply more analogous to newton-meter. Pound is the
English notation for weight, which is mass with the force of gravity
working on it. Newton is the metric equivalent, where grams is
ONLY the mass of an object, even though it is use interchangeably
with "weight", it's not weight.

And, of course, foot and meter are the respective system's measure
of length. Force is the unit used to express moving a weight some
distance. If the force is rotational, it's called "torque".

As for "poundal-foot", I'd guess a misspelling or somebody trying
to jargon-ize.

Now, having bought all that, isn't it easier to just go to the
shop and have it done? However you pay for it doesn't matter. I'd
say a case of beer would be good as long as you get something else
for your effort. A case of Long Trail (the local brew) is $18 at
the brewery down the street, a little more in the stores.
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