Connect the picture with its correct application!!!

Binding JONG question...

I have the Fritschi Freeride Plus binding (max 330mm) with Salomon 1080 boots (315mm sole length). I have had a couple of problems with pre-releasing, and the binding just seems to fit on really sloppily. When I shake my foot, I can sometimes feel play between the boot and the binding.

Also, at neering the end of the day, my bindings start squeaking. When this happens, I usually clean the snow from the red plate under the heel piece, but the squeaking persists and seems to be coming from the heelpiece. Possibly a toe height issue?

When I first recieved the bindings, I was having some problems with pre-releasing, and everything seemed ridiculously loose. I move the boot sole length (forward pressure) in 5mm to 310mm. It felt better, but it still was not perfect.

I took the bindings into the shop, where they charged me $10 ($10.60 including GST!!!), and another pre-release later, I am posting this.

I am pretty certain that this is a forward pressure/boot sole length problem, as I do not have problems with pre-releasing on my alping bindings (Look Pivot 10). That is unless Freeride +'s generally have to go up a couple of DIN like the Naxo NX.01?

I have a couple of questions about the adjustment and fit of this binding:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera036.jpg
Toe height adjustment or front DIN?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera038.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera040.jpg
Screwing the screw while pulling the tab will change boot sole length or forward pressure? Screwing the screw without pulling the tab will strip the bolt?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera044.jpg
When my boot is sitting in the binding (no weight on it), the heel can rotate out of the binding; the side catches on the binding are too far back to restrict this movement. Also there seems to be a ridiculous amount of space between the very end of my boot and the heelpiece. Is this normal with these bindings? How should they be set?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera045.jpg
The boot has been pushed down slowly, and the brakes are fully contracted (they are not fully contracted in the picture). Any further pushing will not lift the heelpiece to close the binding. Is this normal?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera046.jpg
The binding does close when the boot is pushed down faster, but wiggling the upper joint of the heelpiece, there seems to be some play. Is this normal?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera047.jpg
When my bindings were adjusted originally, you could actually see light looking down over the front of my boot and the heel piece.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera051.jpg
The front of my boot is only resting on one of the AFD's when the binding is closed. Is this normal? How could this be adjusted properly?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera052.jpg
I am assuming this adjusts the rear DIN?

I'm pretty sure that the Fritschis should be compatible with MOST alpine boots, and I sure hope that mine are not an exception to that claim.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what I should do?
1. Go back to "the shop", ask them nicely to adjust my bindings properly this time-hopefully get money refunded and adjustment done for free.
2. Ask the shop forcefully, threaten to never buy anything from them ever again if they don't refund your money and adjust bindings properly and for no cost since they did it improperly the first time.
3. Go to another shop and see what they will have for ideas. ie: Mountain Equipment Co-op, Track and Trail. They are more specialty shops so they could do a better job, but most likely charge me for it.
4. Adjust bindings myself with advice from fellow Mags? I am not a certified binding tech. so that would probably void any warranties?

Excess forward pressure maybe? I'd just roll into a shop that you know has a tech who knows Fritschis, with your skis, and demonstrate the problem to him. He might do the quick adjustment for you. Or, if you're comfortable with adjusting your forward pressure, do that and back them off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bio-smear

Excess forward pressure.

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Does that mean that my bindings are too tight (length is too small), or too loose (length is too big)?

Proper binding adjustment is a combo of 3 things:
1) Toe height setting (pressure on AFD)
2) Forward pressure
3) Release DIN

The DIN won't be accurate unless the forward pressure is correct, or at least close. I'm pretty sure this is set by the screw on the end of the beam. Frankly I've never set this on an AT binding, only Salomons and Looks, so maybe someone else will chime in. There's got to be some sort of indicator of FP beyond just the bootsole length indexes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skiitsbetter

Screwing the screw while pulling the tab will change boot sole length or forward pressure? Screwing the screw without pulling the tab will strip the bolt?

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I'm having similar issues, and really really hope the above statement is not true.

I just went down and inspected my 2005 Freerides, which seem to be setup great, have never prereleased. The screw on the end of the beam is the forward pressure setting. When clicked in, the screw should be flush with the end of the beam. *

This has undoubtedly been discussed here before, and probably by more experienced people. I suggest searching a little more or just visiting the shop, where hopefully you'll learn the answer.

the screw at the back of the rail is supposed to be flush with the plastichttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera038.jpg
this one

Others will chime is as well but...
DO NOT loosen the torx screw under the heel. This is for removing the heel.

The forward pressure on older FRs can be adjust simply by tightening/loosening the screw at the end of the rail. It sounds like they have added the red tabs. The Fwd Pressure is correct when the screw is flush with the housing when the boot is in the binding.

How about a pic of said screw with boot in the binding? I usually have mine a turn or two tighter than flush and ski at a 9 and almost never come out.

The AFD on FRs (and most AT bindings) was designed for AT boots (go figure) so the AFD is shaped to accommodate the rocker built into AT boots. That is why the toe on your Alpine boots only hits part of the AFD. Not the end of the world really.

With boots in both bindings, is the fwd pressure the same? I only ask because of this pic
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rcamera051.jpg
I don't have my FRs handy but I know that on the older Diamirs there were black plastic wings that wrapped around the toe lug. I've broken a few over the years. I think my FRs have the same wings but it looks like they are missing here. Maybe The FR doesn't have them but look at the place where the binding meets the toes of the boots and see it both bindings look the same. If these were missing from one binding it would dramatically screw up the fwd pressure and you would feel very sloppy and release very easily.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by sar13

Others will chime is as well but...
DO NOT loosen the torx screw under the heel. This is for removing the heel..

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he knows.
long story

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sar13

Others will chime is as well but...
DO NOT loosen the torx screw under the heel. This is for removing the heel.

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Don't let this statement confuse you. When adjusting the heel piece on the FR+ the two small black torx screws located inline and nearest the back of the binding rail itself(part of the binding latch) do not need to be touched unless you are pulling your binding apart for some reason:eek: (let warranty department handle that on a binding this new). However the silver torx located directly under the bindings heel piece does need to be loosened before adjusting the binding and again tightened when complete.