Solomon Pilot w/o the adjustable binding?

[lobstahmeatwad]

Real ski question:
So I bought these skis used for my GF last year and she likes them but the binding that it came with was a rental/adjustable binding system, AKA "Solomon Pilot System".

It uses an adjustable binding mounted with a clamp type system with a hole straight through the ski from sidewall to sidewall. actually two holes one for the front and one for the back.

I want to yank those and put a standard alpine binding on it. These adjustable are really heavy and the ski is light. Guys at the shop said probably not do to the construction of the ski ie: foam with no reinforcing metal, wood etc. They called the Solomon rep and he said no also, I think.
The standard holes and the current holes would not overlap, they would straddle the current gaping holes. The shop guys also said they thought that this ski was designed specifically for use with these weird bindings and would not flex right with a standard mount.

I was under the assumption that allot of these foam cored skis hold the screws in with the help of the monocap top sheet construction, not just an underlying metal sheet.
I also thought that this ski had some wood in it, from the looks of these weird holes.

My GF is not a ripper she is an intermediate skier, blues almost solely. No airs no drops no mogul slamming.

1. If I mount reg. alpine bindings will it be OK? I will not hold anyone to there opinion, I think it would be OK but I'm a jong.

2.Should I fill those holes with a wood dowel or something else?

any help is much appreciated.

[birdman829]

Is it the kind with the hole that goes right through the ski horizontally-like? I had '02 Scream 10 Pilots that were like that. I think you might be stuck with it but hopefully someone here will prove me wrong.

[lobstahmeatwad]

Indeed, those are the ski.
Solomon scream w/ horizontal holes.
That's a tasty avatar.

[L7]

The Pilot system is not necessarily a rental system although it is pretty much junk. The ski would be built around reinforcing for the pilot system and would likely lack the regular mounting plate to accomodate regular bindings. ie: no way regular bindings would hold. As well is the deck of the ski not slightly raised over the hole for the pilot? ( I don't remember clearly but I'm thinking so). In that case you wouldn't even have the flat surface necessary for mounting the regular binding. It takes Salomon to try to reinvent the wheel and then try to sell everyone square wheels.

[marshalolson]

it depends on the generation of pilot. the first gens you can't b/c the top of the ski is not flat. the second gen's you can. though if it super light and soft, maybe not the best idea, but if the GF isn't a ripper and not very heavy ou are prolly ok. you can tell if the binding is basically a rental binding (1st gen) or basically a retail binding screwed into a metal plate (2nd gen)

the system isn't that bad for intermediates, really...

[lobstahmeatwad]

[QUOTE=L7;966550]. The ski would be built around reinforcing for the pilot system and would likely lack the regular mounting plate to accomodate regular bindings. ie: no way regular bindings would hold. As well is the deck of the ski not slightly raised over the hole for the pilot?QUOTE]

Flat deck, this is, but they did make some with a raised area.

[wildstyle]

If it was me, i would give it a go.

A few questions :
1. does the ski have a boot center mark on it ?
2. is there any interference between the pilot holes ( through the ski ) and the holes you would drill in ? There has to be at least 1-2cms clearance between the hole you will drill and the pilot hole.
3. Are you happy to give this a go in the knowledge you may completely knacker the skis ?

[lobstahmeatwad]

1. Yes
2. No, as stated previously.
3. fer sher. Knacker on.

[mntlion]

I've heard tell of guys mounting the 195 AK rockets with the same binding system tele. remove the pile-o-shit system and just drilled into the ski. I have not seen it, but teh info came from the salomon tech rep...

I guess worse case the bindings tear out and you plug the holes and reuse the system....

[DJMingus]

The Pilot system is the plates, not the demo type binding. You can mount another Salomon binder on the Pilot plates.

[El Chupacabra]

The Pilot system is the plates, not the demo type binding. You can mount another Salomon binder on the Pilot plates.

You're describing the 2nd gen pilot system, which uses a metal plate pre-drilled for any Salomon binding.

The 1st gen pilot system doesn't use those plates; the bindings mount in horizontal tubes drilled through the sidewall of the ski (from edge to edge).

I had skis with both systems, until I realized they both sucked, but for different reasons. The 1st gen (circa 2001 Pilot 10) had this weird "hinging" feel to the tips; the 2nd gen (circa 2003 Scream Hot) skied normally, but chattered too much at any speed, and deflected off anything that wasn't smooth & groomed.

[DJMingus]

sorry, my bad. El Chup is correct.

[wildstyle]

1. Yes
2. No, as stated previously.
3. fer sher. Knacker on.

In that case, carry on sir.

I think you'll be ok. i would use some good long set epoxy just to be sure. That should give the screws some extra purchase.

[lobstahmeatwad]

Epoxy eats foam core and makes the screws rip out premature?
(techy told me so)

Shove a dowel with some silicon in those horizontal holes?
(in case I want to go back to pile-o-shit)

[wildstyle]

Epoxy eats foam core and makes the screws rip out premature?
(techy told me so)

Shove a dowel with some silicon in those horizontal holes?
(in case I want to go back to pile-o-shit)

no, it doesn't eat the core. This is a common belief. The only reason i can think is that people think of airfix glue and polystyrene. Please refer to this for some first hand knowledge.

http://www.wildsnow.com/backcountry-...011-epoxy.html


I'd just plug the holes with some form of rubber bung. Thats all. or just leave it, the worst that can happen is it will ice up.

[Cruiser]

Last spring at the big ski clearance sale at GART I found these same skis for a ridiculously low price. Then I noticed the holes in the sidewalls. I asked an associate and was told that they probably used some proprietary binding system. They were not selling the binding though. This bunch of incompetenet bastards was trying to sell off these skis knowing full well that it would be virtually impossible to have them mounted up correctly. Where is the love?