Shop screwed up mounting my freerides...need advice

**BCR** · 02-04-2007, 03:19 PM

The one time I don't have time to mount my own bindings! I dropped them off to my friends shop with explicit instructions on who was to mount them and and some rookie took it upon himself to take them downstairs and try to mount them for his first attempt... He drilled the rear holes about 5 mm's too far forward and now the heel piece of the freeride pops up when you flex the ski.

The shop already made up for the error and then some on a bike I was buying. But...what can I do to save the skis? I DON'T want to move the binding farther forward or back, because it is right on boot center right now. Can I fill the old holes with epoxy and redrill 5mm's away? Should I shove anything into the old holes with the epoxy to strengthen them (i.e. steel wool, wood...)? Should I epoxy the new screw holes too? They are wood core skis with no metal top sheet. Has anyone had any problems with pulling out a screw that was less than 1cm away from an old screw?

**Krash** · 02-04-2007, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by BCR

Can I fill the old holes with epoxy and redrill 5mm's away? Should I shove anything into the old holes with the epoxy to strengthen them (i.e. steel wool, wood...)? Should I epoxy the new screw holes too?

Yes, should be fine. Plug the holes with plastic or wood plugs. Wood glue should be fine in the new holes. You will probably break your freerides before you pull out the screws.

K

**Sphinx** · 02-04-2007, 07:12 PM

I'd be leery of plugs.

Two holes on my Dynafits are half ski and half steel wool/slow-cure epoxy. Haven't had a problem with them.

**pechelman** · 02-04-2007, 07:58 PM

well it was nice of them to cut you a deal on the bike
but in all honesty, you should have made them make you a deal on new skis

5mm though, MIGHT just be small enough that you could install a helicoil.

If not, have them plug the holes per their best shop practice, and tell them to garuntee their work. ie if it happens to pull out then they owe you something.

this happened to me at REI. They have that garuntee policy anyway, so it wasnt a huge deal.

**BCR** · 02-04-2007, 10:04 PM

They charged me less than wholesale for a 2007 bike, which was almost as much of a discount as the skis cost new. The skis in question started with a "B", ended with an "o", and had a "r" in the middle. The shop obviously doesn't carry them and I couldn't replace them in a timely manner either.

Anyway, I figured that if I can salvage the skis too...then I have a free pair of skis for what I already committed to paying for a bike.

So, slow cure epoxy and steel wool in the old holes, let cure, then drill new holes 5mm away and epoxy those new screws in and I'm good? Any other experiences with this (good and bad?)?

**davep** · 02-05-2007, 12:08 AM

Will your boots fit in a size larger or size smaller freeride? If so, then I'd trade for the other size so that the heel mount can be far away from the extra holes.

**BCR** · 02-05-2007, 10:14 PM

They'll fit in a size smaller, but that would require me buying a size smaller. Thanks for the suggestion. If this is a no go, I guess I could do that...

**GrizzlyFD** · 02-05-2007, 10:27 PM

Try some saw dust/wood shavings and slow (24hr) epoxy to fill the hole in the bro's. This knowledge was passed down to me from up high on the pm gear register.

**HitMe** · 02-05-2007, 11:36 PM

If you're talking redrilling 5mm center to center with a 4.1mm drill, you're left with practically nothing (<1mm) between the holes. Not very much, even if you epoxy the old holes. Might work, but I would not bet my life on it. For peace of mind, I would look into swapping the bindings for a smaller set.

**davep** · 02-06-2007, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by BCR

They'll fit in a size smaller, but that would require me buying a size smaller. Thanks for the suggestion. If this is a no go, I guess I could do that...

It's worth posting a WTT in gear swap anyways - maybe somebody will give you a straight trade for your size. you never know.

**nate s** · 02-06-2007, 02:38 AM

Those skis are worthless now. Since I am such a kind soul I will take them off your hands, might even trade you some big daddies...

Seriously, I have had good luck with jb weld although that was with skis with lots o metal in the topsheet. Even drilled right into the side of a plugged hole and it never pulled out.

**danhikeski** · 02-06-2007, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by BCR

They charged me less than wholesale for a 2007 bike, which was almost as much of a discount as the skis cost new. The skis in question started with a "B", ended with an "o", and had a "r" in the middle. The shop obviously doesn't carry them and I couldn't replace them in a timely manner either.

Anyway, I figured that if I can salvage the skis too...then I have a free pair of skis for what I already committed to paying for a bike.

So, slow cure epoxy and steel wool in the old holes, let cure, then drill new holes 5mm away and epoxy those new screws in and I'm good? Any other experiences with this (good and bad?)?

Does the shop sell freerides, make them get you the shorter pair.