Duke Owners, Please Read

**Chris Knight** · 02-18-2008, 11:51 AM

Do yourself a favor, and check this area every once in a while to make sure the clip hasn't come off. (There's a small metal clip there that holds the pin through the hinge.) If you discover you've lost that clip, it is a stainless steel 3/16" E-clip. (The local Home Depot did not stock stainless when I went to replace mine, so this is a painted/coated steel clip shown here below). Super unlikely to happen to anyone else. But since it happened to me, it could happen to others. With a little inspection, the mod to keep this from happening at all in the future should be pretty obvious, so I'll let you figure it out for yourselves.

**bio-smear** · 02-18-2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Knight

the mod to keep this from happening at all in the future should be pretty obvious

Rivet head and bucking bar, just what I was thinking. Mushroom that sucker.

**pechelman** · 02-18-2008, 11:59 AM

eek!

That is one good catch man!
How did you find it \ notice it?

also, while the stainless clip might be better for corrosion, that carbon steel\spring still clip is actually stronger and might stand a better chance at staying on there. Just keep an eye on it for corrosion, which shouldnt be a big problem since its painted, and youll be fine.

as far as a mod, you could just put down glue over that pivot
something like goopy RTV?
bucking that head and mushrooming it sounds a bit aggressive.

sidenote
Naxo's have a similar clip that holds the entire toe to the peice of threaded rod that does toe height adjustment that worked loose on me before.

**Chris Knight** · 02-18-2008, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

That is one good catch man!How did you notice it?

The hinge pin was no longer flush on the opposite site, and was beginning to work itself out. Just caught my eye when I was adjusting them for AT boots from my alpines.

That carbon steel\spring still clip is actually stronger and might stand a better chance at staying on there. Just keep an eye on it for corrosion, which shouldn't be a big problem since its painted, and you'll be fine.

Thanks. I'm dropping off about 10 of these at Marshal's FYI for any future needs.

As far as a fix...

When you get the chance, take a close look at the opposite side, and see if it's completely flush (pin head all the way against the side of the binding).
If not, grab a mallet and tap that head down flush, and then flip it over and tell me if the E-clip is still well inside/below the relief of plastic half curve retaining lip.

**pechelman** · 02-18-2008, 02:43 PM

that last part addressed to me?
i dont own dukes and ive not really fondled them enough to know the answer to that.

i assume now though theres something im missing. why so cryptic though?

**tigerstripe40** · 02-18-2008, 02:47 PM

What about a tack weld to permanantly affix the clip to the pin?
IF it ever needed to be removed, a dremel would make QUICK work of it?
Or even just a touch of epoxy?

*thinking*

**Chris Knight** · 02-18-2008, 02:48 PM

Pechelman, no, that was a general request. I want to know if what I see is the same as others.

I plan to put a dab of glue or epoxy there on the clip, but I'm more interested in the other thing. When I tapped the pin all the way flush, the groove in the pin for the E-clip (and thus, where the E-clip sits when clipped in place) looked like it was at the level of or even just a hair higher/further out than the height of the plastic retaining circle. I think the pin might be a little too long, but I need some other people to look at it, and I ran out of time. Plus, mine could be an exception.

Solution in that case is fairly easy, just need a super skinny washer to go on the side opposite the E-clip, so that the clip sits lower in the retaining circle. I may do this anyway when I get around to it. I expect this is a freak thing - hell, for all I know my binding came without the E-clip in the first place. But I thought I'd mention it so people can do a quick check for the clip every once in a while.

**pechelman** · 02-18-2008, 02:57 PM

ah
gotcha

thats a decent improvement, but not a fix all in itself as im sure the pin rotates a little.
also it would seem to have to rotate if you intend to get the E-Clip on there to being with.

your method + some glue should help fix it

other than that, id say to order a better snap ring
one with two safety wire holes to secure or perhaps even better yet, a spiral snapring that has 360* coverage and some overlap (probably the best way to go).

I cant get a link to the page cause of how they have it organized
but goto www.mcmaster.com
search snap ring

**Conundrum** · 02-18-2008, 07:13 PM

Just checked and I'm missing one of those clips too. Arg!

**FrankZappa** · 02-18-2008, 08:17 PM

Maybe try changing to a circlip instead of the one you show. Those are much harder to get off/on/ - more circumfrence I think.

Also, before reassemble I'd check the surfaces below the clip to make sure thay are smooth and free of burrs. Something like wear could be catching the clip on rotation and assisting in opening it. Grease it around there too!

**ZomblibulaX** · 02-18-2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Knight

When you get the chance, take a close look at the opposite side, and see if it's completely flush (pin head all the way against the side of the binding). If not, grab a mallet and tap that head down flush, and then flip it over and tell me if the E-clip is still well inside/below the relief of plastic half curve retaining lip.

Mine are basically new, and with the pin head flush, the E-clip is below the plastic half-ring, with only a fraction of a millimeter between the clip and the binding proper. (in other words, it looks alot like your picture.) That would have to be one very thin washer...