Sports & Recreation

Ski Bindings - Hard to self install?

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Sep 4, 2003
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Ski Bindings - Hard to self install?

I just won a pair of skis from [rfdlink=/forums/autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=78]ebay[/rfdlink], are the bindings hard to install yourself?

Or is it recommended I go to a pro?
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MtX wrote:Is it the same as snowboard bindings? You just put it on the board and screw it in.......

That's the part I'm afraid of... btw my skis have riser plates.
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Oct 13, 2002
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take it to the local shop then.... pay for a wax and ask them to put them on too...
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ProfessorChaos wrote:take it to the local shop then.... pay for a wax and ask them to put them on too...
They are brand new, no need for waxing.
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LaLaLand
If you have the type of bindings that are made for your particular model of ski then it should be fairly straightforward.

If they are BNIB bindings then installation instructions should come with it.

Otherwise, try googling your bindings for instructions.

You might also try this forum: http://forums.alpinezone.com, I know one guy works in a ski shop there. I think his handle is RossiSkier.

Good luck and let us know how it works out! :)
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Aug 15, 2003
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CSR wrote:That's the part I'm afraid of... btw my skis have riser plates.
It's really not that hard, shops probably use electronic screwdrivers but I just did it by hand. It should come with instructions too.
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batcave wrote:If you have the type of bindings that are made for your particular model of ski then it should be fairly straightforward.

If they are BNIB bindings then installation instructions should come with it.

Otherwise, try googling your bindings for instructions.

You might also try this forum: http://forums.alpinezone.com, I know one guy works in a ski shop there. I think his handle is RossiSkier.

Good luck and let us know how it works out! :)
They are BNIB, the bindings were specifically made for that model,.... thanks for your advice.
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MtX wrote:It's really not that hard, shops probably use electronic screwdrivers but I just did it by hand. It should come with instructions too.
So is it worth the $20-$25 to let a "pro" - kids who works at sportchek/spokes and slopes install my bindings?
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Sep 25, 2005
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what bindings/skiis are they? if they are an easy to install binding system like the atomic device systems then i guess you can do it yourself, the problem is for some of them you require drilling, you dont want to drill to far into the ski or you will definately ruin it, also do you know how to calculate your own din setting? because that is also important, id recommend letting a someone at a service shop somewhere do it for you.
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SStewart wrote:what bindings/skiis are they? if they are an easy to install binding system like the atomic device systems then i guess you can do it yourself, the problem is for some of them you require drilling, you dont want to drill to far into the ski or you will definately ruin it, also do you know how to calculate your own din setting? because that is also important, id recommend letting a someone at a service shop somewhere do it for you.
Salomon Scream 8 with pilot risers paired with S810 Ti
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... %3AIT&rd=1
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i believe those are side mounting bindings so i guess the fear of drilling into the ski doesnt exist, however id still take it to a shop just to make sure everrything goes smoothly with your new skiis.
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Aug 19, 2005
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I think sport chek charges about 20 for instalation.

not too sure as I've never had to pay.

Also, at the ski hill they have a ski repair shop usually- so you could go there too!

you need to know your weight and also your skiing lever so they can adjust the tension/tightness of the bindings.
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LaLaLand
Adjusting the DIN setting is easy with a large flathead screwdriver. You just need to know what setting to put it at.

On my skis, I have to crank it up way beyond what I'm supposed to have it at because I ski lots of trees and the skis would routinely come off just making a turn. The ski shops would always put it back to the recommended level and I would have to change it back.

The instructions with the bindings should have the recommended settings. However, here's a good site:

http://home.online.no/~stigbye/skiing/e ... ing-1.html
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Nov 15, 2004
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CSR wrote:I just won a pair of skis from [rfdlink=/forums/autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=78]ebay[/rfdlink], are the bindings hard to install yourself?

Or is it recommended I go to a pro?
I would suggest going to a pro shop. They have been trained by the manufacturers to know where to place the bindings according to your boot size and the size of the ski. You do NOT want to mess around with binding set up if you don't know what you're doing and end up trashing both the bindings and the skis.

DIN settings are scaled according to your weight and ability. Pro shops use a manufacturers formula to gauge this to avoid liability issues. If you want to adjust the DIN yourself, like batcave said, just use the applicable screwdriver (Salomon - Flathead, Rossi - Phillips, etc.).
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Just received my skis, wow talk about fast, overnight next day delivery!

Anyways, I have the Salmon Scream 8 with the Pilot system, so it seems very straight foward. I know the lenght of the soles of my boot (304mm), my din setting 4.5 - 5. It seems like all I have to do is screwn in 16 screws... I'm not going to pay $25 for some kid to screw in a few screws.

Pictures here - http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 8756383328
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I work at a real ski shop part time, and let me tell you that it is worth every penny to bring your skis in to a real shop to get them adjusted and set up correctly. Although your bindings appear brand new, you just never know what might have happened to them in shipping or even laying around at the place you bought them from. Binding problems and or improper DIN settings are a really easy way to break a leg or screw up a knee for life. If you spent the money on brand new decent skis, and are going to the expense of getting to a hill and paying for lift tickets, what's another $15 (what my store charges) to make sure that everything is set up properly? It's up to you, but binding setup is the last place that I'd try to save a few bucks.
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AztecSpec wrote:I work at a real ski shop part time, and let me tell you that it is worth every penny to bring your skis in to a real shop to get them adjusted and set up correctly. Although your bindings appear brand new, you just never know what might have happened to them in shipping or even laying around at the place you bought them from. Binding problems and or improper DIN settings are a really easy way to break a leg or screw up a knee for life. If you spent the money on brand new decent skis, and are going to the expense of getting to a hill and paying for lift tickets, what's another $15 (what my store charges) to make sure that everything is set up properly? It's up to you, but binding setup is the last place that I'd try to save a few bucks.
I agree, that's why I went to Sport chek and paid the $23 to get a certified technician to do it. IN the end it was worth every penny because the stupid ebayer forgot to include the ski brakes, or took them out, I dont' know and the tech told me that they could kick me off the hills w/o them. So he actually found a pair in the shop and gave them to me for FREE!

On a side note, how much do ski brakes cost?

I wish you told me about your shop earlier... where is it? Do you have a link?
I didn't want to go to the shops first because they were charging around $40.... which I think is justified for skis w/o risers where they have to do drilling and apply glue, let it dry etc, etc. But with new ski technology and risers, mounting bindings are pretty easy and there should be a different price for this type of mounting (no drill).

Thanks for all your replies and happy skiing/snowboarding!
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Missing the brakes is definitely a big problem - they would kick you off the hill in a second if they spotted that. The brakes stop the skis if they fall off of you, which is really important on crowded Ontario hills. You don't want a ski coming at you at top speed, trust me :) As to the cost of the brakes, I really have no idea. They always come with the bindings (if yours were missing they were specifically taken off by whoever sold them to you), and I've seen a couple of spares float through the shop but I don't know the price - $10 - $20 would be my guess.

As to the install, I just realized that we charge a standardized $20 for a mount, I was confused earlier. We charge the same thing for both the new easy to install bindings and the old screw in types, just to keep things simple. Our workload is probably about half and half of each type. $40 is definitely steep, that's a bit much.

I'm glad that you got things sorted out. It's just not worth risking setting things up yourself when you aren't sure of what you're doing. Have fun on the skis now that you'll be safe.

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