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How hard is it to mount your own bindings?

post #1 of 17
1/5/01 at 2:50pm
Thread Starter 
I bought some skis in Canada and brought them back to California. I was stunned when they told me it would cost $40 to mount the bindings! Is this something that you can do on your own? I am pretty mechanical, and I have drills, power screwdrivers etc. Or am I playing with fire? Should I just bite the bullet and spend the $40.?

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Doug Antelman
<A HREF="mailto:antelman@cts.c
om">antelman@cts.c
om</A>
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post #2 of 17
1/5/01 at 2:59pm
It's alot cheaper to spend the money and have your bindings professionally mounted. First of all , it's alot less than having to buy new skis because you screwed them up in the mounting process, second of all, it's alot cheaper than paying the hospital bills that occur from not setting the din properly, doing a release check, etc. Bottom line, you can and will do more harm than good, spend more than 40.00 in the long run. I.ve seen guys drill holes all the way through the bottoms of their skis, mount them too far forward, to far back of center. Should I go on or have I convinced you?

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If it holds snow-It can be skied!
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post #3 of 17
1/5/01 at 5:13pm
Back from holidays and very tired of groomed runs... Mounting bindings is easy, i mounted a pair of 10 dollar rock skis myself, its rather peculiar that they tend to pre-release a fair bit and sometimes don't release when they should.
$40 bucks sounds expensive if you are just getting them mounted. Find a large sporting retailer as they will likely have the same mounting jig as your specialized ski shop, and it should be a little bit less of a hit on the pocketbook.
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post #4 of 17
1/5/01 at 5:15pm
don't do it. pay the 40.00
I have done it in the past using the jig and drill press under the watchful eye of a tech and I will not do it again. It's a pain in the butt, and hard on the equipment unless you have the special bits and a torque screwdriver to set the torque of the screws, it can be dangerous. Besides everything said above, it's nerve wracking. If you go just a little too far, your skis need more than just top side repair.
If the shop screws it up they have to make good. It's worth the 40.00
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post #5 of 17
1/5/01 at 5:44pm
I've mounted bindings on rock skis. Guess at the alignment, mark holes, drill repeat. Simple as that. If you know how your binding works and know how to set the forward pressure, prereleasing isn't a problem. As far as DIN setting - no shop I've dealt with has ever set my din higher than 7, which would result in numerous prereleases if I left it there.

Now, I took my new skis directly to a shop, NO WAY would I drill a new pair of skis, paid $25 dollars this year and I would have paid $40 if that was the going rate.

As for shops - make sure they have a jig for your binding. I watched a shop guy wing (ie no jig) a tele binding mount.
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post #6 of 17
1/5/01 at 7:12pm
Heck, it's easy.
You'll just ruin your skis & get hurt if you use them.

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Sail and Ski!
Look for crud, it makes u better.
DOWN Z HILL !
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post #7 of 17
1/5/01 at 7:35pm
Yes, what they said. I've had shop techs screw my mountings up and they were supposed to know what they're doing. Now not only will I only take them in to the folks that have the right tools and jigs, I'll only take them in to the right folks. If you like this sport, find a good tech. My 2 cents.
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post #8 of 17
1/5/01 at 7:56pm
One other thing nobody has mentioned is you void the warrantee on your skis if you don't use a certified shop to mount your bindings.
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post #9 of 17
1/5/01 at 10:46pm
All,

I don't think we're being convincing enough!
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post #10 of 17
1/6/01 at 10:13am
Agree with above but not with a $40 price tag. I think around here it is about $25. If that is all you can find then go for it but try and find cheaper place first!

-shea
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post #11 of 17
1/6/01 at 10:18pm
Thread Starter 
OK, I get the message. i took my new Atomics to the shop today and I'm having them professionally mounted. This shop sells and mounts their own equipment, so I assume they know what they're doing. You're right, it's worth th $40 to have it done right!
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post #12 of 17
1/7/01 at 4:38pm
Oh my god, you didn't say they were Atomics.
We Atomic heads thank you for doing it right.

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Sail and Ski!
Look for crud, it makes u better.
DOWN Z HILL !
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post #13 of 17
1/8/01 at 12:25pm
almostoldenough,
Very well put...
you sound old enough or at least wise enough. 40.00 in California is probably about the going rate but at the 2 shops I frequent, it usually includes a new ski tune up release checks and safety checks of the boots. Yes it pays to shop around and you will find that often if you see a good price and present it to your local shop they will try to match the price and sometimes throw in the mounting for free if they can't match the actually ski/binding price.

Yes, everyone should at least learn how to read the din chart and check their bindings. Even if you don't set them yourself, The rental shops are human and sometimes miss something. We all should be responsible for our own safety.

Ask what your money is paying for..

Again, Almostoldenough, well put.
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post #14 of 17
1/8/01 at 1:44pm
Many shops (at least around here) will throw in mounting if you buy the bindings from them. Get the skis wherever you can get the best deal. Get the bindings where you'll have them mounted.
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post #15 of 17
1/8/01 at 1:51pm
Only if you have...

Proper mounting jig from manufacturer
Binding screw drill
Binding Release testing devise
Binding release chart
Certification from specific binding manufacturer
Professional Training

Probably cheaper to pay the mounting charge.

Do it right. Take it to a shop.


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Ski fast, take chances!
This is a lifestyle NOT just a sport!
Volkl G31, Salomon 912pe, Salomon Performa Equipe 9.0
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post #16 of 17
1/8/01 at 6:47pm
There is one more option, but you better be damn confident in 3 things and awknowledge that you're putting your safety in your own hands.

A) That your bindings actually release with your boots at the setting that the DIN indicator displays(this is why a release check is included on all binding mounts and adjustments).

B) that you know how to assemble and mount the binding properly.

C) that you know that you won't overtighten the screws and strip the holes.

You can go into some shops, many shops wont do this due to liabiliy, with your skis and boots, tell them exactly what binding you have, and have them just drill, and tap if applicable, the holes for you. Then you do can mount the bindings yourself. Shops that are willing to do this might do it for a six pack or something like $10. It really helps to talk to the ski tech directly and to at least sound like you know what you're talking about.

If you have a ski with an integrated, predrilled riser, such as some models of Atomics or a Salomon pilot, then you don't even need the ski shop.

Just remember, if you go this route, that your safety is in your own hands.

-Paul
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post #17 of 17
1/8/01 at 8:51pm
Thread Starter 
Just to clarify a few points.
(1) The store in Canada would have mounted the bindings for free, if I had my boots (which I did not). I was on travel in Canada and could not pass up the bargain of new Atomic Beta rides at such a good price.

I asked, and the shop agreed to give me a $20 credit towards mounting, which they did. Of course $20 Canadian is only about $12 here in the States.

(2) I called 3 shops here to inquire about the mounting fees. Two shops wanted $40, though they mentioned it would have been free had I bought my skis at their shop. the 3rd shop only wanted $25, but they were more of a big sporting goods store (Sport Mart) than a ski shop. The SportMart store was a 20 mile drive, so I opted to pay the $40 and go with a local shop here. The shop I bought from is the only real ski shop near me, so i guess i's good to support them, right?

------------------
Doug Antelman
<A HREF="mailto:antelman@cts.c
om">antelman@cts.c
om</A>
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