Updated Dynafit Binding Mount Template Jig
I made a new Dynafit mounting template that includes hole positions for Radical series Dynafit backcountry skiing bindings. Don’t have any Radicals here at the moment, but last winter I verified the 12 mm dimension for how much farther forward the front/front pair of holes is, so I put those on the template. It’s linked from our Dynafit home mounting instructions. Would rather not link to it directly, as it’s best all users are routed through the mounting instructions page. Just a heads up for all of you WildSnowers, as I know our templates get used quite a bit. If you use the template, as always verify scale of printout as well as hole positions by comparing template to physical binding as well as measuring the scale dimension box included on the template.
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43 Responses to “Updated Dynafit Binding Mount Template Jig”
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Nice! Might differentiate the hole patterns somehow (Color? One dotted, one solid?)? It’d be a shame if someone accidentally put extra holes in a ski….
Charlie, thanks, a good mechanic can just compare binding to the marks on the paper, and X out the wrong holes. I’ll look at making the new ones look a bit different, but no color as plenty of these are still printed on greyscale laser printer.
Hi. Nice Dnynafit template. It seems as if the new updated template does not have a pivot point line on it. Am I missing it? I assume it might be halfway between the font and back holes for the older 5 screw pattern. What about the new pattern?
Thanks for the info Lou. I bought a really nice Plum jig last season, but it has the old Dynafit pattern only. I will probably drill some holes in it to match the new hole pattern.
Hi Lou,
I mounted a pair if Dynafits before with a paper template, and noticed that after mounting, the heel plate of my boot was about 0,5mm out of center in relation to the pins of the backbinding. This was not a big problem anyway, the binding worked.
Probably this is because it was the first time i done this… I think this must have been caused by drilling the front holes where the drill bit(s) did not grabbed exactly into the centerpointed marks on the ski.
Now i’m planning to mount my new pair of skies, and the perfectionist in me wants to be sure that it’s absolutely perfect this time.
I was thinking of making first a jig from +/-30mm multiplex woodplate, which i can make over and over , and try it on a test ski or woodplate until perfect .
I would be happy with some advice about what went wrong the first time, and what my new plan is.
Greetings,
Rik
Rik, where things go awry in Dynafit mounting usually comes from holes being drilled slightly off and then inserting crude wood screws that can even shift farther in the wrong direction. Also, all ski bindings have manufacturing tolerances that are not exactly aerospace spec. Thus, ski binding mounting is really not a precise system, and the Dynafit/tech bindings show error much more obviously than other bindings. What I suggest is just do the best job you can, then correct by shifting the toe unit till everything lines up. I cover that in my binding mount instructions. Even when using a commercial mounting jig for Dynafit, I still find that almost every mount requires a fine tune of alignment.
Darrell, I’ll put a pivot point line on the template, but it’s really not that important to the mounting process. Instead, you can simply place binding toe on the boot, set the boot on the ski in position, mark screw locations for toe unit, line template up with screw locations, etc.
Hi Lou. Thanks for this – you posted it just in time! I did find that the front-back spacing of the toe holes on my speed radicals was 1mm greater than the template (39mm vs. 38mm on the template). Don’t know if you had a beta pair and they changed it or whether my printer was doing weird things (although everything else lined up and the box was 1″ square).
The other thing that surprised me about the speeds is that they do not seem to come with the steel crampon plate shown mounting on top the toepiece. I received two different pairs from two different retailers like that. I have a query into Salewa about this – any insight?
May have to just do a different template for the Radicals. Dang. Next week.
Thanks Lou.
Actually, It does matter to me as I’m mounting up a pair of Beta test TTS telemark bindings.
http://www.wasatchski.com/index.htm
I know… eventually I’ll discover a heel unit that attaches directly to the ski and it will be this really cool eye opening experience. Me and the other 8 tele skiers that visit this site will then be conflicted and loose sleep over what to do next.
Thanks
@Lou/Mike, I just put it up against our jig and can confirm that the Radical toes appear to be about a mm too short on your template.
Mike, send me an email with your contact info and I’ll make sure you get some crampon attachments.
“” What I suggest is just do the best job you can, then correct by shifting the toe unit till everything lines up “”
I used the same idea to mount free rides so the bar comes down dead centered in the heel piece
1st mount the heel piece dead center on the ski then mount the toe piece with 1 screw and let the toe piece pivot to line up perfectly with the heel piece before I drilled
I didn’t need or use a template
John, I’m changing template today. Thanks for the feedback.
Just moved the forward pair of Radical holes 1 mm forward. Working on pivot/pins line, as some folks like having that.
Lou – Somewhat off-topic but can you direct me to any posts that talk about using AT boots in an alpine bindings? I’m sure the topic has been covered.
My wife loves her BD Shiva’s but I’d like to lighten up her BC setup by ditching her Fritschis and going Dynafit. This would mean using a vibram sole with her Salomon mounted Volkls. Ideally, she’d have some light, BC-dedicated AT boots but that’s not in the budget right now.
Is this still a no-no with newer movable AFDs and toe pieces that accommodate the increased height of AT soles? Euros run this all the time, no?
Biggsie, we used to cover that quite a bit. It’s usually a simple matter of 1. Using a binding with a good sliding AFD that interacts with the AT boot sole correctly, and 2. Having an adjustable toe height for the binding toe unit. Even after that, sometimes it just doesn’t work all that well due to sole rocker and such. As a result sometimes the sole has to be ground down.
We’ve stopped talking about it much because bindings such as all the Markers do such a good job of being alpine bindings.
I’d suggest just going with one of the Marker bindings for the alpine setup, even if you don’t use it for touring. Just get the Tour F 10.
I just finished my dynafit mounting job today. I drilled & screwed only the front hole with the paper jig, positioned the boot and used the toe binding itself as jig to pre-drill the other 4 front holes (& finished the drilling without toe unit). The holes in the plastic toe piece are exact 4,1mm, so perfect as jig for a bit of 4,1mm! For the heel i used the paper jig. Now the winter cannot come fast enough to try my new setup!
Greetings,
Rik
Thanks Lou. We’re already partial to the Marker Griffons so maybe we’ll see if a shop is willing to run them through some tests for us. Most here in CA aren’t willing to run an AT boot in an alpine binding through their test rig.
Lou, I’ve mounted multiple pairs of Dynafits using the technique detailed on Wildsnow. Now I’m holding a pair of speed radicals, and without a front center screw to pivot off, I’m am wondering if you’ve any advice on lining up the heel?
Stew, if you are in the Aspen area you can borrow my Plum jig to perfectly center the holes for the front screws. You would have to space them front/rear as the spacing is for the older Dynafit pattern. I’d drill the front screws, mount the binding, and then mark the rear two screws of the toe piece after aligning your boot heel.
Lou, got a Dynafit toepiece conundrum. I have some first generation Vertical STs mounted on a pair of last year’s Manaslus. These bindings probably have 50 days on them, so they’re not new, but definitely not ready for the big box o’ binding parts. So, here’s the deal. The tour lever now flips all the way vertical with almost no resistance, and they pop off whilst touring (usually on sketch sidehills, of course). I don’t remember this happening on the skis that I took them off of… I can’t see any physical problems… what am I missing?
@John – The new toepiece still has the same position for the back holes. I would drill those first then move the jig forward to drill the very front holes.
@Norqski – the toepiece probably isn’t sitting flat on the baseplate or the baseplate isn’t sitting flat on the ski. Check your mount.
Norq, sometime on remounts you get some goobers in there that hold the components up from seating, as John alludes to. Also, if you have not done so drill out the base plate holes so the screws don’t thread in the plastic (but still fit tight), which sometimes causes a very annoying “double thread” effect that holds the base plate up off the ski. (This is less of a problem with Radical than with previous ST/FT, but I still carefully drill out the base plate holes). Use a bit of epoxy in everything, to fill spaces and seal from moisture.
Stew, just pick one of the 4 holes and start with that one. Be extra careful that 4 holes are on layout since you don’t have the 5th to rely on for reference.
Ah, I did in fact not pre drill the inserts, and I do see a tiny bit of gap below the base plate. Will re-mount…. but it just doesn’t seem like a little bit of “base plate lift” should cause this kind of malfunction – they don’t seem related. Will let you know the outcome in a day or two… thanks
Just noticed this interesting document:
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/uploads/black-diamond/files/F11_BD_Mounting_Specs.pdf
Mainly specific to BD skis and their tele bindings, but some interesting points in general.
Here’s one thing I’ve always wondered about:
“Don’t re-use old screws that have c… plugged in the threads. When you screw that into a new ski you are cutting c…py threads into the core and compromising strength.”
So okay, that makes sense. But what’s the solution, buy a new set of binding screws each time you transfer bindings. Or how about a [relatively] easy way to clean the threads of old screws?
Easy solution, wire brush the threads. I stick the head of the screw in my bench vise or a pair of vise grips, and use a small wire wheel on an electric drill. I almost always clean out my screw threads, these especially necessary when using epoxy, though if the screw it heated before removal it sometimes comes out nearly totally clean. Lou
Super, thanks — off to the local Home Deposit store!
I just had a pair of K2 Sidstash skis mountaed with a pair of Tri Step Dynafits I had on a pair of BD Mira’s. I the bindings have little time on them. I skied them three or four times with no problem pre-releasing and took no falls that would require a release. Then I noticed that he gap between my heel and boot was only about 2 -3mm. I backed the adjustment out to about 6mm using the three nickle suggestion you gave in one of your articles as I couldn’t find my gap shim. Now when I stomp down on the ski after getting in the toe mount, it opens up causing a release. Of course I won’t ski on the skis until I rrecktify the issue.
My concern is that the shop that mounted the bindings didn’t check to make sure the gap was right and mounted the heal too close to the boot. After I backed the binding back the to 6mm there is a pre-release problem. Would I be accurate in that assumption? I hope not as I don’t want to have the skis re-mounted…they are brand new. Thanks, Lars
Hi Lars,
I just measured my shim, it’s 5,25mm thick. It’s a little ball shape whith a thinner plate.This ball makes sure that you have only a little point of contact for adjusting the position. It’s maybe better to use something else than nickles?
Regards,
Rik
I just got a pr of 178 Manaslu’s with Dynafit bindings mounted in the position indicated on the ski. The problem is they seem to be pretty far back on the ski. When I compare the centerline on the boot to what I assume is the boot center line on the ski (red line across one ski), the boot center in about 20mm aft. Also, when compared to the same length alpine ski, the Dynafits are again about 20mm aft. Any insight? Can I move these forward without damaging the ski?
Yoda, they should have two options for which inserts you use, try using the forward set. Lou
Oops. Rear hole spacing on the latest Wildsnow Dynafit mounting template is just over 37mm. It should be 36. All other dimensions are perfect (Radical and Vertical).
Thanks Geof, I’ll work on that tonight or tomorrow! Someone else pointed that out as well.
What’s weird, is I verified that with a binding. Perhaps I had a binding that was out of gamut….
‘best, Lou
Geof, I fixed it (I think), please check. Be sure your browser cache is cleared so you get the latest.
My drawing grid shows the rear holes to be at 36 mm wide spacing.
Lou
Did a fresh download and checked: 36 mm, on the money. Thank you!
have you had a look at the paper templates on quiverkiller and binding freedom web site
while I haven’t used the binding freedom it has boot lenght, pin line and marks to centre. they look like should be reasonable straight forward to use
http://www.techinfo.bindingfreedom.com/uploads/dynafit_radical_paper_template_R2.pdf
Q about mounting: I just purchased some new Skis and had Dynafit Speeds mounted on them. At home, I recognized that the position of the toe pieces differs about 2 – 3mm (lengthwise) on the left and right ski. So, what should I do now? Should I bring them back? Or am I too anal about it? I know 3 mm is not that much, but a bad mount on a brand new package for 830 bucks really pisses me off! Could I get an advice from the wise community please?
Thanks!
Chances are the skis are not identical either. Is the heel gap set correctly on both bindings? If so, take the ski with the bindings mounted further forward and grind 2mm off the tail bumper . . .
I would not go in asking for new boards for that small of an error, but others would. I really do no know if you can even notice the difference. Are you measuring from some pre-printed topsheet mark, or from a measured point from a tip or tail? I personally measure all my skis and do not trust the manufacture’s markings. Maybe negotiate a couple of free tunes or something if you cannot let go of it, but definitely bring it to their attention.
Hey Lou,
Would you use a 5/32 drill bit for all mounts Dynafit (old pozi and new torx) and Sportiva bindings? The screws seem to vary a tiny bit so curious if there is a rule of thumb of how much bigger your threads should be than the drill bit.
To the same point, do you like the fancy ski bits with steps? Lot more options there. 4mmx9 and so forth….
Thanks!
I am trying to figure out if I am dumb or somehow ended up with two defective pairs of Dynafit skis. Here’s the story:
End of season time so I buy the wife a pair of Womens Manaslu 161 and a pair of Radical ST bindings. I get the bug myself and buy a pair of Stokes and a pair of Radical FT bindings.
I get tired of stepping over them in the entry way hall and I decide to mount both pairs this morning. I get her first ski done (the right ski if you look at the graphics) and go to mount the using the same set of holes in the insert plate but no! The hole pattern on the left ski toe is off (toward the center of the ski) by one cm and I have to use the outside set of four holes to mount the binding in the same position as the right. You can even see a small set of drill points where the correctly located holes should have been. I am thinking I have a bad pair of skis but I figure that if everything mounts up correctly using different holes – oh well.
Then I go to mount my Stokes. Right ski first, everything is fine and then here comes the left ski and sure enough EXACTLY the the same situation.
So is this:
1. Just a crazy bad incidence of poor Austrian workmanship
2. A wild quiwinky-dink
3. Completely intentional and the reason for this eludes my simple mind?
Any thought from anyone with an explanation would be great.
Mark
Been thinking this over and have decided that what I have are two identical manufacturing problems on different skis from different sources.
If we have hole sets A thru D with A closest to the tip, then set D is in the correct location. All the hole spacing is off (reduced) so that set A is in the correct position for set B. This allowed me to mount the bindings in the correct position for smaller boots but you would need to drill another set for the larger boot position.
I can’t believe that I got two pairs like this if it wasn’t somewhat common problem. Anyone else see this?
Mark, I understand what you’re saying, I think: The set of inserts in one ski is in a different location than the other ski of your pair?
Whatever the final result, NO, the location of the inserts in the left and right skis should be the SAME. This is a no brainer. You need to return your skis to either the dealer or to Salewa NA on warranty. What you have is a simple manufacturing defect (and more proof that inserts are a great idea that never really worked.)
I hope you are joking when you ask if this is an intentional feature of the ski design!
Lou
Thanks for the reply. I will be calling Salewa here in Boulder on Monday.
The comment about the intentional feature was primarily humorous but when you have two different skis from two different sources purchased at different times arrive with exactly the same defect – you just have to ask “am I missing something here?”
Mark
OK – Mystery solved.
I talked to John at Dynafit/Salewa. The sticker that comes on the skis describes the mounting holes used for mounting VERTICALs not Radicals.
So if you look at the ski, the toe mounting has 4 sets of holes. Set A closest to the tip and set D closest to the center line. Depending upon boot length you would use either set A/C or B/D to mount the binding toe. Except if you are mounting Radicals. Radicals use holes A/D only. If you need to mount the toe farther forward you will need to drill a set farther forward of A. And in fact there are small drill marks on the binding plate for this.
Here is where the mind game (that I failed) comes into to play. Not realizing the above info about mounting Radicals, I pierced the skin of set B/D on the skis. I drove the screws through the binding just enough that they were slightly proud on the bottom and put them on the ski feeling them align with a set of holes that I assumed were the B/D set when in fact it was the A/D set.
Having mounted one successfully that way and not being able to see (Radicals have a larger plastic plate) which set I had mounted to I assumed it was the B/D set. When I go to mount the second ski what happened was the forward screws this time fell into the B set first which put the rear binding screws on the ski not in any hole. This made me think that the ski had been mis-drilled.
Any way it works out the both pair of skis are mounted correctly in the correct set of holes. Just wish Dynafit had seen fit to add a note or another sticker about Radical mounting.