Bending NTN Freedom brake

[paul]

I bought a pair of Voile V8 that are 112mm underfoot. My NTN Freedom brake is 110mm although the amount I'd have to bend the brake seems substantially more than a couple millimeter.

Has anyone done this? How much clearance is needed on each side of ski? Any downsides to be aware of? Not eager to spend $40 for wider brake and seems like bending is a no brainer. But once I epoxy the holes don't want to find later that I have to remove binding.

Btw, any experiences w/ mounting position would also be appreciated. Plan to mount boot center of my 25.0 TxPro on the Voile center mark for the 176cm V8 unless folks have found a good reason to do otherwise. Thanks.

[airinwrite]

This is the easiest way http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...bending+brakes

[Dostie]

For your convenience....

http://youtu.be/Rk6yIKnLqKc

[3PinGrin]

People have broken plastic on the NTNs with the pre-installed pipe method shown in those videos. I have bent a pair of freeride and freedom brakes a few mm by using two pairs of vice grips BEFORE installing them on the skis. Just widen the angle a little at the existing bend. Easy and safer. I don't follow why it would be more than a few millimeters on the v8s?

[Ddog]

You can fine tune the bend in the brake arms for clearance once they're on the ski, but move the radius of the bend out towards the ends of the brake arms as already mentioned before mounting. It isn't easy to move the bend just a little, they want to bend in the original spot.

[James]

This is my experience.

People have broken plastic on the NTNs with the pre-installed pipe method shown in those videos. I have bent a pair of freeride and freedom brakes a few mm by using two pairs of vice grips BEFORE installing them on the skis. Just widen the angle a little at the existing bend. Easy and safer. I don't follow why it would be more than a few millimeters on the v8s?

[tele.skier]

People have broken plastic on the NTNs with the pre-installed pipe method shown in those videos. I have bent a pair of freeride and freedom brakes a few mm by using two pairs of vice grips BEFORE installing them on the skis. Just widen the angle a little at the existing bend. Easy and safer. I don't follow why it would be more than a few millimeters on the v8s?

+2....

Also,.... When I rebend the wire to fit a given ski, I like the new return angle to be as tight to the ski as possible, so I don't continually hook the brake arm with the opposite boot when I change leads as I ski. I ski with my knees and feet narrowly spaced apart, so hooking the brake arms can be the result if the brakes are bent outward beyond 90 degrees. Needless to say, this is probably a bigger issue skiing tele because of the more pronounced lead change.

I also have all my Freedom bindings mounted on threaded inserts, so I can remove the brakes for the backcountry and add them if I want to ride the lifts. My quiver of skis is split in half to have my dedicated resort skis mounted with freerides with brakes and dedicated BC skis with Freedom's without brakes. I usually just go out to the car and swap skis if I go from the BC to the lifts or visa versa.

[paul]

I think I'll bend them a bit at current location before mounting. Would hate to mess it up after all the screws are epoxied.

Biggest uncertainty is how the skis will fit together base to base when there is such little clearance between brake and ski.

[TheWheel]

A slight tweak after the epoxy has set will solve that issue safely.

I think I'll bend them a bit at current location before mounting. Would hate to mess it up after all the screws are epoxied.

Biggest uncertainty is how the skis will fit together base to base when there is such little clearance between brake and ski.