bobble Posted November 17, 2019 Report Share Posted November 17, 2019 noticed a gap in my fintec heels. i removed boot liner and saw that the insert(?) is pulled and stripped. right now i can't back out the screw. this mounting hole is rear boot, rear-most, outside edge. i've had this problem with almost all of my boots. tried searching for one of my posts. can't find it due to 404 error. i had this occur with red/white T700. back then i was about to go down a steep run. rear boot came out of the binding. went to click back in only to discover the heel was still in the binding! the red/wite T700 boots had t-nuts. i was able to punch them out and replace with t-nuts from someone who had a kit from McMaster-Carr. the t-nuts weren't very reliable so i was constantly changing them out. in short, it was a pain in the ass. the inserts of my current black/white T700 look a little different. i'm not sure if they have t-nuts or a threaded insert (excuse my lack of mechanical terminology, i once got into a heated debate with someone on BOL on difference of t-nuts versus insert). i'm not sure what to expect now. anyone know if black/white T700 have t-nuts? i guess i'm looking for options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted November 18, 2019 Report Share Posted November 18, 2019 T-nuts will have a head (top ) visible inside the boot. Inserts will not . If the head of the T-nut has corroded off you may think it's an insert ( inserts are molded in place and therefor would not be easy to punch out). Not likely that inserts would ever be used when both ends of the hole are visible . Too expensive vs T-nuts. T-nuts can be driven out from the bottom of the boot up but are usually pretty corroded leaving you wondering if they will ever come out. If they won't budge drilling out is your best option. Go slow and don't let the drill bit get hot it will melt the plastic leaving an opening too large for a new insert.Slow drill speed and a little water with a few drops of soap should do the trick. When replacing the T-nuts a small amount of epoxy on the exterior of the T-nut will reduce the chances of further corrosion and a liberal application of Bomber-Butter will ensure you can remove the screws when you want to. Happy tinkering ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted November 19, 2019 Report Share Posted November 19, 2019 This may help . . . http://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/topic/46928-i-have-a-very-stuck-screw-on-my-fintec-heel-suggestions/?tab=comments#comment-477841 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted November 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2019 finally got around to fixing the boot. since the screw thread was detached and spinning, i just ripped off the heel from the boot. i had problems punching out the flange of t-nut. i was using a 3/16" punch and all it did was bend the portion upwards. I thought I would weaken the boss. i took a knife and jabbed it around the walls of the boss. i later tried punching the flange and still had problems. the flanges would bend up. the plastic wouldn't give. I dug out a 1/8" punch and angled it in the hole to get more surface contact with the flange. this worked. most of the flange popped out. one prong was still embedded. the plastic interfered with the fit of the new t-nut. i had to cut away the plastic. i wore a head lamp and every time i reached into the boot my hand would block the light. i was using fresh xacto blades and it was difficult to cut plastic. wish i knew of a better tool. it was an exercise in patience. i had purchased black t-nuts couple years ago from michelle at Bomber. forgot i had them until i was digging through my boot parts. hope these work better than the McMaster Carr ones. i positioned the t-nut to avoid the prong still in the plastic. tapped it partially in with a hammer and long rod in order so i could start the screw. i remembered reading one of the posts about teflon and applied it to threads. i also applied Bomber Butter to the bottom surface of the recessed hole with a Q-tip. the t-nut looked firmly seated. repeated same for other screws. thanks for the advice. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Ktw27AC4h/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted November 22, 2019 Report Share Posted November 22, 2019 If using stainless metric head bolts in the heel, be careful not to over tighten. Check for tightness after your first day or two of riding just to be sure. Here's a bunch more replies from 2015 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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