kamran Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I know F2 and bomber and catek are all selling them, but are they all the same? same material? I have race physics myself, so personally I don't own any regular intec heel. The reason I am asking is that I may replace my bindings and therefore concerned about the heel piece now. I heard that if the plastic heel would break (or any other component of the intec heel for that matter) there is no point of having a very well built binding. thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschurman Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 They are all the same. They are manufactured by F2 and resold by Bomber and Catek. They are a little different from year to year but mostly the same. At least they are the same material from year to year. ->Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamran Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Thanks Ben. The reason I got so concerned is because I heard one of these failed and hurt a fellow carver badly. I guess there is no choice then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschurman Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I haven't had any failures on mine but I don't have that many days on a set yet. I always carry at least another set of cables with me to the mountain but more often then not I have another set of heels with me in case something breaks. The only thing that I have heard breaking is the cables. If the cable breaks you can't get out of the board unless you take your foot out of the boot and then you have a big ol' wet sock. I would also suggest that you keep the pins and the cable lubricated with a synthetic grease. I prefer Pedros Syn Grease for all my binding bolts/Intec ramps and pins. One modification that I can highly recommend is to replace the phillips head screws that hold the heels on with an M5 x 20mm stainless hex cap screw. Much eaiser to torq properly and you won't strip the head with the hex wrench. You can get them on mcmaster.com. It's part number 91292A128. I know that Jasey Jay races on the Intec heels so I would think that they are at least somewhat durable. Just make sure that the bolts are tight before you go out everyday. ->Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagen Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hi Ben, I just looked those screws up. And they also have them in type 316 stainless steel. They say it's more corrosion resistant than the 18-8 stainless steel. Any reason not to get those instead? Hagen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschurman Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Nope, none at all. I've used both types, so get either one. ->Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I broke one but it was my own fault - let the screws get loose. Check those screws every once in a while, and you should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Nate W: Didn't you have one of the pins shear on you once? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainless Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 As an aside - an 18 year old boarder died at a Tahoe resort last weekend. Buried himself head-first into a tree-well full of powder and presumably asphyxiated because he was unable to release from his bindings. Sounds a freak accident, but my patrol director said it has happened before. I ride with intec heels - and although I don't ride a whole lot of powder, I'm reassured that the binding release is close to my knee and within easy reach. You just never know. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Yeah, I busted a pin on my first pair of intec heels, on the first or second day I rode them. I didn't notice the problem right away, as the other pin still held my boot in well enough. I swapped the heel and kept riding intecs and have not had a pin failure since (or cable failure). Also heard from someone else who broke a pin on the first day, and that's the only other pin breakage I've heard of. I suspect that the dead pins were just plain defective, and if a pin is going to break, it's probably going to break on the first day. Or maybe I just sleep easier by telling myself that. Any metallurgists want to weigh in on this issue? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 That's pretty amazing, those pins look like they have a lot of strength. I'm gonna start paying a lot more attention to my gear from now on. Looking for cracks in the heels once in a while, stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 "[...] those pins look like they have a lot of strength. " I agree, they do look pretty damn strong. And other than that first one, mine have all held up just fine. So I still feel pretty good about them overall. The main problem I have with Intec is with the heels loosening. Nothing catastrophic yet, I just keep an allen wrench with me to tighten them up periodically. (I converted from phillips hardware too. More torque, smaller/lighter tool, and no stripping, what's not to like?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 I've been lucky, never had them loosen yet. The last guy I talked to that had this problem didn't have T-nuts in the boots, it turned out that he had one of the boot types that didn't come with them (and the reason Intec heels come with an extra set). I assume that's not your problem. Have you tried blue Loctite? It's pretty mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Yeah my old 123s did not come with the t-nuts installed. And because I bought my heels used, I didnt get a set of them in the box. Steve I think it was you who sent me your extras. They certainly kept me from tearing the heels right off. Thanks again!! =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 No problem, glad to help, it makes me feel better about being too lazy to throw stuff away :D I'm going to start taking stuff to the hill from now on, a friend missed out on one of the best days of the season a couple of days ago when he found a broken strap on his 224's after driving two hours to the hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yexotay Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Hi, I was the one that has what used to resemble a leg due to a total failure on my intec heels. imagine full speed and a turn and a front foot release. It wasn't even a crack and a slow release..it only left part of my heel attached to the boots(both pins are missing). It was my third day out on my new heels. If it is a case of some defective parts make it to the user than that sucks because I have pins and rods and am on disability because the product was defective. Who can and how can I get a hold of the heel manufacturer. I don't really want blood I want this not to happen to anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamran Posted January 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 For comparison of different systems, I am putting up a pic of my Burton heel (same step in, other engaging system). I only know of myself and Rob (he has been using this for years) using these. I have no problem with them, but when you wanna borrow/lend boards with fellow carvers, you have serious incompatibility problem. The metal rings on these heels seem pretty sturdy and big. I do check them on regular basis, but as others already pointed out (about intec heels), checking does not guarantee a safe ending. I think this may be a serious issue and I wonder whether other/better heels are being considered (Fin?). P.S. I realize constructing and molding a part like this on manufacturing level can be pretty costly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon G. Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Originally posted by Stainless As an aside - an 18 year old boarder died at a Tahoe resort last weekend. Buried himself head-first into a tree-well full of powder and presumably asphyxiated because he was unable to release from his bindings. Sounds a freak accident, but my patrol director said it has happened before. I ride with intec heels - and although I don't ride a whole lot of powder, I'm reassured that the binding release is close to my knee and within easy reach. You just never know. Just a thought. Don't just panic and unclip! Sometimes that reassurance can mean trouble- there is a bit of evidence presented here- http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1999/12_99/cadman.htm (the relevant part is under the heading "Prevention Is Imperative" about 2/3 of the way in) This corresponds to my own experience- sometimes you have to get out, and ease of exit is crucial, but panic can (and I am afraid often does) overshadow the release issue. Having a partner who knows where you are is also 100 times more important. It can be the hardest thing in a scary situation, but carefully considering each individual movement in a partial burial can save your life. That board may be the only thing holding you where you are, still breathing and thinking and able to move- and able to start screaming for that buddy who is looking for you! And that is what bothers me about the patrol account- "presumably?" the lack of a partner in the trees during an epic dump is far more relevant than releasability- few skiers could reach up and release their bindings in a similar situation- think of the forces involved, and the panic, the twisted body. Counting on that as a solution is like depending on creating an air pocket created with your hands during an avalanche- it might help, if you really have time in that horrible few seconds, but it is very unlikely to make any difference and if it affects where you ride, you are just asking for trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marc M Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Great thread guys. So good that it convinced me to go out and get a set asap. Anybody have an extra set laying around to sell. Email me. Thanx Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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