khoward Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 I recently experienced a second significant failure of my older TD3 bindings. The thread of the bale stripped out of the lug. I ride goofy and this was the front foot heel bale on my right (backside). These were new 3/2011, and they have been ridden about 500 hours. It’s an area of repetitive high stress with steel on aluminum. They have never been transported on a roof rack or stored wet in the car. They have been ridden a lot in sub-zero temperatures. The depth of thread into the lug was as it was shipped from Bomber since these older bindings didn’t have a screwdriver slot, and I was never able (despite trying) to unscrew the lug shaft. Under bright light and high magnification there appears to be corrosion in the lug which wouldn’t be surprising for a contact point between two dissimilar metals in a wet environment. Perhaps this is an area that should be periodically inspected for corrosion or wear and apply fresh Loctite, or replaced. Revision of the lugs with corrosion-resistant steel probably would be difficult to machine and expensive. Anyone else have similar experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 After seeing your failed threads and thinking about it during the drive home, I think it was cyclic loading. I'm going to add Loctite to mine to prevent the fretting movement that could lead to that. Bolted joints are happiest when pulled tight so none of the parts can move, but those joints are loose by nature. Likely a rare failure, but it still sucks if you're the statistical anomaly. Fin added slots (for a flathead screwdriver) to the lug shaft pretty early on, and then hex sockets after that. He used a Dremel and a cut-off wheel to add slots to the lug shafts on one set of bindings. It doesn't need to be pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Good to hear from people who have or had equipment issues since it can be an important learning tool for others. I won't dare suggest that one could repair damages threads since some seem to be provoked by the thought. I do however appreciate the fix that you mention Corey that might help prevent such an occurrence. A future redesign with a jamb nut mite be an alternative. I had one fail but it was the threaded bale that broke at the root of the last Thread . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 1 minute ago, lowrider said: I had one fail but it was the threaded bale that broke at the root of the last Thread That's where all of mine have broken... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deckard Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 I lost a lug shaft screw on my front foot toe just a couple days ago. I always check most of my bolts every couple days but honestly never checked that one. It caused a wipeout when the shaft backed out enough to let right side of bale off block. Not sure if this is exactly related to what you had. After I bend the bale back in shape and replace with new screw Loctite will be used for sure. Maybe it was applied at time of manufacture and just wore off over the years. These were TD3 Sidewinder Step-in’s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xy9ine Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 4 hours ago, lonbordin said: That's where all of mine have broken... had one snap there as well. i'm no machinist / metallurgist, but it looks like a cut, rather than rolled thread, and *seems* like a fairly obvious stress riser. anyways, scared me enough to sell them off and pick up F2's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 the banjo nuts are impossible to find... wondering if these parts be compatible? https://bishopbindings.com/collections/parts/products/toe-lughttps://bishopbindings.com/collections/parts/products/heel-lug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 (edited) Perhaps you can contact bomber for improvements. I imagine it'd be a rather specialized part. The parts from bishop may not be compatible, since the hole in the Bomber lug is not rounded to fit snugly on a squared shaft without turning. See second graph of http://bomberonline.3dcartstores.com/TD3-and-Sidewinder-Parts_c_47.html . Plus, it's sold out. It seems rather difficult to have such a small part machined in house. Maybe Bomber can tell us where they source that specific part. Edited March 19, 2018 by Mord Grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 Bomber had a CNC mill. I'd bet they cranked those out in-house from a near-net-shape extrusion to keep costs low. That was how the cant rings were made. There are a few online shops that will do small runs of CNC parts. Search for "CNC aluminum machining". If you were to model the parts, they'd love to quote them. I'm guessing there's a large setup fee with a small incremental cost per part, meaning if you make lots you'll be able to sell them off at a reasonable per-part cost. But, I'd wait until the future of Bomber is set in stone. The bank likely has a large box of these lugs just sitting there waiting for a buyer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVR Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 Due to stuff like this, I wish the whole sale part of Bomber would settle itself. I am sure there are many great ideas within these members and these forums for how Bomber could dominate this industry, even as limited as it is. I am constantly checking, maintaining, and looking to improve my (and my kids) current inventory of gear and this and these topics make me yearn for this to conclude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 I bet Fin wants that even more than you do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 1 hour ago, TVR said: Due to stuff like this, I wish the whole sale part of Bomber would settle itself. I am sure there are many great ideas within these members and these forums for how Bomber could dominate this industry, even as limited as it is. I am constantly checking, maintaining, and looking to improve my (and my kids) current inventory of gear and this and these topics make me yearn for this to conclude. You know, it's just as easy to design our own bindings and make it open source so anyone can build it and when Bomber comes back if they wish they could also make it. We don't have to wait for someone to do it for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 Binding design by committee! Bomber Online should come to a clear consensus for the perfect binding in approximately 38 years and 1.72 million posts. ;) I joke, but do like the idea. Manufacturing costs would be very high for a one-off binding though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 11 hours ago, bobble said: the banjo nuts are impossible to find... wondering if these parts be compatible? https://bishopbindings.com/collections/parts/products/toe-lughttps://bishopbindings.com/collections/parts/products/heel-lug Yup... "The company started with the legendary Bishop telemark binding designed in 2001 by Bomber Industries, and was reborn as Bishop Bindings in 2014 with the Bishop 2.0." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted March 21, 2018 Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 On 3/19/2018 at 10:59 PM, erazz said: You know, it's just as easy to design our own bindings and make it open source so anyone can build it and when Bomber comes back if they wish they could also make it. We don't have to wait for someone to do it for us. This is an absolutely fantastic idea! I personally am in the process of designing a binding, which is set to be produced in a week or so. I’ll only make one though, and the design likely won’t be perfect. I’ll open source the files after I’ve done the testing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 So there are pictures? I have some lugs that turn about 1/2 a turn and then seem to jam up. I’m afraid to turn them more and I don’t have to. Is anti seize (sp?) better than loctite? I’m afraid if I try to back them all the way out it will damage the alu lug threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 Actually, if someone can send me the measurements for the lug, I’d be glad to mill out an alternative part and mail it to you. I’ll need something to cut my teeth on before starting to lathe other things anyways. I can also try to make it out of steel instead of aluminium to make it stiffer. @khoward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 ^^ Dribble some Tapmatic brand aluminum cutting fluid into the gap between the bail and lug, then heat it with a hot air heat gun (or bring it up to temp in your oven), then wiggle back and forth and it might free up. 'Anti-seize' comes in several grades. Try the expensive stuff on reassembly. No warranty expressed or implied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 3 minutes ago, Beckmann AG said: ^^ Dribble some Tapmatic brand aluminum cutting fluid into the gap between the bail and lug, then heat it with a hot air heat gun (or bring it up to temp in your oven), then wiggle back and forth and it might free up. 'Anti-seize' comes in several grades. Try the expensive stuff on reassembly. No warranty expressed or implied. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 On 18/03/2018 at 3:51 PM, khoward said: The thread of the bale stripped out of the lug. ... Anyone else have similar experience? Scooby had the same happen about twice... In one of the occasions one side stripped out and other broke off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 7 hours ago, digger jr said: Is anti seize (sp?) better than loctite? My thought with Loctite was to prevent the bail from wiggling slightly in the lug on a good part. It does act similar to never seize as well, except it doesn't wash out as fast. Your situation is different though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 Antiseize is actually different from Loctite (or any other threadlocker). A threadlocker’s primary function is to keep the bolt from loosening by stopping it from wriggling. Antiseize is to keep it from rusting and stuck. A threadlocker is actually a kind of glue. I’ve heard of people putting superglue on threads if they can’t find Loctite, but the bolt can’t be removed as easily. The critical failure of the lug is probably because of the cyclic loads experienced by threads, as Corey said. It puts a lot of internal stress on the aluminium without much external deformation. I can’t really think of a way to eliminate the problem easily. Loctite might help, but the ultimate solution can only be to increase the legth of the contacting threads to spread the force. @digger jr, you can try WD-40. Spray some on the crevice between the bail and the lug, wait few minutes for it to penetrate, then it should come right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 If your getting 1/2 turn it might mean the bale is slightly bent and the threads tighten as the oblong end rotates within the confines of the lug. Unfortunately because the lug is soft metal it will suffer some dimensional damage as you force it out. Lube with back and forth rotation as previously suggested. Use a new metic bolt to determine if the lug has deformed beyond useful service. Take Mord up on his offer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 14 hours ago, Mord said: Actually, if someone can send me the measurements for the lug, I’d be glad to mill out an alternative part and mail it to you. I’ll need something to cut my teeth on before starting to lathe other things anyways. I can also try to make it out of steel instead of aluminium to make it stiffer. @khoward Mord - I think I'm just down the road from you and could lend you a lug (or a complete binding) to measure - better than relying on someone else's measurements. We could meet up at your machine shop if appropriate, or somewhere between your location mine (maybe somewhere around Cuyahoga Falls, I'm up there hiking the valley and Gorge Metropark a lot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 Be careful you know what they say about these internet hookups ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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