Gabe T Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 So I'm about to step-in with my intecs and I notice that something is defiinitely wrong. The intec heel appears to be coming loose as I can see a gap between the heel and the boot shell. It was close to the end of the day so I decide to pack it in. When I got home, this is what I saw... 2 T-nuts corroded right off the boot with the heel screws still in them! Looks like a 3rd was starting to pull out as well. Has this ever happened to anyone? Seems kind of serious to me. Not sure if I can salvage the boots with new nuts as the plastic seems pretty chewed up. Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow|3oarder Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 wow thats scary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I think about INTEC's I see here something like this :eek: I know it's not the norm but I just don't think I want the risk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Gabe I suggest that before you leave the house make sure all of the hardware on your equipment for condition and tighten. I always make sure this is done just as you would check your car before a trip or pre-flight of your aircraft before taking off. I have had the screws loosen on my heels like this as well, the nut plates can be replaced from a hardware or ski shop. aloha Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe T Posted March 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I actually did check the heel screws recently to make sure they were tight. I loosened the nut piece from the screw in the pic just to show that the piece that separated was originally part of the boot. The screws were tight; it was the nut from the boot that had broken away from the boot. It didn't occur to me at the time that the nut could be corroding, but when I last checked the tightness of the screws, I did notice that the heel didn't seem to sit as flush as it had in the past. Not sure about a repair or a replacement of the nuts. The pieces that are still in the boot seem to be imbedded within the boot itself. Seems like I would have to hack away at some of the plastic. Also, it seems like the pressures from the intec heel may have deformed the plastic underneath. Note that one of the nuts that are still intact looks to be protruding out further out than it normally should. Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackDan Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Gabe, You should be able to repair those. You can find replacement T-nuts at your local Ace or other hardware store, in those small parts drawers. I think its a #10-24, but take one of your screws along to match it up (try threading it). I would also get replacement screws, get Stainless Steel, and check the flat washers to see if there is one small enough to fit in the heel hole. Buy 8 of everything and fix both boots. You'll have to drive the T-nuts out, of the boot. I would get a socket wrench socket, that is a bit bigger than the base of the T-nut, so the t-nut can fit inside it. Then put on a long or couple long extensions, and stand that up vertically, put the boot on upside down and take a 1/4 bolt and hammer and drive what's left of the T-nut out. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Did the t-nuts rust? Do you dry out your boots with the liners out ever? Hmmm. Scary regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschurman Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Just thread an M5 bolt into what is left of the tee-nut and then pund on the head of the bolt from the bottom of the boot and the tee nut will pop out into the boot. I have done this on mine before. Then get some new Intec heels that will come with new tee nuts and get new stainless bolts the onces that come with the Intec aparently are not stainless. If your bolts have corroded I bet it's time for new heels anyway. The bolts are M5 x 20mm phillips BTW and I think you can get them at your local ACE. If not, they are part numer 92000A328 at www.mcmaster.com. Usually, the deformation that you see is the head of the tee-nut that has been bent by slowly tighening of the bolt over the the years. New heels, new tee-nuts and new bolts and you'll be all set. ->Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csquared Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Gabe: Some later versions of the SB series boots have cylindrical nuts that are molded into the shell (certainly my 4 series boots are this way whereas my 2 series boots had t-nuts). I can't tell from the photos whether that is what pulled free but if the diameter of the piece left on the screws is the same as that visible inside the boot, it could be the molded-in type of insert. This may explain why some of the plastic material came with the nuts. I had noticed with my 2 series boots that a good deal of corrosion was occuring with both the screws and the t-nuts which I replaced. This could be attributable to either moisture in the boots or walking through salt-laden car parks. You really have to take apart the boots and dry them as soon as you get home if you aren't doing this already. I dry the shells upside down over a radiator if I can. I have a lot of snow entry into my front boot from snow spray and when I take them off at the end of the day the spaces between the tongue and the liner are packed with snow; same with the minor spaces around the cuff. This melts and soaks the liner during the day when I go inside or on the way home. Its makes for a perfect corrosion environment if you don't take the boots apart and dry them. Repair of the boots is a bit of an untravelled territory. You might try to talk to Dave (YYZ Canuck) Morgan about it. He can supply you with replacement t-nuts and proper screws but I don't think they will be stainless steel. If you have the moulded-in type of threaded inserts, you will have to drill these out in order to install the t-nuts. However, I think you want to take a good hard look at the damage to the plastic shell and decide whether there is enough intact plastic to resist pull-out. You may need to add oversize washers under the t-nuts to spread the pull-out loads. The threads for all boots that take Intec heels are M5 (not easily sourced in North America). Be careful. I have watched you carve and you have a very agressive forward-weighted style that puts a lot of load on your boot heels. The two screws that pulled are the ones that were taking most of that load. I think you want to be very sure of whatever the fix is or perhaps use this as a good excuse for a nice new pair of boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschurman Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I swear that those are molded in M5 tee nuts. You have to push them past the molded plastic lip on the boot to get them out. Also, they are not very hard to get in the North America at www.mcmaster.com. But I would evaluate the plastic on the boot to dtermine if there is enough before going with a repair. Also, make sure that you get stainless bolts. But I think you can only get zinc coated tee-nuts. Stainless metric ones are next to imposible to get. ->Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Also, make sure that you get stainless bolts. But I think you can only get zinc coated tee-nuts. Stainless metric ones are next to imposible to get. I believe the standard size (non-metric) 10-24 is almost exactly the same as M5 bolt, so you can get stainless steel 10-24 t-nuts and bolts from mcmaster and they will fit cleanly through the holes in the boot and heel. But obviously check at your local hardware store first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 And that's why I don't use intec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar(angel Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 You might have mentioned it, but in case I missed it, humor me. Just curious.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexeyga Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 It's not about Intec being piece of crap, it's about paying some basic attention to your equipment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe T Posted March 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Thanks everyone for the advice. The boots are Raichle 423's. I think this is my 4th season in them. (Used intecs for about 3 of those seasons) Luckily I still had my old 123's which I was able to ride with this past Sunday. Just popped in my molded liner from the 423's and it felt fine. And no, I did not normally pull out the liners out to dry them after each use. I only did that on the odd occasion. (eg. during holiday trips when I noticed the liner was not drying completely by the next day.) I guess I probably should make it a habit though. I think one of the reasons I didn't do this (besides being lazy) was that I thought pulling out and putting back the liner constantly could cause undue wear to the outside of the liner. Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 note to self...don't buy used boots from Gabe T :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Why take the risk of repairing a 4 year old boot, that has probably been ridden out. If the T bolts are failing, whats next. Save some coin, and buy yourself some new boots. you'll have them to start next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 must... hold... out... for... next... year's... raichles... with... real... buckles...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 PRE ORDER!!!! or get heads...they have real buckles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 Don´t forget to add loctite on the threads as a simple way of not losing the Intec piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexeyga Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 Don´t forget to add loctite on the threads as a simple way of not losing the Intec piece. I have never heard about loctite's anti-corosion properties... did I miss something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 Don´t forget to add loctite on the threads as a simple way of not losing the Intec piece. Beware of the reaction of plastics to loctite. Loctite destroyed the discs on my Burton bindings some years ago, since then, I have been very careful with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 The threads are usually treated with a small strip of Loctite when delivered. If not put a tiny strip on bolts. I have not heard anything about plastic problems due to loctite. But if you aplie as above then it´s not gonna get in contact with the shell of the boot anyway. Best Mats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Sorry I missed the point. No it´s not about corrsion. I just wanna give a tip when mounting intec-heels. It´s not uncommon bolts getting lose due to compression, vibrations etc. Then Loctite or similar is the remedy. Mats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexeyga Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 As i've posted in another thread, I'd really recommend using anti-seize compound instead... It's a lubricant, but given that you'll be able to apply more torque without stipping anything, I'm sure it will hold just as well with added anti-corosion protection and without loctite's disadvantages like stripped threads and busted screw's heads... The first thing I did when I got my set of Intecs along with Cateks, I've brushed-off all this blue crap from all the screws... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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