Is this binding plate a problem?

[LiquidFeet]

I bought these MX 78s used, very cheap. They are short, 160. I skied them once two years ago just after buying them and didn't like them, can't remember why but do remember my negative reaction was strong. This surprised me.

I am interested in messing with either the binding placement on the plate, or maybe even removing the plate and re-mounting the bindings without it, or putting new bindings on without the plate if these are really old bindings and there's a reason to delete them.

I've been wondering if the plate may have played a part in my negative experience, but I really don't know. It's solid. It seems odd that the plate doesn't bend or move to accommodate the ski bending beneath it. It does have a rocker shape on its bottom, with the fore and aft gaps filled with off-white squishy vinyl to accommodate ski bend. Does that typically work OK? Plates now move as the ski bends. I'm wondering if this older design maybe did not work so well.

These skis are short, 160, so if they barely bend beneath the plate that would render them effectively rigid, which might have resulted in my bad experience on them. I can't go out and ski them yet to see if I still dislike them, as there is no snow, so I'm asking for any suggestions people might have.

Here are pics. Any thoughts or suggestions? I don't know how old these skis are either.

 

[slowrider]

Ski them again. If you still don't like them, sell.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Before you mess with them in any fashion I'd ski them. If you still don't like them then get rid of them. There are too many skis out there that you could love right out of the gate and not have to do a thing to them.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

That plate is totally fine and will allow the ski to flex. The bindings are married to it. You could move them fore/aft if you want, they will let you do that. If you want to run that ski without the plate you will need new bindings.

 

[Brian Finch]

They will never work for you. Ship em to me.

 

[cantunamunch]

It is quite unlikely that your negative experience was due to the plate. It is (much) more likely that your negative experience was due to the tune or the age of the ski. That ski looks to be from the 2011/2012 season. It could easily have 100 days+ on it.

Step away from the plate. FIRST, check base flatness. Second, check the tune, particularly the base bevel.

If both of those parameters check out OK but the ski feels like it wants to waffle about instead of coming onto edge, starting at the tip, the ski itself is likely to be torsionally shot.

All those guys 2x your size heel pushing to ride the sidecut? Wears a ski out, you know - but it rounds over the base and rounds over the base bevel first, so you might still get lucky.

 

[Doug Briggs]

@epic and @cantunamunch win the internet today.

Seriously, their responses are accurate and helpful. The plate is fine as long as it is securely affixed to the ski. The bindings are also good bindings.

Additionally, the edges have been tuned with a ceramic edger from what I can see. That is good news, but that doesn't mean that the bases are flat, that the edges have a suitable bevel (.5, .75 or 1 for the base, 2 or 3 for the side) or are still sharp.

 

[Uncle-A]

First question I have is, what length do you ski on, 160 is new to you? They maybe just too short.
Second I would check the tune or just retune them to the same configuration of your other skis.
Third you could try moving the binding forward or back, it may help.
Fourth just looking at the photos, the skis do not look beat, so I would give them a chance by trying some of the above remarks.

 

[LiquidFeet]

The ski length is not unfamiliar to me; that's not it.
It's good to know that the bindings and plate are "married" to each other, that they are fine and functional, and that it must be something else that was causing the ski to not perform. I now have a true bar so I will check the base for flatness. I'm not sure how to check the base bevel as I don't have the tools to set the base bevel. At least I have a place to start. I want to love these skis. But I don't have to.

 

[cantunamunch]

I now have a true bar so I will check the base for flatness. I'm not sure how to check the base bevel as I don't have the tools to set the base bevel. .

Use your true bar after (if) you see that the base is actually flat. On the side where you are measuring bevel, try get the true bar to sit flat - on the steel only-. No light between true bar and edge steel. Ignore the plastic. Then look at how far the other end of the true bar has lifted off the ski.

If you have a bubble level app like this:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.androgames.level

You can even tape the true bar to your phone and zero out the phone on the flat base. Repeat the steps above and the phone will then give you a direct readout, in degrees, of the base bevel. Reasonably accurate to within a degree - your hand will shake too much to get fractions of a degree.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Measuring Ski Edge Bevels

 

[cantunamunch]

Measuring Ski Edge Bevels

Yup, the same thing as Alpinord is doing in post #5 is now totally doable with a phone app - no mag protractor needed.

 

[Doug Briggs]

The method in the second post of this thread works, well, too.

NEW SKI TUNING - SETTING BASE BEVEL

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Use your true bar after (if) you see that the base is actually flat. On the side where you are measuring bevel, try get the true bar to sit flat - on the steel only-. No light between true bar and edge steel. Ignore the plastic. Then look at how far the other end of the true bar has lifted off the ski.

The other accessory you need for this is the eyes of a 20 year old.

 

[cantunamunch]

The other accessory you need for this is the eyes of a 20 year old.

Or big enough creepy-uncle reading glasses

 

[Doug Briggs]

The other accessory you need for this is the eyes of a 20 year old.

I use magnifier glasses, but yes, this requires visual acuity.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Or big enough creepy-uncle reading glasses

Who you laughin' at Willis????

Damn you young'uns. You'll see (or you won't) when you get old.

I need readers for everything within 2 feet or to read the grey on white that seems to be the rage these days on websites.

 

[LiquidFeet]

I have a loupe somewhere. If that doesn't help, hubby owns a copy of the OED which comes with a magnifying glass.
Thanks for the advice; now I need to get up from this darn computer and do the deed. Well, maybe tomorrow. Or a couple of weeks from now.
A family member is having heart surgery two days from now so skiing activities will get delayed for a while.

 

[Uncle-A]

Or big enough creepy-uncle reading glasses

Not creepy and how did you know I wear reading glasses?

 

[Philpug]

That is the original KTi plate...effin sweet binding plate combo. With this plate, they do need a bit of speed to get going but there are few consumer systems that are as smooth as these.