Weird issue with unequal DIN settings after binding adjustment

[sevensaes]

Hi everyone,

I bought new boots recently so had my local ski shop do a binding adjustment (and full tune with spring structure and wax at the same time). I've since skied 3 days without incident. Last night as I was getting the skis out the car, I noticed that the DIN setting on one toe piece was all the way over to the right. Off the chart, essentially at "zero". The other was set at my recommended number of 5.5. I wasn't sure if the indicator itself could be faulty so got out a screwdriver, and could adjust the setting myself to 5.5. The settings on the heel pieces look okay.

What on earth happened here? I plan to call the shop today to discuss. I do not have the paperwork that came with the tune anymore. Should I bring the skis back in to have them looked at? I didn't have any falls or other incidents in the days I skied, and my bindings never released (on either ski). I was skiing fairly hard/fast at times. How unusual is it that I didn't have a pre-release on that side? I am a bit freaked out by it all, as you might imagine. I never imagined that I should be double checking DIN settings myself but certainly will be now. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions! p.s. Bindings are Tyrolia Attack 13s and skis are 2020 Santa Ana 88's.

 

[VTborn]

Yikes! I would take them back to the shop and have them look them over and test them before you ski again. Bring the original paperwork if you have it. That’s scary.

 

[Jilly]

Yes, go back to the shop. And they have to keep your paperwork incase something happens....like you sue them. So they will have it.

I had my skis in one time to get exactly the same thing done. At that time it was just adjust for the BSL. I looked at the skis and they had moved the DIN to 3.5 from 5.5. I asked why did they move them. I hadn't given them any info to do it. "No one around here uses that DIN except XX, who's an instructor". "Really" I said back. "Guess what I'm a L2 instructor just like XX! Move it back!"

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Hopefully a mistake, and one you thankfully caught in time. Dear friends own the bike shop where DH had his tune done. They never secured the front wheel which did come off on the downhill ride. Thankfully minor injury and major apology. Should be a safety double check system like there is for planes and such. If only....Docs and pilots earn so much more. Mechanics, tuners, not so much.

 

[mustski]

I have experienced improper DIN settings out of the shop. I always double check them. It’s like when you get your oil changed, check to make sure they actually put oil in. Don’t ask me how I know this.

 

[sevensaes]

Thank you so much everyone for your replies!

I took the skis back to the shop today. I spent a long time discussing with the tech and was given a lot of information, much of which I found confusing (bindings are not something I've spent a lot of time thinking/learning about up till now!) I will write this all down in the interest of accuracy, closing the loop, and for anyone who may (but hopefully not) run into this issue in future! Apologies for my verbosity.

1) The first thing he did was recheck the DIN settings, for which they use a machine.
2) My official DIN is 6. I was told that the number reading on the actual binding often may not correspond exactly to the true DIN setting. Sounds as if the visual scale may not calibrate exactly to the machine setting. After he rechecked them, both now read "4" on the skis.
3) I was also told that it is possible for the numbers on the binding to be different from one another based on variations specific to each binding.
4) Finding all of this confusing, I asked if he could pull the original paper copy so that I could see the numbers from before. They were "6" (left ski) and "3.5" (right ski). This corresponded to some degree with "5.5" and "lowest setting, off the charts" as I'd noted yesterday (4 being the lowest number on the scale on my toe piece.)
5) I was also told that the DIN indicator on the bindings can move, shift, etc. with use, so recommended to have bindings rechecked on an annual basis.

I have to say, I truly don't know what to make of all of this. He assured me that the settings were and still are correct and that the binding in question is not defective. The implication is that the machine that they use is ultimately more accurate than the numerical scale on the binding itself. I use this shop a lot (it is at my local mountain) and my boot fitter, whom I like and trust, was also there and seemed to corroborate what the tech was saying. I am inclined to take everything at face value. But, going forward, I will definitely pay more attention when I pick up my skis after any work, and make sure to ask then if I have any questions about anything!!

 

[Iwannaski]

Thank you for closing the loop. What this tells me: I’m not touching those things, and I’m saving my paperwork.

Glad you didn’t have any misadventures.

 

[mustski]

Interesting. I have never heard of bindings being adjusted by machine before, but apparently that has been around for awhile!