Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Bending pivot brakes

profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
I have some pivot’s that have been sitting in a box with a 95 brake and am wondering if they’ll bend to fit meridian 107’s. I kind laughed at the thought given the -12 difference but holding them on top of the ski it looks like they might actually work with some muscle put into em. Anybody bend pivot brakes this much or should I just shell out the extra $100 for a 115?
5 years ago
6 0
profile picture
dogfartstaint
Posts: 342 - Karma: 1,991
While I haven't tried to bend pivot brakes before, the risk seems to outweigh the reward here. IMHO it'd probably be easier to just resell the 95s and get 115s. Even if it does work your resell value is just going to drop and you still have the potential of breaking them more easily.

**This post was edited on Aug 1st 2020 at 12:52:44am
5 years ago
2 7
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
Good points. Well if you know anyone in need of brand new pivot 12’s with 95mm brakes send em my way!
dogfartstaintWhile I haven't tried to bend pivot brakes before, the risk seems to outweigh the reward here. IMHO it'd probably be easier to just resell the 95s and get 115s. Even if it does work your resell value is just going to drop and you still have the potential of breaking them more easily.

**This post was edited on Aug 1st 2020 at 12:52:44am
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
ParkRx
Posts: 330 - Karma: 1,426
if you are going to bend them use a long pipe. Put the brake in the end of the pipe and you’ll get way more torque
5 years ago
7 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
Good looking out. They can be a bitch to bend. I got served up last season and ended up bending the break around the edge so it wouldn’t clear and I swear I was in the snow just going to work on it for like 10 minutes
ParkRxif you are going to bend them use a long pipe. Put the brake in the end of the pipe and you’ll get way more torque
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
leprechaunsissy
Posts: 645 - Karma: 239
If the break snaps.........the bindings still work.
5 years ago
6 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
Think I can talk a shop tech into this? Haha
leprechaunsissyIf the break snaps.........the bindings still work.
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
I could be totally wrong but doesn’t look say ~15 which technically this would fall under?
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
Just run it. I put 95mm brakes on both an ARV 106 and Volkl 100eight just fine. At first the plastic can catch the edge of the skis but it eventually shaves itself down, or just sand it down a bit yourself if you don't want to wait.

I don't usually use a 115mm brake until the ski is 110mm underfoot, seems extreme but pivot brakes don't go much inward once engaged like other binding brakes do, they only go up.
5 years ago
12 0
profile picture
Ghost_BLandzV2
Posts: 1037 - Karma: 8,433
Believe me man ive had pivots for like 3 seasons now and if you don’t break em yourself I guarantee your first switch eject of the season those things are gonna be bent to shit
5 years ago
12 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,429
.nastyJust run it. I put 95mm brakes on both an ARV 106 and Volkl 100eight just fine. At first the plastic can catch the edge of the skis but it eventually shaves itself down, or just sand it down a bit yourself if you don't want to wait.

I don't usually use a 115mm brake until the ski is 110mm underfoot, seems extreme but pivot brakes don't go much inward once engaged like other binding brakes do, they only go up.

So for a Kartel 108 you would run a 95? Just got a pair and I’ve been debating whether to go 95 or 115
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
old-dirty11
Posts: 341 - Karma: 247
if it don't fit, make it fit

yennoooo what I mean hehehehehe
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
animatorSo for a Kartel 108 you would run a 95? Just got a pair and I’ve been debating whether to go 95 or 115


I mean a lot of people will probably tell you no, but I've never had an issue, even when ejecting and needing them to pop down properly. I've also done it for plenty of customers with their consent (since it could technically be a liability issue) and have never had anyone coming back to tell me anything negative. The 115 brake really isn't bad on a 108 waisted ski but as I said before, they don't go inward when engaging them so I still had a few issues personally with the 115 on a sub 110 waisted ski.
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,429
.nastyI mean a lot of people will probably tell you no, but I've never had an issue, even when ejecting and needing them to pop down properly. I've also done it for plenty of customers with their consent (since it could technically be a liability issue) and have never had anyone coming back to tell me anything negative. The 115 brake really isn't bad on a 108 waisted ski but as I said before, they don't go inward when engaging them so I still had a few issues personally with the 115 on a sub 110 waisted ski.


Interesting to hear someone else’s point of view, I had a 95 brake on a CT 2.0 and even at 102mm underfoot the skis didn’t really stay together too well because the brakes don’t like match up if that makes sense when the skis are base to base
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
Yeah I could totally see that being an issue. I need a bunch of work done to basically my whole quiver and was just gonna drop it at the shop but the local is not that great. They straight up told me they didn’t want to bend a 95 pivot break to BC100’s last season. Even after I told the dude I’ve literally seen the combination before and it’s fine he persisted by telling me pivot brakes are
impossible to bend. I have a hard time thinking they’re going to help me get em on 107s lmao
animatorInteresting to hear someone else’s point of view, I had a 95 brake on a CT 2.0 and even at 102mm underfoot the skis didn’t really stay together too well because the brakes don’t like match up if that makes sense when the skis are base to base
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
My favorite thing to do in relatively deep snow is try and bend my bent pivot brakes back enough to clear so I can click in after getting broke off. Fun times.
BLandzBelieve me man ive had pivots for like 3 seasons now and if you don’t break em yourself I guarantee your first switch eject of the season those things are gonna be bent to shit
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Stinging_Roger
Posts: 298 - Karma: 1,509
.nastyJust run it. I put 95mm brakes on both an ARV 106 and Volkl 100eight just fine. At first the plastic can catch the edge of the skis but it eventually shaves itself down, or just sand it down a bit yourself if you don't want to wait.

I don't usually use a 115mm brake until the ski is 110mm underfoot, seems extreme but pivot brakes don't go much inward once engaged like other binding brakes do, they only go up.


Threw pivot 115's on my ARV 106's this year and they're def too wide. Had some issues snagging them on stuff.
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
animatorInteresting to hear someone else’s point of view, I had a 95 brake on a CT 2.0 and even at 102mm underfoot the skis didn’t really stay together too well because the brakes don’t like match up if that makes sense when the skis are base to base


Definitely makes sense, although I can't say that fact alone would deter me. In the end, it probably isn't 100% effective to go narrower but I know for me just having the brakes out the way is the main thing and a little compromise doesn't bother me.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
DesertStix
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 15,021
TLDR I should just wait til December when I’m going to breck (hopefully if possible then) and have you do it 💪
.nastyDefinitely makes sense, although I can't say that fact alone would deter me. In the end, it probably isn't 100% effective to go narrower but I know for me just having the brakes out the way is the main thing and a little compromise doesn't bother me.
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
tri_photo
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 7,195
I have made brakes fit with a bigger difference than 12mm before... you should be able to pull this off just fine. Heat the brake up, bend it with good and patient technique and you should be good.
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
Paul.
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 11,574
animatorSo for a Kartel 108 you would run a 95? Just got a pair and I’ve been debating whether to go 95 or 115


I have 95s on my Jeffrey 108s. Bent them out a little bit using my hands and they work just fine
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,429
Paul.I have 95s on my Jeffrey 108s. Bent them out a little bit using my hands and they work just fine

Awesome, thanks man
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
jca
Posts: 4180 - Karma: 6,366
fyi, the proper way to bend the brakes is to take the brake out of the heelpiece and use a vice + pipe. The heelpiece can be a bit of a bitch to reassemble because the brake spring is real strong and makes it difficult to put the bage plate back on. But this will give you the best results.
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/24647-P18-Wide-Brakes-Tutorial-(with-pictures!)
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
jca
Posts: 4180 - Karma: 6,366
Also, if you only need a couple mm, just shave off a bit of the plastic on the brake with a knife until they clear your edge.
5 years ago
1 1
profile picture
3mania
Posts: 2649 - Karma: 10,852
The narrower the better. If they hang off at all they'll catch and start bending out, get loose, and then you gotta deal with them hooking together and that's terrifying. Bending them out just enough is kind of an art, But go easy and try not to put too much pressure on the under foot assembly. Don't try it w/o a good vise where you can lock everything down except the brake arm.
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
terpgoon
Posts: 25 - Karma: 45
BLandzBelieve me man ive had pivots for like 3 seasons now and if you don’t break em yourself I guarantee your first switch eject of the season those things are gonna be bent to shit

I've gone thru too many pivot brakes so fuck it dont even run them
5 years ago
0 2
profile picture
isaacwrong
Posts: 2444 - Karma: 19,558
https://www.newschoolers.com/forum/thread/386740/FKS-BENDING

^looks like this guy got at least 5mm by bending..if you're doing something extreme grab a torch and heat it up unless it'll probably snap
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 9741 - Karma: 65,767
for whatever it's worth, i have B75 pivots bent a little out on some 96 waist skis. they're not ideal but it works fine. so i guess it depends how much you care about it versus the cost to switch
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
soup
Posts: 6354 - Karma: 4,486
Not sure what any of these people are talking about. Ive been rocking pivots for 15 years and bent about 75% of the bindings to fit pow skis. Get them installed by a shop so that the brakes lay flat on the skis (shop guys will give you shit but just take their petty little abuse and ask with confidence), take them home, take an old ski poles and bend them out 90°, and then straight down.

Hit me up if you have any questions or concerns I'm happy to help.
5 years ago
4 2
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,429
soupNot sure what any of these people are talking about. Ive been rocking pivots for 15 years and bent about 75% of the bindings to fit pow skis. Get them installed by a shop so that the brakes lay flat on the skis (shop guys will give you shit but just take their petty little abuse and ask with confidence), take them home, take an old ski poles and bend them out 90°, and then straight down.

Hit me up if you have any questions or concerns I'm happy to help.

Wait bend them out so they’re like perpendicular to the ski? Like sticking straight out and then down?
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
soup
Posts: 6354 - Karma: 4,486
animatorWait bend them out so they’re like perpendicular to the ski? Like sticking straight out and then down?


Ye exactly. That allows the brakes to release the tension from the foot pad, and then you just bend them into their natural resting spot.
5 years ago
1 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 4:17PM