Bottom Feeders workshop: Fritschi shortening Mod

Ever notice how its always the Fritschi XL models that are available and often on sale ? Are the Swiss all that big?
Normally XL models accept boots size 12 and up. Depending on sole length a 11 can be made to work. Hey that's great for me. But what about Laurie,my son in Law and all my friends that have only slightly smaller boot sizes. What follows is a easy modification to any XL Fritschi model to make them accept from size 10 maybe 9 ?mens depending on sole length   and still take size 12. Your large footed friends won't mind as they will still be scoring on the cheaper price of the XL.

Tools needed

Hacksaw
measuring device
No 10 torx driver
No 15 torx driver
3/32 drill
small file
small centerpunch
Batery powered or electric drill motor.
two drops of oil (preferably threading oil)

Step 1: remove with torx #15 the heel carriage screw. Slide carriage forward out of the way. Take time to note the bracket on the adjusting screw that the #15 screw goes into.

2: remove the one or two torx 10 screws holding the end stop assembly.Some models ony have one screw. At this time it would be wise to slide back the heel piece and try your boot. mark the heel piece on the rail and then notice is the adjustment will go that far forward in the elongated slot. Sole length rules, not boot size.

3: measure and cut 5/8 inch off the length of the rail with hacksaw. I have cut as much as 1" on some models but never ever cut into or closer than 1/4 to the adjustment elongation.

4: Deburr end of beam form cutting and refit end stop assembly on rail making sure it goes all the way on.

5:Mark with small center punch and drill 3/32 holes just enough in the aluminum to make a good mark. Then remove the end stop assembly before completing drilling all the way through the aluminum.This is done to avoid damaging either the drill or the adjustment screw.

6: Refit the end stop assembly and with a drop of oil on each screw use the metal screws themselves as thier own tap drive them home. Some combimation of force and fineese is needed here not to strip these small screws. Some might chose to find the proper tap. Metric I'd presume. this is also a good time to notice how far the adjustment bracket goes forward in the elongated slot.

7: reset the sliding heel piece by making sure it's #15 torx screw is positioned into the adjusting slide bracket

8:adjust boot to binding as per normal.

9: Take your savings and buy yourself and friends a beer!


Note 1: This may also work to make a medium accept smaller boot sizes. And to make these bindings available for kids use. I haven't modified any mediums yet.
Note 2: After modification the boot sole scale on the top of the beam is no longer applicable.
Note 3: The pattern layout sheet for the screw holes that comes with the binding should only be used for the toe piece screws. Or the pattern distance between the toe piece and heel piece shortened the same amount as the cut. In this case 5/8"
Note 4: After modification don't expect any shop to test the Din release. You'll be on your own from now on. You might get lucky and have a friend who has access to release testing equipment.
Note 5: Use only at your own risk and/or pleasure.

Note I made a few changes above about the minimum boot size that can be used with this mod to XL models.

Brilliant

Hey Robie that's great I though I was so smart to shorten my Titanal IIIs and now I see that I'm not the only geezer, widget, tooltime, I can fix it guy out there. Where there's a will thers a way. Good job!

I did the same thing to a pair of Titanal IIIs a couple of years ago.  Just an evening of hacking, drilling, banging and minor cussing and I had myself a perfectly serviceable pair for my son.  Until he broke the toe piece in half when he was cleaning snow off of his boot at the top of Bryant Col...nothing a little bailing wire and a ski tie couldn't fix.

Skied all the way to the car with no issues...

Nice fix ! and I was pretty sure others had figured out shortning the fritschis. especially for kids.
Wish I had a picture of the hose clamp fix on Jeffs tele bindings. 2 miniture hose clamps are now in my repair kit. Basically we used them as a cable clamp to hold the length of the cable . Nothing like a improvised field repair to make you feel you feel good.
My field tools are a 1.99 multi bit screwdriver the size of a chicken egg, a pr of vice grip juniors. a pocket knife. Most people don't realize it but the vise grips have cutters on them and nothing else has that kind of levered gripping and squeezing force.