# Anyone ever adapted current bindings to work with 80s to early 90s bolt pattern?



## Grasschopper (Jan 7, 2010)

Ok so I have a 93-94 Lib-Tech Matt Cummins that I would love to be able to talk out on the hill every now and then but it has the old 5 bolt pattern. Anyone ever adapted current bindings to work?

I just got my son some Ride EX for his new board because our shop has 40% off all gear and while mounting the bindings up it hit me that they lend themselves to what I'm thinking much better than most of the other current bindings I've been looking at. Has anyone attempted such a thing? Is this just silly and I should mount the board on the wall or should I throw $100 at it for the bindings and give it a shot.


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## SimonB (Oct 13, 2010)

2 choices:

1 - Drill the bindings to fit the 5-holes and be stuck to the limited stances options.

2 - Drill the board to install t-nuts and use the 4x4 disc, with your stance preference.


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## Grasschopper (Jan 7, 2010)

SimonB said:


> 2 choices:
> 
> 1 - Drill the bindings to fit the 5-holes and be stuck to the limited stances options.
> 
> 2 - Drill the board to install t-nuts and use the 4x4 disc, with your stance preference.


Right...I get it. I'm NOT drilling the board...only option in my mind is modifying the bindings. The issue is that you can't drill the bindings because there isn't material where you need to drill. My thinking is that the way the Ride EX are made the base plate is very thin and the disc is taller...if I could make a plate the height of the disc to replace the disc that would match the old bolt pattern I would be all set. I would then thin down the wedgie foot pad to compensate for the added underfoot thickness.

Just wondering if anyone had done something similar.


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Get a cheap used board off of ebay\craigslist and hang the Lib on your wall?

Also can't you just get a new binding disc and drill through that?


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## SimonB (Oct 13, 2010)

Those boards did not use disc. The bindings were bolted from holes in the front and back (under the toes and under the heel).

Unless you can find some really cheap bindings that would work, I'd drill the board. Did that often in those days. I wouldn't spend much money on another pair of binding to ride a board once in a while.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

It's a snowboard just t bolt that shit and stop being a fucking pussy. Or do you only want it to be a show piece to talk about if that's the case just use it to cut your dick off and realize you're not a man.


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## Grasschopper (Jan 7, 2010)

hikeswithdogs said:


> Get a cheap used board off of ebay\craigslist and hang the Lib on your wall?
> 
> Also can't you just get a new binding disc and drill through that?


I have a Never Summer Heritage...I don't need a cheap board I would like to be able to ride this board for nostalgia sake. I bought this board new in 1993 from Mad Mike's Bitchn Boards in Boston.



SimonB said:


> Those boards did not use disc. The bindings were bolted from holes in the front and back (under the toes and under the heel).
> 
> Unless you can find some really cheap bindings that would work, I'd drill the board. Did that often in those days. I wouldn't spend much money on another pair of binding to ride a board once in a while.


I fully understand the sort of bindings it takes...I have the set that I rode on it back in '93. The straps are dry rotted on those bindings and the screws on them tore up a set of boots. The design of the old bindings sucks. I can get a set of Ride EX brand new for $100 at my local shop which I consider cheap and I thought the base plate design might lend itself to the modification I am thinking of.



BurtonAvenger said:


> It's a snowboard just t bolt that shit and stop being a fucking pussy. Or do you only want it to be a show piece to talk about if that's the case just use it to cut your dick off and realize you're not a man.


Um...seriously? Why are you such a dick? It isn't that I can't afford a good board...see above...I have one. This is a nostalgia project but looking to add a modern twist. I have two kids and even after 15 years still satisfy my wife quite well...I think I will keep my cock. IMO it takes more of a man to undertake an impossible mission than it does to wuss out and drill the board. I'm an engineer and I have a CNC mill at my disposal...I am about 90% sure I can make this work.


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## MeanJoe (Jul 20, 2011)

If you work out a solution, please post it. I have two vintage Burton's from 87-88 and 88-89 and the original binds are toast. I've been noodling over how I could a.) locate vintage bindings that are still usable or b.) take advantage of new bindings. Like you, I'm dying to take these out for nostalgia sake for a few runs.

MeanJoe


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## FirstChair (Mar 24, 2010)

I've got an old Craig Kelly Mystery Air in great shape that I'd like to take out just for kicks, but I'm in the same boat as you ...one of the bindings was modded back in the day and they just look dangerous to me.(3 straps, locked highbacks)
If you drill new bindings, you will weaken them -it is risky.I considered this but never did it.
You could fabricate a set of aluminum plates to bolt onto the board into the old holes, and mount new bindings to those.I think this is done with some alpine setups.This would make it heavier,. and probably change the flex characteristics .
T-bolting is an option, but again,not easy or inexpensive.
I think there are some modern bindings that have a solid baseplate made of aluminum big bucks though.


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## Grasschopper (Jan 7, 2010)

MeanJoe said:


> If you work out a solution, please post it. I have two vintage Burton's from 87-88 and 88-89 and the original binds are toast. I've been noodling over how I could a.) locate vintage bindings that are still usable or b.) take advantage of new bindings. Like you, I'm dying to take these out for nostalgia sake for a few runs.
> 
> MeanJoe


Ohh...what Burtons do you have? My first board was an '88 Burton Elite 150.

WHEN I make this work I will post for sure. I just emailed a guy from a for sale add who was selling some Ride RX and I am going to give it a shot with those. I'm thinking 1/4" AL plate machined to allow the Ride baseplate to sit up in it. Drill the ride plate so that I can screw it to the AL plate I have made and then bolt that down. Finally cut the wedgie footbed thinner and figure a way to attach it to the assembly. It would be super easy to set up a riser scheme but I don't want to add 3/8" of height and I think I would want that much thickness for the threading of the binding mount screws.


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## Grasschopper (Jan 7, 2010)

FirstChair said:


> I've got an old Craig Kelly Mystery Air in great shape that I'd like to take out just for kicks, but I'm in the same boat as you ...one of the bindings was modded back in the day and they just look dangerous to me.(3 straps, locked highbacks)
> If you drill new bindings, you will weaken them -it is risky.I considered this but never did it.
> You could fabricate a set of aluminum plates to bolt onto the board into the old holes, and mount new bindings to those.I think this is done with some alpine setups.This would make it heavier,. and probably change the flex characteristics .
> T-bolting is an option, but again,not easy or inexpensive.
> I think there are some modern bindings that have a solid baseplate made of aluminum big bucks though.


See...Fuck you BurtonAvenger. Several of us have similar dreams. :cheeky4:

FirstChair - T bolting is easy, no skill of any sort required. Figure out where you want the holes and drill them right through with enough clearance for properly sized T bolts. You can get the T bolts at a hardware store.

This method kills any potential resale value the board may have though.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Grasschopper said:


> Um...seriously? Why are you such a dick? It isn't that I can't afford a good board...see above...I have one. This is a nostalgia project but looking to add a modern twist. I have two kids and even after 15 years still satisfy my wife quite well...I think I will keep my cock. IMO it takes more of a man to undertake an impossible mission than it does to wuss out and drill the board. I'm an engineer and I have a CNC mill at my disposal...I am about 90% sure I can make this work.


Should have known you were an engineer over complicating simple things. T bolt that or put some heli coils in the topsheet it's not going to hurt the board just your pride because you probably can't figure out how to do it.


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## MeanJoe (Jul 20, 2011)

Grasschopper said:


> Ohh...what Burtons do you have? My first board was an '88 Burton Elite 150.



The two I referenced are Cruzers. I also have a CK Mystery Air but it is cracked and not rideable.


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