# Burton bindings highback screw design flaw



## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

Is it just me or the Burton's highback mounting mechanism is just a terrible design? 

It uses that piece of sawtooth plastic to secure the highback rotation and lock the screw in at the same time. I haven't even used my bindings yet and the screw would come loose everytime I fold down my highback because the lock threads on the plastic are already wearing off from me adjusting the highback.

Does anyone know how to get replacements for those piece of s**t plastic? Burton do sucks...


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

Not 100% sure what design your talking about... I have/had a pair of Burton Customs and they didn't have anything like your explaining?

My guess on fixing your problem would be blue loctite? Or even some sort of epoxy dabbed on there to allow the screw to move when wanted, but have enough "lock" to keep it from moving when you don't want it to.


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

Ok, you know how the plastic part that the screws go into to mount the highback? Well, there are threads/ridges on the surface where the screw top touches when you tight them. Those same threads/ridges are also on the screws bottom. They are suppose to lock to each other once you tight the screws. Well, those threads on the plastic parts are so fragil that it is pretty much flat now. So now the screws will come loose everytime i fold down and lift up my high back. This was only my first time adjusting the high back and they are already flat and stop locking...


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2009)

Sounds like the OP has some user faulted bindings. I know EXACTLY what part and "high back design" the OP is writing about. 

Seems as though with your binding adjustment you didn't tighten your screws properly and the teeth on your adjuster stripped. 

I for one own a set of 09' cartels and haven't had a single problem with them.


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

Well how do you properly tighten a screw? theres only 1 way to tighten it... now that i am looking at the bindings more, it may seem like it was a customer returned item that have been adjusted before. 

how many times have you adjusted you high back rotation? probably less than 10 times... but anyways, my point is that the plastic part is not made for many adjustments and that is why i think its a design flaw. all they had to do was add a metal ring/clip with those ridges to lock the screw instead of on the plastic. the bindings would be more robust...

by the way, i have the burton mission. maybe they use a cheaper plastic on those vs the cartels... they have the exact same design for mounting the high backs... but i still think they could have done better with the design...


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

i know exactly what your talking about and i hate those things as well, one of the reasons i dont ride burton bindings anymore. no matter how tight i would tighten them or anything else i could think of to not make them move the screws would constantly come loose and then i would have to rotate my higbacks and tighten them again. its a very poor design in my opinion.


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## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

Totally agree with you. I have Burton Mission Poncho Villas, same design same problem. It's especially worse for me because I rotate my highbacks so they are almost parallel to the edge of my board, which creates more strain on those screws to come loose.
The ones on my back foot need tightening almost every other day (from taking my foot out at the lift line, and pushing my highback flat so it's easier to skate without catching my foot on it).
Terrible design.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Trust me the plastic thing can take ALOT of abuse..when i was fiddling around trying to get my feet parrallel to the board edge i was tweaking those so bad it wasnt even funny...huge amounts of force as i tried wierd angles pulling one side back and one side forward, etc and screwing it in...once so much you couldnt even fold the highback down anymore..
I've since got it set right and they work fine... i have 09 Cartels...

Honestly i dont see how you can possibly grind those teeth down even if the screws are loose...


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## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

I don't have problems with the teeth grinding down or anything like that, they just come loose all the time since it's also a pivot point. Once it gets loose enough, then it can slip and rotate your highback back to the normal position (or too far forward or back).
I really wish I could pick up some Unions but man I'm pretty broke and mine do the job "well enough" so I'm stuck tightening those screws every other day.


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

arsenic, its not the teeth that are grinding off. its the ridges of the plastic part that meets the screw, which keep the screws from loosening. if you remove the screw, you will know what we are talking about. But i suggest you DONT! because you WILL flatten those ridges and have our problem if you screw and unscrew it few more times...


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## Incogneato (Nov 14, 2007)

i've never had an issue like this and i've been using Burton bindings for 10 years now. just call rider services or go to a shop and get some new ones and try not to repeat whatever you did to strip them. you can keep saying you didn't do anything or whatever but i don't know what else to tell you as 99% of people simply don't have this issue eith them


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## xxfinnellxx (Aug 30, 2009)

try taking a hot knife and kinda smelt little ravines for your screw to mount into.

edit: 
im pretty positive that you are able to go to your store and just ask for some more, i always had problems with hardware loosening up from my forum platforms that i have had for a few years now. so i would go to the shop and ask for some replacements. Burton has a titanic binding part kit that im sure a local shop will have. ive done the same thing to a similar part to my forums.


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

cool i just went to a local shop and they gave me a new set. works fine now. i just have to make sure i tighten them very lightly (2 fingers), then apply 3 more steps and they are locked in very well now. i was upset before thinking that i have to buy new bindings... since they support it for free.. its not so bad...


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

Ok, I spoke too soon. IT CAME LOOSE AGAIN. I honestly did not do anything wrong this time. It is such a simple thing to do. I went home and fold and lift highback a few more times just for sanity sake since it have been bothering me so much... and i was disappointed that 1 of them came loose AGAIN... sigh... ill send them on ebay, no reserve... if i can get 15 bucks off of them, i will be happy...


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## FLuiD (Jul 6, 2009)

Cue the Price is Wright "Sad Trombone".....


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## bubbachubba340 (Feb 10, 2009)

chupacabraman said:


> Totally agree with you. I have Burton Mission Poncho Villas, same design same problem. It's especially worse for me because I rotate my highbacks so they are almost parallel to the edge of my board, which creates more strain on those screws to come loose.
> The ones on my back foot need tightening almost every other day (from taking my foot out at the lift line, and pushing my highback flat so it's easier to skate without catching my foot on it).
> Terrible design.


Agreed. I had to fix mine right before it was my run in a competition. Now I don't have to deal with them anymore.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

It's a typical problem with them. Coat the screw threads with clear nail polish and screw it in and you'll be fine. I used to give away those screws like crack to Tyrone Bigguns.


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