 Poster: A snowHead
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Calling all boot fitters, garden shed DIY enthusiasts and other experts. Is it possible to modify the Factors, 12/13 season to fit the new dynafit Beast binding?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You can buy Dynafit compatible soles for the Factors so no problem using them with the Beast bindings. I bought these sole units to replace the DIN soles the boots came with.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The BD AT soles are dynafit compatable.
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The heel block might need more work if they aren't using the Dynafit fittings as the Beast needs the heel fitting to be replaced with a metal horseshoe that sits on the heel. I'd hope it wouldn't require too much fiddling.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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meh, thanks, do you know anyone who has done that sort of modification?
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PP, my pal just bought a pair of Beasts and had bought a new pair of BD Factor 130's in the summer, the Beasts DON'T fit the Dynafit sole of the BD Factors, hence I'm now the owner of some new Factors, he sold me them and bought some new Dynafit boots from Spyderjon. Hope this helps, and reaffirms re the mods that may be required, I don't think it can be done.
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PP, guess I should have mugged-up first. It's all sounding very expensive!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Kelskii, yep very expensive, I got my Factors custom fitted last season so the thought of having to invest in new boots on top of £700+ for the bindings does not bear thinking about; hence the question re tweaking what i already got to match what i would like. 
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PP, I've not seen any, there is a thread over on TGR in the Tech Talk forum it would be worthwhile asking on. Can you post a photo of the rear tech fitting?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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This is what they look like installed FWIW:
The horseshoe goes round the heel rather than sitting on top so as long as you can get the insert out and it'll take the relevant screw positions then it'll work. Looking at what pictures I can find on the interwebs the Factor 130 looks like it'd need quite a lot of modification to work.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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On the original version of the BD Factor the heel insert has it's two locating prongs & fixing screw in different locations so whilst their boots are fine with regular Dynafit bindings (ie Verts, Rads etc) the BD heels are NOT compatible with the Beast power insert.
On the newer version of the Factor (as pictured) BD had supposedly switched to the Dynafit insert locating spec but it appears it still needs some tweaking.
Here's the official line from Fredrik at Dynafit, the designer of the Beast:
Hi Jon,
This is an issue that we just shortly got aware of. Black Diamond have slightly changed their fitting for the insert so the Dynafit insert is not compatible with Black Diamond Boots. We have been in contact with Black Diamond regarding this and the situation is as follows:
To fit the insert the boot needs to be modified. I have not done this myself yet so I do not know exactly how but on your pictures it seems like if the upper edge of the Dynafit insert is pressing against the boot. You will need to remove material from the boot in this area to fit the Dynafit insert.
Since this a new issue it has not been officially communicated yet but Black Black Diamonds take on this is that they can not take any responsibility for the modifications done on the boot but if you do this modification it does not have any negative effect on the warranty of the boot it self.
Best Regards,
Fredrik
I've done this mod with craft knife/dremel & it's easy enough to do.
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spyderjon, ha Dan was spinning me a yarn then, he said the BD Factors couldn't be adapted and that he NEEDED those Dynafits!
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You know it makes sense.
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Interesting; here is the response from BD:
Peter,
Thanks for this question. We don't have specific sole blocks for compatibility with the Beast. Dynafit's position is that the Beast bindings and heel insert (the bracket you install on the heel of the boot for compatibility with the Beast) will fit a boot that conforms to DIN/ISO 9523 standards which regulate the material, height and circumference of the boot heel.
I can report that ALL of our BD Boots comply to the DIN/ISO 9523 standard. This includes the AT Boots like the Quadrant, Prime, and Swift, and the Freeride Boots like the older Factor, Shiva, Method, and the new Factor Mx, and Shiva Mx. As such, they (your Factor 130's) should mate with the Beast and the bracket of theirs required for compatibility.
Regards,
Joe
Joe Penacoli | Black Diamond Equipment
2084 E. 3900 S.
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
ph: 801-278-5533
fx: 801-278-5544
However I remain confused spyderjon, are mine, the 12/13 factors ok to fit the beast?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| spyderjon, ha Dan was spinning me a yarn then, he said the BD Factors couldn't be adapted and that he NEEDED those Dynafits! |
Dan got Beasts? Looking forward to hearing how they work.
As long as he doesn't forget his skins again anyway 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PP, that's the old model Factor heel design you have which are NOT Beast compatible. The big giveaway is the lack of an external fixing screw in the middle of the face of the insert - the fixing screw on yours comes in from the rear so to remove the insert you have to first remove the heel block from the boot. When you do eventually remove the insert (as has been done in this pic) you'll see that the triangular pattern made by it's two locating prongs & the fixing hole are inverted compared to the Dynafit pattern as shown on the pic I posted above of the latest BD Factor (which conforms to Dynafit's spec).
The email you have from BD is correct for their latest Factor heel design but NOT for your earlier variant. So you're screwed if you want to ski 'em in Beasts. I have it on good authority that BD changed their heel insert design for this season to ensure it would be Beast compatible. Sorry for the bad news but I can do you a very special price on a pair of Mercurys or Vulcans though 
markymark29, Dan's Factors were the old design like PP's so they couldn't be converted - so yes he had to change boots. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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spyderjon, yep I know, was just joking!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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clarky999, he's very pleased with them, says they are really planted and likes the stability.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Spooky. Just spent the last hour modding my Factors to attach the Beast heel-piece. Now good to go.
The mods are necessary because the BD pin holes are too far away from the fixing screw. The pin holes needed to be enlarged in the direction of the fixing screw. Then the Beast heel piece has a rectangular lip facing into the horseshoe which abuts a crescent-shaped cutout in the BD heel material immediately above the pinholes. The BD cutout is rounded and too narrow to receive the beast lip so needed to be enlarged. I enlarged the pinholes first and fitted the horseshoe and marked where the Beast lip struck the BD crescent material and then removed the pesky extra material with the Dremel.
Only "special" tool required was the Dremel.
The result is a lovely neat snug-fitting Beast heel-horseshoe and I was quite prod of myself. The ski-tech in BC showed me his modded BDs and told me how to do it so I did not enter into the decision lightly but I was very pleased with how easy it was to accomplish such a neat job (if I say so myself and probably took twice as long as it took me to write (and then edit) this post.
WARNING!! It probably goes without saying for the audience reading this thread but once the Beast heel piece is on your boots, those boots should NOT be used on alpine bindings - probably because of the increased friction between the horseshoe and binding heel piece - the Beast horseshoe seems to have a nice square cutting edge to dig itself into the underside of an alpine heel piece... I guess this goes for any model of boot and not just the BDs.
Enjoy the Beast/BD combo!!!
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 9-01-14 1:54; edited 2 times in total
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I'd just add that I can't see how the compatibility issue with BD Factors could ever be remedied by any new design of replaceable BD heel-block as the through hole for the fixing screw is on the body of the boot so the distance between the fixing hole and the pin holes is fixed and not affected by the heel-block.
A bespoke Beast horse-shoe from BD to replace the "Dynafit"-style insert provided would do the job nicely... I'm sure Dynafit wouldn't mind BD correcting the Dynafit tooling...
Anyway, my mods are done so I'm happy but I wouldn't be put off the Factor/Beast combo unless you are incapable of wiring a plug or changing a car wheel.
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Grinning, nice. I skied my Beast/Mercury combo today and was very happy.
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Grinning, nice one. I dont suppose you have any photographic record of your handy work.
spyderjon, so if the current heel blocks are easier to modify is it possible to fit the most recent factor heel blocks onto last years boots?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| PP wrote: |
| ......spyderjon, so if the current heel blocks are easier to modify is it possible to fit the most recent factor heel blocks onto last years boots? |
No, they're very different. Time to start looking closely at the Mercury/Vulcan
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spyderjon, just invested in new boots with custom liners 12 months. Only managed four weeks on them last season so really can't justify a new pair; looks like the beast will have to wait another year.
Btw mercury/Vulcan appear to be deficient in the buckle department 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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