Instructions for Salomon Automatic2 XC Bindings?

January 2, 2009 1:00 PM

How do I operate early 90's vintage Salomon Automatic2 cross country/nordic ski bindings? Where can I find pictures/instructions on this binding? Can these bindings be adjusted or repaired? They're the original SNS standard and I still have the boots.
posted by Dreidl to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (3 answers total)

If they're anything like the Salomon bindings I used for XC skiing in the early 90s, they are dead simple to use. Your boot has a metal bar at the toe. With the ski flat on the ground, point your toe down at about a 45 degree angle and press the bar into the space in back of the ridged piece of plastic (the red bit in this photo - and when I say "in back" I mean the side of it closest to you). It should snap in with a bit of downward pressure, and then allow your heel to pivot up and down as you ski. To release, use the tip of your ski pole and press down on the "button" at the front of the binding (the black piece in the above photo).
posted by autojack at 1:48 PM on January 2, 2009

If your binding is sticky and won't click in with downward pressure (which does tend to happen with these bindings eventually), then just push down on the button in front of your toe while you push your foot down. If you try pushing down the button without your boot in the area, you'll be able to see the little metal jaws that open up and then close on the little bar in the front of your boot.

I don't think there is anything that you can adjust on these bindings. I suppose if you wanted to be fancy, you could replace the little ridged rubber thing in front of your boot (you can get various grades of stiffness), but you probably don't need to do that. I'm not sure what you'd want to repair on them (you can replace the plastic plate under your foot if that breaks and you could probably apply a little grease if the automatic mechanism in sticky).
posted by ssg at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2009

I have used Salomon XC bindings, though I don't know if I've used this one. The only adjustable element I recall is on the optional rear element that fits the heel.
posted by zippy at 4:52 PM on January 2, 2009