Difference between Rossi/Look Axial 3 and Rockerflex bindings

[Philpug]

Just an additional aside on this. I now have a couple of sets of Rockerflex bindings here, the SPX15 and the SPX 18. The toe piece is identical on both but each heel piece on the 18 is approx 12 oz. heavier!! .....

18 to 18 and the Rockerflex is 12oz heavier? WOW..the old 18 was hardly a lightweight. Day-um.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Be careful with the rockerflex. I had a customer come in and they had tried to drill the 'right' holes into their Rossi (IIRC) plate to accommodate the heel. It didn't work; the holes stripped and they were really lucky to notice the binding was loose on the ski just prior to getting into the gate.

The goal was to allow the ski to flex more naturally as less plate was attached to the ski. This shortened the mounting position by design, but no by intent, I suppose. Why not use a pivot style heel, I don't know; but not all of us are enamoured of the pivot heel piece.

 

[ScotsSkier]

18 to 18 and the Rockerflex is 12oz heavier? WOW..the old 18 was hardly a lightweight. Day-um.

The 12 oz difference is between the heel of the Rockerflex 15 and the rocker flex 18 Phil. There was a difference between the 15 and the 18 heel in the MFX/Axial 2/3 as well but IIRC correctly it was only about 8oz. The Eockerflex 15 heel seems to have less metal than the previous generation whereas the rocker flex 18 seems to be exactly the same except for the mounting plates

 

[ScotsSkier]

Be careful with the rockerflex. I had a customer come in and they had tried to drill the 'right' holes into their Rossi (IIRC) plate to accommodate the heel. It didn't work; the holes stripped and they were really lucky to notice the binding was loose on the ski just prior to getting into the gate.

The goal was to allow the ski to flex more naturally as less plate was attached to the ski. This shortened the mounting position by design, but no by intent, I suppose. Why not use a pivot style heel, I don't know; but not all of us are enamoured of the pivot heel piece.

Doug, it shouldn't be an issue if you are using the Rockerflex binding on the R21 plate as there are metal inserts for all the binding screws on the plate If however you drill them R21 plate for the previous generation binding you are relying on the rear screws for the non rocker flex binding being drilled into the plastic of the plate. The front screws of the heel piece will still be in the metal inserts though. And yes, I am one of those who is not a fan of the pivot heel...

 

[Philpug]

The 12 oz difference is between the heel of the Rockerflex 15 and the rocker flex 18 Phil. There was a difference between the 15 and the 18 heel in the MFX/Axial 2/3 as well but IIRC correctly it was only about 8oz. The Eockerflex 15 heel seems to have less metal than the previous generation whereas the rocker flex 18 seems to be exactly the same except for the mounting plates

Oh, yeah....the new 15 heel is basically the same as the 12 heel with the plastic stantions. The old 15 and old 18 shared platforms.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I wasn't certain what model of plate was correct (didn't read the entire thread in detail). The customer clearly had the wrong plate and didn't help themselves by drilling the wrong one.

 

[Swede]

R21 plate for the SPX 12 & 15 (and 18). Have had a couple of the Rossi branded RF120:s and 150:s on my daughters SL/GS and SG skis. It is a very good race binding. Also had the MFX 120:s previously. Can't say that I noticed any differences -- in function or performance.

 

[Burton]

I've got a question about setting up the Rockerrace 14 and Rockerflex 15 heel pieces. The Rockerrace heel is fixed in the track, and adjustment for BSL is done simply via using the corresponding screw holes on the plate, followed by adjustment for forward pressure. The Rockerflex heel, however, has some travel (prior to connecting to the toe). Is the idea that when setting it up I nudge the heel back and forth until the arrow on the heel aligns with the "OK" box on the track, and then make sure that on the heel/toe connector the plastic extensions meet exactly on one of the BSL increment lines? I ask because when I line up the "OK" arrow on the 15s, and select the appropriate mounting holes, the plastic extensions do NOT meet right on one of the BSL lines, at least not as depicted in the mounting instructions. Further to this, does anyone know WHY the Rockerflex has travel, but the Rockerrace does not?

^Nevermind, I figured it out.

 

[ScotsSkier]

Burton, I would worry less about lining up the arrows and lines. Key thing to do, once you have the heel and toe lined up on the correct holes for your BSL on the plate (usually they are marked) is to ensure that the connecting bar is properly lined up and positioned with the square cut outs over the 2 little plastic square dimples on the plastic binding plate under the toe piece and then that the crescent on the bottom of the toe piece goes into the corresponding crescent shape hole on the connector bar when you fit it.
This iS one of my least favorite things about that binding and its predecessor as I have seen a lot of situations where the little plastic pieces are sheared off (typically because of incorrect mounting ) and the heel track can then just slide back. I had a major crash into the B netting in a SG at Mammoth because of a failure like that where the heel track moved back and I was left on one ski at a serious rate of knots....

 

[Burton]

^Thanks for this info! I know I got the connector bar clicked onto the square dimples, but I didn't check (or notice for that matter) the crescent on the bottom of the toe piece. I'll pop the toes back off and confirm it is correct.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Many bindings these days require 'construction'. Getting things lined up properly is a challenge. And the boxes! You need to be an engineer just to dismantle boxes to get the bindings out and to recycle them. Jeesh!

Let's just say it takes exceptional care to assemble a binding correctly these days. Even the binding manufacturer's manuals can't get it right. I had to guess (correctly fortunately) how to adjust a Marker/K2 binding. They forgot to tell you about the need to unscrew the heel to move it. Duh!

 

[Burton]

At least with pre-drilled plates, it's hard to royally screw things up (no pun intended). I'm mounting my Rockerflex's on some Dynastar FIS SLs so they have the R21 plate with the metal threads. Made taking them on and off three times as I learned how to properly set up the binding through trial and error very easy.

 

[Swede]

Yeah, once you figured the rockerflex/ r21 out, it’s pretty swift to adjust for different bsl:s.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Pre-drilled plates go both ways. They force you to use a particular brand of binding but they make installing the binding trivial. They don't let you choose your binding which may be a problem for some. If you are on a budget and want to use an existing binding on a ski/plate system that doesn't support it, you are SOL.

 

[Scruffy]

Resurrecting this old thread to ask a few older Look race binding questions. I need race binding for a R21 Race Plate ( Din 15 max, a 12 will work too. )

Would anyone think twice about using a new old stock Axial3 120 Rocker Flex Binding, or an Axial² Worldcup 150 MFX? They are still indemnified as far as I can tell.

Does the newer SPX Rockerace 15 or 12 fit on a R21 Race plate? All the literature points these bindings to the R22 plate, of course, but is the bolt pattern compatible with the older R21 Race plate?

Thanks.

 

[Philpug]

Resurrecting this old thread to ask a few older Look race binding questions. I need race binding for a R21 Race Plate ( Din 15 max, a 12 will work too. )

Would anyone think twice about using a new old stock Axial3 120 Rocker Flex Binding, or an Axial² Worldcup 150 MFX? They are still indemnified as far as I can tell.

Does the newer SPX Rockerace 15 or 12 fit on a R21 Race plate? All the literature points these bindings to the R22 plate, of course, but is the bolt pattern compatible with the older R21 Race plate?

Thanks.

I don't believe the Rockerace fits the R21 plate.

 

[Ivan]

I don't believe the Rockerace fits the R21 plate.

The drill pattern is the same. Rossi catalog from a few years back says that Rocerace and Rockerflex can be used interchangeably with the R22 plate, so I suppose both can be used with R21. Whether they will work as intended is another question...