Jerry and David,
Last year I picked up a set of AX DD pedals at the T-town swap for a friend who is a casual collector or early Dura Ace stuff. As an aside, they were NIP and set me back a whopping $20, so ya gotta love those swap meets! Anyway, I was impressed by just how different the EX and AX pedals are. Nearly every piece is different. Hmmm, maybe Jerry was right when he said that Shimano did a bad job with compatibility back then (I'll argue that the beat the heck out Campy in this regard nowadays, but that's O/T). The differences I recall are as follows:
1) The AX pedal is much more compact, it is more a pista-width cage than a strada.
2) The little clip that holds the toestrap in place toward the outboard end of the pedal sits beneath the pedal on the AX, while it is on the end of the pedal on the EX. I think the EX had a notch in the casting for the strap, and the clip bridged across this, while the clip on the AX just held the strap against the bottom of the pedal body.
3) On the EX, the plate that holds down the toeclip is symmetrical across the centerline (perpendicular to axle) of the pedal, as viewed from above. On the AX, there is an extension on the outboard side of the plate that follows the leading edge of the pedal body.
4) On the EX there is an allen socket visible on the inboard end of the axle/bearing mechanism, and there is a grey plastic seal betwen the part of the pedal that is fixed relative to the pedal and the part that is fixed relative to the crank. (terms like "axle" and "body" are hard to apply to this design. Take one apart to see just how odd things are.) On the AX, there is a light blue cap that covers everything, is fixed relative to the pedal and that acts as a seal / groovy areo fairing.
These diffences may sound minor, but added together they make for two very different-looking pedals. The AX design does seem much more refined to my eye. The biggest difference is in the overall size, with the AX being more compact. Neither the cage nor the body is the same between the two pedals. I'm pretty sure the AX was stamped with an AX logo on the outboard rear corner of the body. If there are no other markings, I'm certain that Shimano at least put the part number on both. Something like PD-6XXX. Also note that the 600AX DD pedal is VERY similar to the DA EX, except that the 600 used steel in a couple places that the DA EX used alloy, and the 600 body was not anodized.
Tom Dalton Emmaus, PA
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