Slotted front axles, how come?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington County, Vermont, USA
Posts: 3,778
Bikes: 1966 Dawes Double Blue, 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1975 Raleigh Sprite 27, 1980 Univega Viva Sport, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1984 Lotus Classique, 1976 Motobecane Grand Record
Mentioned: 77 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 765 Post(s)
Liked 660 Times
in
351 Posts
Slotted front axles, how come?
Why do some quick-release front axles have shallow lengthwise slots machined into them for keyed spacers while others don't have slots and use round spacers? Just wondering.
__________________
www.redclovercomponents.com
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long."
--Ogden Nash
www.redclovercomponents.com
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long."
--Ogden Nash
#2
Wood
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Beaumont, Tx
Posts: 2,293
Bikes: Raleigh Sports: hers. Vianelli Professional & Bridgestone 300: mine
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
10 Posts
Anytime you see a keyed washer, the designer of the piece wanted to resist rotation, so you have to think "why?".
On a hub axle, it makes an easier job to adjust the bearings.
"Why?" on some axles there is no flat or key? Price.
On a hub axle, it makes an easier job to adjust the bearings.
"Why?" on some axles there is no flat or key? Price.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Portsmouth, NH
Posts: 2,190
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
8 Posts
How so? To keep the lock nut from moving the cone when locking?
I just had to unfudge a slotted washer out of the headset of a Fuji last week... so they seem like a pain to me I ended up locking the nut against the cup, and then rotating both the cup and nut together until the washer was dragged into the right position. Probably the reverse of how it originally got fudged.
I just had to unfudge a slotted washer out of the headset of a Fuji last week... so they seem like a pain to me I ended up locking the nut against the cup, and then rotating both the cup and nut together until the washer was dragged into the right position. Probably the reverse of how it originally got fudged.
#4
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,927 Times
in
1,492 Posts
How so? To keep the lock nut from moving the cone when locking?
I just had to unfudge a slotted washer out of the headset of a Fuji last week... so they seem like a pain to me I ended up locking the nut against the cup, and then rotating both the cup and nut together until the washer was dragged into the right position. Probably the reverse of how it originally got fudged.
I just had to unfudge a slotted washer out of the headset of a Fuji last week... so they seem like a pain to me I ended up locking the nut against the cup, and then rotating both the cup and nut together until the washer was dragged into the right position. Probably the reverse of how it originally got fudged.
OH btw this engeering is only as good as the mechanic using it. I have seen lots of those messed up HS washers. I think that comes about from the reflector bracket dragging the washer with it. those fudged up washers are another reason i always like atleast 2 washer/spacers in a headset.
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Last edited by Bianchigirll; 05-05-10 at 03:09 PM.
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington County, Vermont, USA
Posts: 3,778
Bikes: 1966 Dawes Double Blue, 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1975 Raleigh Sprite 27, 1980 Univega Viva Sport, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1984 Lotus Classique, 1976 Motobecane Grand Record
Mentioned: 77 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 765 Post(s)
Liked 660 Times
in
351 Posts
As to price, I just repacked a couple of hubs--a Shimano 105, which has an unslotted axle, and an unlabeled Shimano hub--which I assume was a cheaper model--that DID have a slotted axle.
__________________
www.redclovercomponents.com
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long."
--Ogden Nash
www.redclovercomponents.com
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long."
--Ogden Nash
#6
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,399
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,699 Times
in
2,519 Posts
the slotted washer keeps things from rotating and does make adjustment marginally easier. Probably best to put the axle in an axle vice.