Paul Hubs and torque values
 

hey everybody, so i didn't get to enjoy the new paul hubs wheelset for very long. the second day i had the hubs, the rear non drive side locknut broke in half. i don't know how, i'm still dumbfounded by it. i also couldn't get the half still on the hub off. at any rate, i sent the wheel back to spicer (where i got them) and gene fixed me up, going through paul and i just got the wheel back today. needless to say, i'm a little paranoid it'll happen again. i usually tighten all my axle nuts down to 20 - 23 footpounds, with a torque wrench. the pauls have the allen bolt, like the phil woods. for those of you that have these type hubs, what do you torque the bolts down to? i would think it wouldnt vary much from a standard track axle nut, but am i wrong? i've never had a problem, and i really don't want to break another locknut. thanks.

that could have been a faulty locknut. is it steel ot aluminium? I have a goldtec
hub which also comes with an allen bolt and I always tighten it as firm as I can.
but I have weak arms :)

I just checked the instructions that came with mine and there is no mention of torque value. I tighten mine like I would with regular 15mm track nuts, but given what happened to you I am now questioning that...that's quality s/s hardware and really shouldn't break like that.

yeah, i emailed paul about what the bolts should be torqued to, but haven't heard from them. i'm thinking of calling them since its been a few days since i emailed them. like i said, i would THINK the values shouldn't differ much from standard track axle nuts, but who knows. if i hear from them i'll post the values here. i agree though, those locknuts shouldn't break.

I just crank mine *really* tight. Never had a problem. I think that you got a bum part.

I would have to agree on that. Mine are really tight as well... what I worry about more is stripping the recess for the allen.

dude. i experienced the exact same prob on my set of pauls --split locknut. i don't use a torque wrench, but do crank them down pretty tight --like yourself. i had a problem with the rear sliding in the drop-out, end eventually had to throw a tug-nut on the drive-side bolt (this didn't solve the slide issues, but did help some). i contacted paul directly, and although i didn't think to ask him how frequently this problem occurs, i gathered by the tone of his response that it's a really common thing. to his credit, he did his best to make good on things and sent me a gang of new nuts... i've had some bearing issues, also on the rear hub as well. i am certain they are related to over-tightening. all is all, although i'm pretty stoked on the pauls, they feel a little more delicate than the phils i have.