Originally Posted by lawkd
No, it really does make an important difference. If you have no play before tightening a hollow axle, then your hubs are overtightened when you clamp the quick release or tighten down the skewer nuts by whatever means. Here is the passage from the Park Tools site, and the link to get you there:
[begin quote]
Hub Adjustment
Quick release hubs have hollow axles that flex slightly when the quick release is closed. Hub bearing adjustments must account for this extra pressure. When a quick release hub is not clamped tight in the frame, there should be a slight amount of play in the axle. This play disappears when the hub and wheel are clamped in the frame.
To test if a hub in your bike has an adequate adjustment, grab the wheel while it is still in the frame and pull it side to side laterally. Turn wheel and test again, feeling for a knocking sensation. If no play is felt, remove the wheel. Grab the axle (not the skewer) and rock it up and down to check for play. If the axle has play when the wheel is outside the bike, but no play inside the bike, the adjustment is adequate. If there is no play in the axle when the wheel is outside the bike, the adjustment is too tight, even if the axle seems to turn smoothly when out of the bike. [end quote]
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=105
wow! you beat me to it, i assumed everyone knew that, it has a lot to do with my question.
here's what they say about solid axle:
HUB ADJUSTMENT- SOLID AXLE TYPE
Non-quick release hub systems use axle nuts and washers on the outside of the dropouts to hold the wheel in place. Adjustment of solid axle hub bearings is similar to the hollow axle quick release type, but there is no need to allow for axle flex. Mount the wheel in the frame similar to quick release hubs as described above. Tighten the axle nut inside the dropout that is holding the wheel. The axle is now held tight. Check for bearing play. If no play is present, create play by loosening bearing adjustment, then adjust in small increments until play in gone. The goal is to find the loosest adjustment that has no play. Remove the wheel from the bike. The adjustment for solid axle hubs does not change when mounted in the bike.