Originally Posted by dustinlikewhat
the level hubs bolts only hold the cog to the knuckles, they don't really take any torque.
Dude, the whole issue started off with max-a-mill posting that he has a level and the bolts keep loosening on every ride. (Edit: ok, that's an exaggeration) Mine have never loosened yet. Admittedly, I'm light and have only ridden a couple of hundred K on it yet.
Anyway, those are the facts and you can repeat any number of times that the knuckles take all the torque, it won't become true. The bolts have to take some stress and 3 can't always cope with it. The knuckles do allow the cog to move a very slight amount, which is of course enough to **** with the bolts. Level said that too in the previous post and it's pretty pointless to argue with.
In order to make the knuckles bear 100% of the stress, you'd have to make them to mindblowing and totally impractical tolerances. Probably negative tolerances if you ask me. Really, you'd have to make it a press fit like square taper cranks in order to relieve the bolts from all stress.
6>3. Can't argue wit that, can you?
Edit: of course, you can loctite the bolts but that sort of destroys half the fun. Goodbye on-the-trail installation and cog switching with a multitool. I don't know why level spec a torx bolt, BTW...
Again, maybe you just have to be more of a gorilla when tightening the bolts and make sure you grease them well. Only level users know.