Replacing Axle
#1
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 347
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From: Maryland
Bikes: Nashbar Race SIS, Spalding Road Step Through Single Speed, Kent Road Single Speed, 630 Cruiser, Fuji Odessa mountain bike
Replacing Axle
Got a new fork for my road bike, happens to be a track fork with a narrower dropout. The axle I have (approximately 9.5mm) is just slightly too large for the dropouts. I have looked online for a slightly smaller axle but all I have come up with are skewers, apparently around 5mm. I haven't used a skewer before but it looks like it may come with a hollow threaded axle. Anyone know the circumference of a hollow threaded axle that might come with a skewer? Sources for purchasing skewers or axles? Do they generally come with caps/bearings/locknuts that would fit the hub such as what was on the 9.5mm axle and the hub? Comparative experiences? Thank you and happy holidays.
#2
Really Old Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,637
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From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3
File the drop outs slightly.
You can get into cans of worms trying to match cones from one hub to another.
The races may lie in different relationships to each other that may be close or not.
You might get lucky.
You might "think" you're lucky and then find odd wear patterns some miles down the road.
Then you discover you now have a bad hub AND bad cones.
Don't want to file?
Get a correct wheel.
Google front axle. That maybe very educational?
You can get into cans of worms trying to match cones from one hub to another.
The races may lie in different relationships to each other that may be close or not.
You might get lucky.
You might "think" you're lucky and then find odd wear patterns some miles down the road.
Then you discover you now have a bad hub AND bad cones.
Don't want to file?
Get a correct wheel.
Google front axle. That maybe very educational?
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,687
Likes: 297
Don't think it's right to say that skewers come with hollow axles. Although somewhere on the web someone probably sell the complete kits.
It's far more common to see the skewers as accessories to the wheel than the opposite.
And while I have swapped Shimano hubs from nutted axles or the reverse - which lets you keep the cones, I have never tried a full axle + cone transplant.
Not saying it can't be done, but I am saying you need to be either very good or very lucky to get all the interacting parts to line up right. Dust seals, cones, balls, cups...
If it was me, I'd file the dropouts.
I think the spec for q/r front axles is 9 mm diameter.
It's far more common to see the skewers as accessories to the wheel than the opposite.
And while I have swapped Shimano hubs from nutted axles or the reverse - which lets you keep the cones, I have never tried a full axle + cone transplant.
Not saying it can't be done, but I am saying you need to be either very good or very lucky to get all the interacting parts to line up right. Dust seals, cones, balls, cups...
If it was me, I'd file the dropouts.
I think the spec for q/r front axles is 9 mm diameter.
#4
Closing this as a duplicate of this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-me...cing-axle.html
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bellweatherman
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01-24-15 11:05 PM





