How do you center the wheel prior to tightening the thru axle?

Squeeze the brake while tightening the TA.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kontact
How do you center the wheel prior to tightening the thru axle?

QUOTE=bampilot06;23517925]Squeeze the brake while tightening the TA.[/QUOTE]

I must ask... 'Center the wheel' ???
All the bikes I have with TAs have a hole in the each dropout. The TA goes thru the dropout hole and then the hub cap/spacers snugly, and then screws into the other fork dropout, snugly. Clamping the wheel in place. There doesn't seem to be an 'adjustment' to 'Center the wheel'. Yes/No? Something I'm missing ?
Ride On Yuri

That's wrong. You should be pushing down on the bike so the wheel settles as far up and evenly in the dropouts. That is what the shop did when they put the wheel in, so no surprise that you didn't get the wheel in the same spot.

The dropouts and the hub axles do not have a perfect fit to the thru axle, so if you want the wheel to end up in the same spot every time you need to brace the wheel in some direction or another - just like a QR wheel.

Back off the thru axle sometime and grab the wheel near the fork crown - you'll note the wheel can rock laterally a degree or two. This is enough to affect the brake caliper centering on the disc.

I have a set of Hunt wheels and they definitely are noodly. Hunts have a reputation for terrible stiffness, or lack thereof. The crappy OEM wheels that came with my Specialized Roubaix also flex and left brake rub after braking. Same bike with DT Swiss or Carbon-Ti hub wheelsets are fine after braking except when the pistons temporarily aren't retracting the whole way, but it goes away quickly on its own or with a few quick pumps.

The dropouts and the hub axles do not have a perfect fit to the thru axle, so if you want the wheel to end up in the same spot every time you need to brace the wheel in some direction or another - just like a QR wheel.

Back off the thru axle sometime and grab the wheel near the fork crown - you'll note the wheel can rock laterally a degree or two. This is enough to affect the brake caliper centering on the disc.[/QUOTE]

Something similar was suggested by SierraRider. Going to give it a shot.

Its a TA not a quick release.


edit: Never mind, explained better further down just didn’t see it yet when I posted. In the 6 years I’ve done this sport, this is the first time I have ever heard to do this. Will give it a try tomorrow.


Editx2: I have in the past put pressure upward with my thumb on the top of the rim while tightening the TA, but never paid attention to whether or not that affected brake rub. In the case of the emonda, it started out of no where. Shop fixed it, and I messed with it and it started again. Have not had that problem with any other bike I currently own. Hunt wheels are on the checkpoint as well as shimano calipers.

The dropouts and the hub axles do not have a perfect fit to the thru axle, so if you want the wheel to end up in the same spot every time you need to brace the wheel in some direction or another - just like a QR wheel.

Back off the thru axle sometime and grab the wheel near the fork crown - you'll note the wheel can rock laterally a degree or two. This is enough to affect the brake caliper centering on the disc.[/QUOTE]
oh...
Honestly, I've never noticed that on my bikes. But then I only have experience with 3 bikes which have Disk And TA (just added a 4th a couple weeks back...). A Niner RTL RDO gravel, SPec Tarmac and Spec Diverge-STR, and I haven't really had the need to pull wheels off and on. I tend to ride from my house, either on solo ride or I ride to where a group ride might start/end...
In any case. The TA is tough to get through the wheel and dropouts because it's so snug... I haven't/didn't really consider that there would be much 'play' once the TA is through and threaded to the opposing Dropout... I'll have to check that out ...
Come to think of it. I watch a lot of Pro racing, and I see a lot of wheel changes and note how slow it is compared to the QR system. But they put the power driver to the TA, extract then jam the replacement wheel in (surprised how un-careful they are when slapping the rotor into the brake) and then drive the TA in with the power driver. I NEVER noticed any kind of attention to 'aligment'.
And I've never seen a rider have an issue with the replacement, when he rides off...
I have one set of cheapie chinese CF wheels (which are proving to be really great, and really fast...) which I subbed in for the DT Swiss wheels which came on the Tarmac, and I've not ever had a disk rub issue on those...
I will check that 'centering' thing out ...
But really, when I finally get the TA into the threaded dropout a few turns, there doesn't seem to be any play in the wheel...
Ride On
Yuri

The TAs on all my bikes centre just fine without any need to vertically load them when tightening. Just the weight of the bike appears to be enough to take out any minimal play in the TA/hub fit. My TAs are a slide fit in the hubs so any slight angular play over the length of the hub would be minuscule.

I checked this last time this loading method was mentioned a few months ago. I even tried deliberately to offset the wheel and couldn’t. The only thing which I found did very slightly affect wheel alignment was the tightness of the TA. So after I torque the TA to spec I orientate the lever horizontal so I can tighten it back the same each time I remove the wheel without a torque wrench.

This is nothing to argue about. Some TAs have beveled washers on the base end, some don't. Some fit the hub and frame snugly, some don't. The point is that if you are reporting problems with brake rub after having the wheels out, it is probably because the wheel is not going in the same way it was put in when the brake was centered. Disc brakes are very sensitive.

The "loading" isn't any great force, just pushing down enough that there isn't a question where the axle is centered.


I'm sure some pros have ridden with their brakes rubbing slightly after a sloppy wheel change. It wouldn't slow them down.

Well gents - I took your word for it and first loosened the TA, put downward pressure on the bars and took it for a ride where I knew I would have several out of the saddle opportunities. Lo and behold, zero rubbing. This is the first time since 2020 when the bike was new it hasn’t rubbed. Wonder if doing the same for the rear will make the bike more stable as well. Will give that a try as well. Thanks guys for the recommendation. SierraRider had the same rec and it worked for him. Didn’t get over 34 MPH so no word yet if this corrected speed wobbles/tank slap - but I am very happy with this result.

The loaded down install usually addresses the rub, but if the pad to rotor gap was able to have more tolerance it'd make brake servicing a breeze.
would be even better if the system used slide pins to not need pistons on both sides.