Rear wheel install

[Flyteof4]

Does anyone know what size of allen key fits the rear axle bolt?  I tried reinstalling the rear tire last night after replacing the tpms battery and realized i dont have the correct tool to keep the axle from spinning while i tighten the castle nut on the other side. Or is there another way to hold that axle while tightening it?

Thanks.

[Flienlow]

Here is what I found in a search. Hope it helps.

 1 1/16" combination wrench on the nut side, (box end placed on nut) and 17 MM socket or box end wrench on other side when tightening or loosening rear wheel axle.

[Flyteof4]

You can't put a wrench on the left end of the axle bolt. Its a hex key hole. Just wondering if other folks have managed to hold that bolt while tightening the castle nut without having to buy a large allen wrench (hex key).

[Flienlow]

I went to harbor frieght and bought this:
(I think its the 17MM you need)
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-38-and-12-drive-metric-hex-bit-socket-set-67880-html.html

[B.D.F.]

Yes, you can get some kind of tool (easy boys!) in there to hold the shaft from turning while you tighten the nut. A large, flat blade screwdriver at an angle should work, as would anything about the right width to bridge across two corners of the internal hex.

If you put 100 ft. lbs. of torque on a nut, you generally do not have to resist the bolt turning with anywhere near that amount of force. So in real life, we can get away with holding the head of a bolt with an adjustable, pliers and all sorts of things while the nut is fully tightened on the other end. Of course all of this depends on the resistance of the nut on the threads of the shaft, so it is by no means a guarantee. The 'right' thing to do it simply buy the correct size hex tool; they can be had at places like Auto Zone as sockets surprisingly cheaply. Still, the 'wedged screwdriver' idea will almost always work and costs nothing to try.

Brian

You can't put a wrench on the left end of the axle bolt. Its a hex key hole. Just wondering if other folks have managed to hold that bolt while tightening the castle nut without having to buy a large allen wrench (hex key).

[BudCallaghan]

Does anyone know what size of allen key fits the rear axle bolt?  I tried reinstalling the rear tire last night after replacing the tpms battery and realized i dont have the correct tool to keep the axle from spinning while i tighten the castle nut on the other side. Or is there another way to hold that axle while tightening it?
Thanks.

The Allen end of the axle is 14 mm not 17 mm as assumed by Flienlow.  There's not much pressure required on that end of the axle so my first suggestion is to follow the advice offered by Brian, jam a big screwdriver in there and it should be able to hold it.  I haven't encountered any other 14 mm Allen anywhere else on the bike so if you do buy the correct tool this will be the only place you'll be needing it.  On my own bike the axle does not turn when I either loosen or tighten the nut at the other end so I have not needed to hold the Allen end of the axle.  You can go to your local hardware store and purchase a bolt with a 14 mm head and two nuts for that bolt.  Put the two nuts on the bolt and tighten them against one another, stick the bolt in the axle and hold one of the jam nuts with a wrench and that should be sufficient to secure the axle while you tighten the axle nut.  An even less costly version of the bolt and jam nuts option is to use a bolt with a 9/16th head and two nuts to match.  9/16th" is nearly a match for 14 mm with the inch measurement just marginally larger than the metric.  The price of the SAE bolt is much lower than that of the metric bolt.  If the 9/16th is a too big to slide into the axle a very small amount of metal can be removed from each flat of the bolt head with a file and it will then fit the axle and do the job you intend it to do. 

[Flyteof4]

Awesome suggestions guys!  That's why i'm a member of this forum, for these exact situations. Never thought of using a bolt head. I'm sure i have one that size laying around. This forum is worth every penny i paid......:)

[maxtog]

Awesome suggestions guys!  [...] This forum is worth every penny i paid......

Hey- are you calling us "worthless"??!!!

[Flyteof4]

Hey- are you calling us "worthless"??!!!

What??  No, never!  ;)

[VirginiaJim]

I've had the same experience as Bud with tightening the rear axle....I don't recall having to use anything on the drive side of it to keep it from turning, but he does give some good advice if you do.

[Zteve]

I use a bolt held with vise grips. The bolt with the crushed threads is easy to find the next time. 

[Flyteof4]

I use a bolt held with vise grips. The bolt with the crushed threads is easy to find the next time.  ;D

This worked great!  Now i need to do the front tire and the hole is even bigger. Not sure i have a bolt that large. What size is required for that one?

[Zteve]

This worked great!  Now i need to do the front tire and the hole is even bigger. Not sure i have a bolt that large. What size is required for that one?

The front is 22mm, both sides. There's really no need to hold one side because the fork/axle pinch bolts will do that for you. Just loosen the right pinch bolts to loosen the axle. You will need a 22mm hex tool or something that you can get a torque wrench on to tighten it properly.

[Zteve]

A long lug nut close to 22mm should work.

[Gumby]

A small axle tool is great to carry on your bike. It's under $20 to.

[BudCallaghan]

This worked great!  Now i need to do the front tire and the hole is even bigger. Not sure i have a bolt that large. What size is required for that one?

A bolt with jam nuts won't work with this one as it is very tight and needs to be tightened to a torque of about 95 ft. lbs.  (I don't recall if that's the correct torque and I don't feel like looking it up in the manual right now, but 95 is either correct or it's damn close.) 

This is the tool I made for the front axle.  A 22 mm nut I found in a box of assorted old nuts and bolts that I welded to a 1/2 inch drive socket found in another box containing assorted old sockets.

I realize that only a few of members of this forum have welding equipment and a convenient assortment of old nuts, bolts and sockets lying around as I do.  If I had to buy the correct tool, I would purchase the Motion Pro simply because they offer quality merchandise at reasonable prices.  I have a number of their tools and consider them all to be of high caliber well worth having.

The left fork contains the nut and should be left in place with the pinch bolts left tight.  Loosen the pinch bolts on the right side, loosen and remove the axle.





This topic was discussed thoroughly with many alternative tools suggested by many helpful people at this link:
http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php/topic,34367.0.html

[MAN OF BLUES]

OR
if you have an abrasive cutoff saw, you can make a bunch of 22mm stubs from this...

http://www.mcmaster.com/#7289a25/=r9kkmy

or this

http://www.mcmaster.com/#6958a35/=r9kl03

or...

 

[Zteve]

Looks like something C-3PO had hidden under his gold shorts. 






Sorry Bud, couldn't resist.

[VirginiaJim]

 

[gPink]

He's not kidding...