front axle torque

[Marco]

Hi folks,

I need the right torque for the front axle from an `96 clutch bike .
It`s a 3/4" axle with tappered bearings.

Anybody out there who can help me?

Marco

[hogv8]

50LBS. providing your spacer between the bearing is the correct length .

Jack
HOGV8

[Marco]

And that is the next question. What is the right length of the spacer?

thanks

[hogv8]

With the axle nut tightened to 50 LBS torque with the bearings and spacer between the bearings you need about .002 -.004 play or you would be puting a bind on the bearings and the races . What I have done is put the axle in a bench wise vertically and slide on the completely assembled wheel including the bearings,races , spacer between the bearings and some fabricated spacers to take up space left over so you can put the nut on and torque the nut to 50 LBS . You need the fabricated spacers the take up the space that normally the fork legs would take up if the wheel was assembled on the bike . With all this done first off the wheel should spin freely and you should be able to fit a .002-.004 feeler gage between one of the spacers above the wheel assembly . I use a dial indicator to see if I can lift the wheel assembly up and down .002-.004 but the feeler gage method will work also .
If you don't have .002-.004 that means your spacer between the bearings is too long and has to be shortened by .002-.004 at a time by removing it and trimming the end on a lathe or precision filing it and keep trying it until you achieve the .002 clearance or free play on the whole assembly . I know I probably made this sound more complicated that it really is but it's not that hard to do .
I'm sure someone might have an easier way to do this also but this works for me .

Jack
HOGV8

[Marco]

Whow,
that sounds plausible to me!
Because I think, that the spacer in my bike is not the original! Last year I changed the bearings and tightened the nut the corect way, but still feel a little "wobbling" in the system.
Now I´ll try the way you discribe.

Thanks for Info

Marco

[hogv8]

Whow,
that sounds plausible to me!
Because I think, that the spacer in my bike is not the original! Last year I changed the bearings and tightened the nut the corect way, but still feel a little "wobbling" in the system.
Now I´ll try the way you discribe.

Thanks for Info

Marco

If it's wobbling then the spacer is probably too long and holding the bearings apart so they aren't seated in the inner races properly . It needs to be precise . Too much clearance , wobble , too little clearance and the bearings will be binding in the inner races .

Another thing is the spacer end surfaces need to be parallel to each other for your clearance to come out precise . The spacer on my bike from new looked like it was fitted by someone by bench grinding the ends . It was way out of parallel . I ended up making a whole new spacer .

I just looked at my service manual and it says the bearing end play should be from .004 to .018 where I said it should be about .002 . Wow ! Like I said , I would make it .002-.004 . I think .018 is a little much .

JacK
Hogv8

[Marco]

Jack,
thanks for all that info. I´m planing to do a lot of these "adjustment-things" during the winter brake.
hopefully someone has a single speed auto for sale, this is my target!

regards, Marco