Typical axle size

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Sorry for the newbie-type question, but what's the typical axle size on older hubs?

Is it 3/8"?

Cheers,
Dr. T


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[deorman]

I believe they are 5/16" front, 3/8" rear. Some have proprietary thread.

 

[pick]

I believe they are 5/16" front, 3/8" rear. Some have proprietary thread.

I agree. Threat pitch does vary on some of the older hubs. I know this due to multiple trips to the hardware store for the correct one. I would have looked a lot smarter if I just took the wheel with me!

 

[Bicycle808]

I agree, 3/8" for rear. Fronts can be found in 5/16" or 3/8". The safer bet for most American hubs is 24tpi, but 26tpi are out there, too.... lurking. IGH hubs tend to have thicker axles and other idiosyncracies. Sturmey-Archers, for instance, are 13/32" with a Whitworthless version of 26tpi.

HTH

 

[ctaccruiser]

I agree with all said, I find a thread pitch gauge a bunch of help. Some 3/8" front axles have flats ground on the sides to allow use in 5/6" forks.

 

[B607]

I think the post war Schwinn one piece front hub uses a 7mm axle IIRC. Made in Germany. Gary

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I believe they are 5/16" front, 3/8" rear. Some have proprietary thread.

This has been my experience too, also 24 tpi for fronts and freewheel hubs, 26 tpi for coasters.

Luke.

 

[mikeeebikey]

I hate working with British stuff, but I keep doing it. They have Whitworthless hex sizes and the threads can be whatever they feel like. Raleigh has its own universe that doesn't even make sense to Whitworthless guys. How about the British car (maybe it was Humber?) that used Whitless hex caps and metric threads. People actually keep and restore these cars. I have a set of witless tools and some of my friends have more so I can borrow. I have had three Triumph motorcycle (presently own a 57), an MGA, and a Raleigh bicycle. It took two of us 6 hours to pull the engine out of my MGA. There wasn't a good wrench angle anywhere on this car. Took a half hour of making micro turns with an open end wrench and needle nose pliers to get off the two air cleaners. Couldn't fit a box wrench between the air cleaner bolt and the inner fender. The whole car was like that. So is my Raleigh, just try and take off the front wheel. If you get a rear flat on the 57 Triumph you have to disassemble the suspension and chain guard. I herd you can get a PhD in Diabolic Design in UK? The only reason these British modes of conveyance work at all is because of the maintenance schedule. Weekly carb rebuilding, monthly greasing, daily oiling, or filling oil reservoirs (where grease would be better) that leak and fling the oil all over your cloths. I just talked myself in getting more British transportation.

The brits.....they must have had a gazillion weird bolts and nuts after the war!
Their cars have oddities as well, besides the steering on the wrong side!
As I just relearned, use axle adjusters with sturmey rear hubs.

In addition to 3/8" x , I have seen 10mm axles that had a 1.5? (Fine) pitch.
Most the odd(coarse) thread 3/8" is coaster brake axles.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Thanks for the input guys, gonna order up some 3/8" 24tpi units and hope for the best......
Cheers,
Dr. T


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[DJ Bill]

Heck for the price get a 5/16 front axle set while you are at it and you cover all your bases..I don't have a single 3/8 front axle equipped cruiser in my collection, so I am assuming they are sorta rare....I do own the cheaper bikes..

Measure the dropout width on the bike you are building to be certain too..

 

[mikeeebikey]

Hey, before you order you can check the t.p.I.,
You need an inch measure, and count the threads.

 

[Bicycle808]

This has been my experience too, also 24 tpi for fronts and freewheel hubs, 26 tpi for coasters.

Luke.

I have coaster hubs in both 24 and 26tpi flavors. And, I've had 26tpi fronts, too, in the 3/8" size, so.... really, measuring and keeping original hardware is important with weird old stuff.

A lot of newer bike parts get on my nerves, but I have to admit that the efforts to actually "standardize" components in the 80s, 90s, and early aughts were pretty awesome. Sadly, these past few years are bringing a new set of "standards", with competing sizes/set-ups all trying to become the new standard.

 

[Bicycle808]

In addition to 3/8" x , I have seen 10mm axles that had a 1.5? (Fine) pitch.
Most the odd(coarse) thread 3/8" is coaster brake axles.

Most metric axles, until all these thru-axles that came about fairly recently, were standardized at 9x1mm front and 10x1mm rear. It really Ps me O when 3/8" axles are listed as 9.5mm x 24tpi and stuff b/c, let's face it, it's going to confuse the rookies plus it's downright goofy to express dimensions with a mix of metric and SAE.

 

[Bicycle808]

I hate working with British stuff, but I keep doing it.

The thing with Brit stuff is, it's usually a PITA, but so much of their stuff is just so hot, from the bicycles to the motos to the cars, and probably other stuff that I'm less interested in. A British machine is like your first hot but crazy girlfriend. High-maintenance but pretty much worth the hassle....

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Decided to bag buying these, but carry on if you'd like


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[ctaccruiser]

Currently working on a Schwinn ft hub,axle marked "Germany",axle date stamped 3-60. It has removable inner races and caged ball brgs. The axle threads will go into a 8 X 1.0 mm nut but is loose in the threads, it also will fit into a 5/6" X 24 tpi nut, but only goes in about half way before binding. This is, I believe is the Schwinn proprietary thread. 5/16"X26 tpi ? As far as British cars go, had a 57 TR3 small mouth grill and a psycho hot girlfriend, but not at the same time. Thank God