jamesmcrthr448

So, my old bike was basically condemned by Halfords and I can't afford a new bike. My partner's friend was storing their bike in our garage and has allowed me to have it as they intended to get rid anyway. However, they had removed the front tire from the bike before we received it. I've been trying today to put it on however I've been using a spanner to remove the nut/bolt(?) on one side, yet anytime I try to the other side moves as well? I don't own a spanner the same size so haven't tried holding them both but moving one, I have tried holding the other with plyers while trying to move the other. I've looked at Youtube but can only find videos of tyres being removed and reinstalled not in my scenario.

Any advice? I don't have any fancy bike tools, I have a cheaper version of WD-40 which I've tried too, also unsuccessful, any help is appreciated as I'm not that sure on mechanics and bike maintenance.

James.

tFUnK

Do you mean tire or wheel?

dsbrantjr

Tighten the nuts gradually, working from side to side until they are tight enough to not rotate the axle when you cinch them down. I have never needed to use more than one wrench to install a nutted axle.

alcjphil

Please. You do not seem to be able to distinguish between a tire and a wheel. They are not the same thing. Start with that

79pmooney

Do you have or can you borrow a crescent wrench? Not ideal. It will probably mar the nut but if it is in good condition and you fully close the jaws it will work well. In a real pinch you could hold the other nut with pliers. vise grips etc. until you have successfully started one side. (Don't do any hard tightening with it. Just use it as a stronger set of fingers, And yes, the bike god's will judge you.

Ben

dabac

Fastest thing to do is to tighten the cooperating side again quite firmly, then try to loosen the stubborn side first.
If that doesn’t work, use the pliers or borrow another wrench to be able to turn both nuts simultaneously.
Occasionally, an axle nut is on there so tight that you need to hold on to the locknut for the bearing on the stubborn side to get the axle nut off.

Iride01 

Seems that knowing what bike we are talking about will help. Hopefully this is a bike with just a nutted axle and not a QR or Thru-axle.

Even with simple nutted axles, you can still muck things up if you don't account for some of the differences in the way they install.

Do shops really charge a fortune to do those things for you in your area? Let them show you and learn first hand.

edit.... by shops, I mean local bike shop. Not a big box discount store which I perceive Halfords is.

grindher

I'd say atleast one of the nuts isn't the correct nut. Someone at some point probably just forced the wrong nut onto the axle. Check the threads on the axle. Do they look deformed?