Originally Posted by
utoner34
1. Sorry if I was not clear, I am not asking about the actual axle which holds the wheel into the fork, obviously it has only one direction and the fork dictates that. I am asking about the direction of the tube (whatever its called) in the hub itself which holds the cones, as you disassemble the hub, you can pull it out both sides. So not sure if this has a direction.
2. I am aware of the seal rubber, its tiny, already stretched out and does not sit tightly in the incut its suppose to be, and as I screw cone nuts back, the grease just keep pushing this rubber out.
You were plenty clear. The axle - as in the threaded tube which holds the bearing cones - is usually symmetrical on a rim-braked wheel (I've never disassembled an asymmetrical disk front hub, so I don't know if the innards are also asymmetrical). In your case, it doesn't matter which way around you install the axle, as long as you center it in the wheel (protrudes the same amount on each side). As someone else said, the easiest way to ensure this is to leave one cone and locknut in place when disassembling.
What you refer to as the "actual axle which holds the wheel into the fork" isn't an axle - it's either a quick-release skewer, which can be installed either way but usually with the lever on the left, or a "thru-axle", which can only be installed in one direction as it screws into the fork end on one side. Both are clamping devices, neither are axles, despite the name.