Strongest hollow axle for freewheel hub?
05-11-21, 07:32 AM
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Strongest hollow axle for freewheel hub?
I need to purchase a couple new hollow replacement axles for freewheel hubs. I've been using Wheels Mfg. axles, that I got at cost, but those days have past. I was wondering what other axles might be comparable or better? Is it worth trying to find NOS Campagnolo or Dura Ace axles? Thanks
05-11-21, 09:37 AM
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Wheels is probably going to be cheaper than anything NOS and a whole lot easier to get.
05-11-21, 10:04 AM
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Always used Wheels MFG. To me, they were as good if not better than OEM. Yes, they will bend after a while, but that's just because of lack of support with a freewheel hub.
05-11-21, 10:06 AM
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I think the strongest would be a new Wheels Mfg axle limited to 120mm spacing with the widest tire possible.
05-11-21, 12:00 PM
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I went ahead and ordered a couple of Dura Ace axles off ebay. Hopefully they work out. I'm solidly on the Clydesdale scale, and haven't broken anything yet, but have had to replace a number of bent axles on other bikes. I hadn't considered reducing a bikes spacing to 120mm, but have seen 126mm spaced bikes with 5 speed free wheels. That brings the bearings closer to the drive side and reduces the wheel dish. For S+G I googled 3 speed freewheels and there are a bunch of cheap made in China ones available. I dont think I need to go down that engineering rabbit hole, but Its cool to know there out there..
05-11-21, 12:37 PM
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True, but only if you add spacers to the nds. Definitely a good idea if you don't need the extra gear or two and want to beef up the stability of the wheel/axle.
05-11-21, 12:38 PM
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I went ahead and ordered a couple of Dura Ace axles off ebay. Hopefully they work out. I'm solidly on the Clydesdale scale, and haven't broken anything yet, but have had to replace a number of bent axles on other bikes. I hadn't considered reducing a bikes spacing to 120mm, but have seen 126mm spaced bikes with 5 speed free wheels. That brings the bearings closer to the drive side and reduces the wheel dish. For S+G I googled 3 speed freewheels and there are a bunch of cheap made in China ones available. I dont think I need to go down that engineering rabbit hole, but Its cool to know there out there..
I've collected a lot of these from discarded wheels from the shop.
One other strengthening tweak is to reduce your drive-side axle extension to the absolute minimum, that being around 3-3.5mm between the face of the smallest cog and the face of the locknut.
05-11-21, 02:39 PM
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Campagnolo is 10 x 26 tpi, I don't think Dura-Ace is that.
05-11-21, 07:05 PM
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Back in the day when I used to tour with FW equipped bikes, I found Campy axles to be quite strong although I eventually went to solid, bolt on Phil Wood hubs. Nothing is going to take them down. 40H/48H 3x and 4x
05-11-21, 07:22 PM
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I'm going to check the drop outs, and the frame at least with a string. I kind of think a bent axle is a bit of a red flag, that there may have been an "incident"
Last edited by bark_eater; 05-11-21 at 07:47 PM.
05-11-21, 07:29 PM
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05-11-21, 07:50 PM
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How many sprockets on the rear cluster? My experience is that anything above six increases the risk of bending an axle. If you are heavy and/or ride on rough surfaces or off-road, that also increases the risk of bending an axle.
05-11-21, 08:24 PM
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I'm working with 5 and 6 speed freewheels. The next 2 keepers with freewheels and loose bearings will be 5 speed.
05-11-21, 11:39 PM
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Campy and DuraAce are VERY different threads and will need their own cone, nuts, etc. Back in the day I made my own axles out of cromo tubing and had a threading tool made for the 55deg Campy v-form thread. Not sure why I bothered since I've never bent a Campy or DA axle.
05-12-21, 03:08 AM
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Campy and DuraAce are VERY different threads and will need their own cone, nuts, etc. Back in the day I made my own axles out of cromo tubing and had a threading tool made for the 55deg Campy v-form thread. Not sure why I bothered since I've never bent a Campy or DA axle.
05-12-21, 01:52 PM
#17
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I Bought a couple Ti axles for my Campy NR hubs from an eBay seller. I’ve used Ti axles b4 & they’ve always held strong...
front: 109mm
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Titan....m46890.l49286
Rear: 141mm (for 8-sp freewheel)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Titani....m46890.l49286
Seller might have other lengths?
front: 109mm
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Titan....m46890.l49286
Rear: 141mm (for 8-sp freewheel)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Titani....m46890.l49286
Seller might have other lengths?
05-12-21, 05:26 PM
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I Bought a couple Ti axles for my Campy NR hubs from an eBay seller. I’ve used Ti axles b4 & they’ve always held strong...
front: 109mm
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Titan....m46890.l49286
Rear: 141mm (for 8-sp freewheel)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Titani....m46890.l49286
Seller might have other lengths?
front: 109mm
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Titan....m46890.l49286
Rear: 141mm (for 8-sp freewheel)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Titani....m46890.l49286
Seller might have other lengths?
Ti is half the weight, but axles are all the same size (pretty much).
