Gap in front axle (2012)

Is this gap normal? I've gone through the parts diagram and everything appears to be in place, but this gap won't snug up when I tighten the wheel.

It won't. The shouldered part of the axle draws up to the bearing. that is normal.

bwolfie said:

It won't. The shouldered part of the axle draws up to the bearing. that is normal.

Click to expand...

Thanks Wolfie. It's one of those things that just doesn't look right .

What i do is tighten axle first. Push front forks down a few time to make sure they aren't in a bind, then tighten lower fork axle clamp. my 2 cents worth.

it looks like you are missing the dust cover p/n NM.18551...?

Looks like the dust cover is there. There are two different dust covers, one has a spacer built into it and one does not. And it looks as though you have the proper one on the proper side, the disc side has the spacer built in.
I believe the process as mentioned earlier is to undo pinch bolt, cycle forks a few times, hold a hefty driver in the axle hole and torque axle nut, cycle fork again and secure pinch bolt. ( going from memory here ) and I believe I have a gap as well.

Cheers.... 8)

staticmoves said:

Looks like the dust cover is there. There are two different dust covers, one has a spacer built into it and one does not. And it looks as though you have the proper one on the proper side, the disc side has the spacer built in.
I believe the process as mentioned earlier is to undo pinch bolt, cycle forks a few times, hold a hefty driver in the axle hole and torque axle nut, cycle fork again and secure pinch bolt. ( going from memory here ) and I believe I had a gap as well.

Cheers.... 8)

Click to expand...

OK, thanks guys... so that gap should be snugged up then. It must be binding because I wouldn't want to torque it any more than I already have. I'll try doing what you suggest. When it's fitting properly should there be any noticeable gap? If anyone could post a pic of how there's looks it would help. Mine's a 72 if that makes any difference.

Here's my '69.



That's a stink bug in the background.

Dave
69S

Here's my Combat, much the same. DO NOT snug up the gap, if you do the forks will bind. It is there to ensure smooth operation.

DogT said:

Here's my '69.

That's a stink bug in the background.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Thanks Dog and Wolfie... cool. I'll still rock the fork tubes a few times and retorque the axle before I tighten the lower clamps just to make sure nothing's binding, (making sure not to snug up the gap). Damn that's an ugly looking bug... looks like a giant wood tick. I crossed paths with an enormous spider in my garage the other day.. was like 4 inches in diameter. I jumped and screamed like a little girl when I saw it. My house borders a woods backing up to a stream so I've seen some pretty big spiders in my garage before, but this thing looked like something from the Iraq desert. I had no idea that Illinois even grew spiders that big. Ends up it was a nursery web spider... poisonous but not life threatening. I caught him in a coffee can and released him way back in the woods, figuring he might do some good back there. I figured I'd give him one free pass on wandering into my garage. If I see him again he's gonna be modern art.

Guys, the installation process described a couple of times is good....and needed....

But just for the....but it does not look right aspect!.....well, actually it looks right if you fully consider the design and manufacturing issues...

Why?, well if you close the gap between the fork leg (lower/slider) and the rotating assembly of the wheel you are going to have friction, possibly to the point the wheel will not rotate cleanly and create an unsightly mess...the wheel has to rotate, with good clearance from the fork leg... and if you pull the fork legs together at the bottom you are going to have increased stiction and worse in the forks and overall you will have poor suspension operation.

The space, and the process of tightening that pinch bolt last after allowing (encouraging) the forks to align to their natural position, ensures that manufacturing and assembly differences in the yokes (triple tree), stanchion, lower legs and installed bushes and wheel spindle and wheel are accomodated.....

The spindle is stepped to ensure that it tightens onto the bearings/spacers when you tighten the axle nut. When teh axle nut is tight the fork leg assembly is sufficiently rigid to hold the bearing inners and allow wheel rotation around them, the grip of the leg onto the wider stepped end is to link it to the other spring an damper assembly (fork leg) in a braced structure.....

Steve

Sorry rob, after reading your reply I edited my post. It should have said that I still have a gap, not had a gap.
My bad sorry....

As I remember how it works, the front axle has a shoulder on it on the drive side and that contacts the cover (and the bearing) on the hub. All the left or drive side of the fork bottom does is clamp down on the axle to maintain a parallel situation for the sliders. That's why we bounce the front to get everything moving freely before clamping the drive side slider to the axle. The timing side slider is kept in place on the hub by the axle nut. When the nut is tightened, the hub is pulled against the timing side slider and a gap is left on the other side. But nothing is loose. The gap is most likely meaningless, unless it's less than 0.

Dave
69S

Front axle has a shoulder that butts up inside the slider to stop it sliding through on tightening the opposite nut. There is just enough fork spring apart distance to slip correct spacers on each side then nut pulls the works together baring on the spacers, inner racers w spacer inside. Gap on my Combat looks a bit under 1/16" or about like yours. Then the pinch bolt gets nipped up.

What a great forum. Just been doing some final tidying and noticed there was bit of a jerk somewhere when I moved bars from side to side - first time it's been off main stand for far too long! Spotted the gap described above was opening and closing.

Went through checking process and came to same conclusions as explained above. Quick search turned this thread up which confirmed I'm not (that) crazy.

The jerk was obviously me for not torqueing up the pinch bolt enough; best to find it now though!

Don't do it up too tight or your fork lower will join all the other ones waiting on a good welder.

some guys fit a plastic/fiber washer in the gap to avoid what kommando told you , thus you cannot tight it too far.....and breaking the lower lugs.......!

Believe it or not I just was addressing this an hour ago and then saw this posting!