installing front wheel - disc brake version

Still a newbie with my '72 Commando. I removed both wheels to install new tires.
Upon re-installation of the front wheel, after tightening the axle nut to what I thought was an appropriate torque, there seemed to be almost 1/16" lateral movement of the wheel between the two forks. Yes, the LH dust cover and bearing spacer did get installed.

Surely little or no lateral play is appropriate for the wheel?

Should I just tighten it down more, or?

Is this a visual gap or is it physical play/slop/movement.

pauldridge said:

Should I just tighten it down more, or?

Click to expand...

All play should have been removed before the nut was fully tightened, so it sounds as if something is missing from the assembly?


http://www.oldbritts.com/1972_g15.html
http://www.oldbritts.com/nor_comm_72_15.html

Also, are you sure the nut and spindle/axle are both the correct 18 TPI (UNF) thread and that the nut isn't the earlier 20 TPI BSC 'Cycle' thread?

L.A.B. said:

Also, are you sure the nut and spindle/axle are both the correct 18 TPI (UNF) thread and that the nut isn't the earlier 20 TPI BSC 'Cycle' thread?

Click to expand...

The quick-n-dirty test for this, apart from just trying them loose and seeing that the nut will spin on ALL the way along the threads,
is that a 14mm ordinary type spark plug will readily go into the 20 TPI dommie type wheelnut, but will NOT go into a Commando wheelnut.
(Unless you somewhat force it).

All bets are off when I grab a wrench, but as near as I can see, there are just the dust covers on each side. I had referred to the workshop manual, same diagrams as you linked. Almost certain I could physically move the wheel laterally along the axle just a tiny bit.

This was the exact axle and nut I removed just a couple of days ago. I did have to hold the axle with a bar on the other end to tighten the nut.. it took more than finger movement to tighten, but I never had a sense the effort was enough to suspect mismatched or crossed threads.

pauldridge said:

Almost certain I could physically move the wheel laterally along the axle just a tiny bit.

Click to expand...

'Almost certain' ??
If everything is in place and its all tightened down, it might look like it could be moved,
but if you haven't actually tried/achieved this, this may be pond gazing...

Did you do up the little bolt on the axle-clamp side of the forks after tightening up the axle nut ?

On most bikes it is normal to have the front wheel pulled up tight to one fork leg while the other side is clamped after the fork legs have been compressed a couple of times to allow the assembly to self-align.

Not sure where you are witnessing the movement. But you need to rule out movement from crapped out wheel bearings. Typically this would show up as wobble at the rim more so than movement of the hub along the axle.

Stephen Hill