Closed Fork Drop Out Question

[Rides4Fun]

Why would you feel uncomfortable about spreading your fork, enough to go to the extent of replacing the axle with something inferior to an original? Please read, "Spreading those difficult forks" in the Restoration thread. Unfortunately, these forks are designed that way. it's just the way it is. Keep it simple. Have someone else spread it for you as you drop the wheel in. Or, tie a rope around around one blade and fasten to door handle or something else that's handy, and pull.

Thank you, Tinker. I guess what's bothering me is that I would have to stretch them about 1.75" with the axle that I have,since the drop outs are 3 3/4" out-to-out and the axle I have is 5 3/8" and that seems a lot (but maybe it's my inexperience). I don't plan to put fenders on this bike, so maybe I can try cutting the axle a 1/2" on either side, so that it's about 4 3/4". Or, do you know if I should be able to find a shorter axle that would work?

 

[Archie Sturmer]

The amount of flex should be much less than 1” with one end already slotted.
@Junkman Bob recommended pre-positioning the axle with respect to the cones and lock nuts (jam nuts) to have excess threads (axle length) at the slotted end (the easier-to-do, drop-in, 1st end).

Put axle back in rim …. Favor one side with axle threaded way back … put rim into position into fork …. Turn axle into closed hole of fork …. So now axle is even on both sides

For every thread moved to the slotted end, would be one less thread to be stretched over.

Practically the exact same concept as using a fully-threaded axle, (with time saving pre-assembly, threading steps). [I.E., making the favored axle look just like the fully-threaded one otherwise would, right before sliding into the fork].

One might also find a shorter axle, (depending on truss rod attachments).

It may also be very-helpful to have some thin axle-cone wrenches.

Check-out those fork ends again, is the left axle-hole way off-center, might the fork-end have been repaired and re-drilled(?).

 

[the tinker]

I suppose you could cut a slot with a grinding wheel in your fork. I've owned two bikes with these forks. They came out in 1938, without truss rods. Bad design, but nice looking. Impossible for a kid to change his front wheel without help from dad.

47-48 Hawthorne Comet

 

[fshbydesign.com]

Hopefully I am understanding you correctly. The standard thread size for many hubs, New Departure included, is different than the UNF thread size commercially available in all-thread. There is a fork spreading tool that you can look into, but manually spreading the forks works well.

 

[Rivnut]

I have a couple of bikes that have fully threaded axles with no blank space in the middle.

 

[Rivnut]

Hopefully I am understanding you correctly. The standard thread size for many hubs, New Departure included, is different than the UNF thread size commercially available in all-thread. There is a fork spreading tool that you can look into, but manually spreading the forks works well.

Yep. Schwinn has a proprietary 26 TPI on their front axles; most others are 24 TPI. Most all-thread is 18 TPI. Your cones, etc will not fit the all thread. Cut the close end open so the axle will drop in.

 

[old hotrod]

Do not spread the fork, just loosen the cones and thread the axle in a 1/4in or more on the "closed" side and you should be able to clear the axle. It takes a little patience but really not a big deal, I have several prewar bikes and a cycletruck and it is a common practice...easier to do when the axles are in good shape..

 

[tacochris]

Do not spread the fork, just loosen the cones and thread the axle in a 1/4in or more on the "closed" side and you should be able to clear the axle. It takes a little patience but really not a big deal, I have several prewar bikes and a cycletruck and it is a common practice...easier to do when the axles are in good shape..

This ^^
Do a full clean on your wheel hardware so the threads move like butter then do this. I had to do it on my Cycle Truck.

 

[Rides4Fun]

Do not spread the fork, just loosen the cones and thread the axle in a 1/4in or more on the "closed" side and you should be able to clear the axle. It takes a little patience but really not a big deal, I have several prewar bikes and a cycletruck and it is a common practice...easier to do when the axles are in good shape..

Hi old hotrod,

Someone told me one time that if something is hard to do, you might be doing it wrong and that may be the case with how I’m trying to do it.

Basically, when I get axle set into the closed side and run that cone as far as I can to center of the axle (by turning the axle as far as the threads allow), the threaded portion of the axle and cone are still outside the fork drop out on the opposite (open drop out) end. The center drop wheels and axle are from a different bike.

My axle length is 5 3/8” and the drop out width out to out is 3 3/4”. The unthreaded portion of the axle in the middle is 1 7/8” and the threaded part on each side is 1.75”. So, when I get the one side in the closed drop out and run the cone as far as I can, I’ve used almost 3 3/4” of axle length (threaded end and unthreaded middle), with the remaining threaded portion outside the fork on the open end.

Thank you very much for your suggestion I must be doing something incorrectly or maybe have incompatible parts.

Barry

 

[old hotrod]

Hi old hotrod,

Someone told me one time that if something is hard to do, you might be doing it wrong and that may be the case with how I’m trying to do it.

Basically, when I get axle set into the closed side and run that cone as far as I can to center of the axle (by turning the axle as far as the threads allow), the threaded portion of the axle and cone are still outside the fork drop out on the opposite (open drop out) end. The center drop wheels and axle are from a different bike.

My axle length is 5 3/8” and the drop out width out to out is 3 3/4”. The unthreaded portion of the axle in the middle is 1 7/8” and the threaded part on each side is 1.75”. So, when I get the one side in the closed drop out and run the cone as far as I can, I’ve used almost 3 3/4” of axle length (threaded end and unthreaded middle), with the remaining threaded portion outside the fork on the open end.

Thank you very much for your suggestion I must be doing something incorrectly or maybe have incompatible parts.

Barry

What front hub is it? Sounds like the axle is too long but I will have to check hubs I have. According to references, std axle length was 5" and axles were available up to 6" to accommodate baskets and parade struts I guess.