quick release wheels

[deano69]

just recently my quick release wheels mainly the front one has moved slightly whilst riding and the alignment gone slightly out noticed by slight rubbing of pads on disk which never touch as a rule until lever pulled.
the skewer lever is very tight once fitted and it has not come loose but wheel seems to of moved in forks slightly during riding causing very minor aligninment anyone know how to stop this ?... i have been told there are now allen key head skewers which look pretty good anyone tried these and if so ? your thoughts on them

 

[marzjennings]

just recently my quick release wheels mainly the front one has moved slightly whilst riding and the alignment gone slightly out noticed by slight rubbing of pads on disk which never touch as a rule until lever pulled.
the skewer lever is very tight once fitted and it has not come loose but wheel seems to of moved in forks slightly during riding causing very minor aligninment anyone know how to stop this ?... i have been told there are now allen key head skewers which look pretty good anyone tried these and if so ? your thoughts on them

Your wheel shouldn't move if the skewers are tight. Allen key head skewer won't be fit any tighter, they're used to improve the security of your wheels and don't allow others to easily remove your wheels.

I have to ask, but how do you tighten your skewers? Do you tighten the lever side, turning the lever clockwise until it feels tight or do you tighten the small nut side to finger tight and then close the lever from open to closed?

 

[cyberknight]

Have you checked your bikes cones to ensure they have not any play?

My rear wheel had a bit of side to side movement so i took it out and found a bit of play in the axle so i tightened it up a smidge.

 

[deano69]

thanks for your advice, i checked wheel cones and they are perfectly tight but still allow wheel to spin freely and when i tighten the skewers i turn the nut side in whilst lever open just until i can push the lever all the way home tight and it is tight too i have to really put my weight into it to close it fully home but i have hydraulic disks and when you pull front brake that wheel stops but i think the pressure of the brake stopping the wheel also makes the wheel move slightly in the forks, it could just be shear braking power making it shift a few mm each time which is enough to off set the disk within the pads ?

 

[ELL]

Are you sure its the wheels that have moved and not the brake pads sticking slightly?

 

[deano69]

Are you sure its the wheels that have moved and not the brake pads sticking slightly?

hi there, the pads seem fine as i check them regurlarly and keep calipers clean after every ride, i have just fitted 2x 20mm washers each side because the forks have a circular recess where skewer fits into and tightens but because the skewer nut and lever section diameter is slightly less i think it moved slightly on power braking downhill but now with the washers because they fit tightly into the 20mm fork recess it cannot move anymore once they are tightened ....hope this sorts it

 

[2Loose]

The calipers themselves shift slightly under braking and it is normal to have to re-align them with the disk occasionally. Sounds like this is what has happened, rather than the wheel shifting.

Realigning the brake is dead easy, just loosen the caliper bolts, spin the wheel, squeeze and hold brake while re-tightening the caliper bolts.

 

[snailracer]

Where the frame dropouts meet with the axle threads cannot be described as a precision machined interface. After a while the axle threads wear down, or the edges of the dropout slots gets chewed away by the axle threads, hastened by corrosion.

IMO, a bit of slop is unavoidable. Not really a problem with non-disk brakes where there are several mm of clearance, but annoying for disk brakes with finer clearances.

 

[marzjennings]

hi there, the pads seem fine as i check them regurlarly and keep calipers clean after every ride, i have just fitted 2x 20mm washers each side because the forks have a circular recess where skewer fits into and tightens but because the skewer nut and lever section diameter is slightly less i think it moved slightly on power braking downhill but now with the washers because they fit tightly into the 20mm fork recess it cannot move anymore once they are tightened ....hope this sorts it

The skewers are supposed to fit inside the circular recess (lawyer lips) like so...

You're washers are only going to make things worse. Take the bike to your local bike shop and get some help.

I run 203mm disks on QR wheels and braking does not move the wheels in the dropouts.

 

[marzjennings]

Where the frame dropouts meet with the axle threads cannot be described as a precision machined interface. After a while the axle threads wear down, or the edges of the dropout slots gets chewed away by the axle threads, hastened by corrosion.

IMO, a bit of slop is unavoidable. Not really a problem with non-disk brakes where there are several mm of clearance, but annoying for disk brakes with finer clearances.

Corrosion, worn axle threads, chewed out dropouts and slop. I feel sorry for your bike. There never needs to be any slop or play where the front axle sits in the dropouts. If there is you're doing something wrong.

 

[snailracer]

Corrosion, worn axle threads, chewed out dropouts and slop. I feel sorry for your bike. There never needs to be any slop or play where the front axle sits in the dropouts. If there is you're doing something wrong.

Riding old bikes is not "doing it wrong".

I should clarify, there should be no slop/play when riding along. However, remounting the wheel will not usually locate it in exactly the same position as before.

Most dropouts are painted. After a few years use, the paint is gone - the paint was not a precision surface to begin with, now that it has been rubbed off the axle will rest in a slightly different position. Tightening nuts/washers against the dropout face will leave tool marks - which also erode the surface.

Examination of the inside of the dropout slot on any bike with some use will show wear (thread imprints) - which also results in imprecision. The threads on the axle which press against the inside of the dropout slot will wear, why would that be a surprise?

 

[marzjennings]

Riding old bikes is not "doing it wrong".

I should clarify, there should be no slop/play when riding along. However, remounting the wheel will not usually locate it in exactly the same position as before.

Most dropouts are painted. After a few years use, the paint is gone - the paint was not a precision surface to begin with, now that it has been rubbed off the axle will rest in a slightly different position. Tightening nuts/washers against the dropout face will leave tool marks - which also erode the surface.

Examination of the inside of the dropout slot on any bike with some use will show wear (thread imprints) - which also results in imprecision. The threads on the axle which press against the inside of the dropout slot will wear, why would that be a surprise?

See, I thought you meant slop while riding was unavoidable. Riding and keeping an old bike going, as you say, isn't wrong and I'd add an art form.

But it's still not a big deal to re-face the dropouts every now and then and you only have to readjust the disc brake mounts a mm or so. But even with paint chipping off and tool marks it's still possible to secure the wheels in place so they don't shift while riding. I still think the OP is setting the skewers wrong OR they're stuck with some real cheap and nasty skewers.

Note to the OP, pick up some nice Shimano skewers.

 

[snailracer]

thanks for your advice, i checked wheel cones and they are perfectly tight but still allow wheel to spin freely and when i tighten the skewers i turn the nut side in whilst lever open just until i can push the lever all the way home tight and it is tight too i have to really put my weight into it to close it fully home but i have hydraulic disks and when you pull front brake that wheel stops but i think the pressure of the brake stopping the wheel also makes the wheel move slightly in the forks, it could just be shear braking power making it shift a few mm each time which is enough to off set the disk within the pads ?

Have you checked your wheel cones for uneven wear?

To do this, lift the bike so each wheel is off the ground, spin wheels. Turn the bike upside down, spin wheels again. If there is brake squeal one way up but not the other, your cones are unevenly worn.

Uneven cone wear can be delayed by regularly remounting the wheels, so that a different bit of the cone is exposed to the ball bearing load each time.

 

[jimboalee]

Have you checked your wheel cones for uneven wear?

To do this, lift the bike so each wheel is off the ground, spin wheels. Turn the bike upside down, spin wheels again. If there is brake squeal one way up but not the other, your cones are unevenly worn.

Uneven cone wear can be delayed by regularly remounting the wheels, so that a different bit of the cone is exposed to the ball bearing load each time.

I said this about 18 months ago after servicing a rear hub. I was told it was bollocks. Can we have the person who said that to me repeat it to snailracer?

 

[marzjennings]

People still run wheels with cones???????????????????????????