Axel: From bolt-on to quick-release

Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if that
has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
Maillard hub.

Don't grease the tubers, Adam Rush

On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 08:41:06 +0000, Adam Rush wrote:

> Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if that
> has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> Maillard hub.

No problem at all. Well, I am not certain of the thread size on that hub (Sheldon Brown would know),
but you should be able to find a hollow axle to fit.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Some people used to claim that, if enough monkeys sat in front _`\(,_ | of enough
typewriters and typed long enough, eventually one of (_)/ (_) | them would reproduce the
collected works of Shakespeare. The internet has proven this not to be the case.

Adam Rush writes:

> Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if that
> has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> Maillard hub.

Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on the skating rink. Paulsen Axel would turn
in his grave if he only knew.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org> wrote in message news:nnWob.2242$Wy2.31380@typhoon.sonic.net...
> Adam Rush writes:
>
> > Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap
the axel in
> > a hub from bolt-on to QR? I've got an old low-flange,
front
> > Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard",
if that has
> > any relevance) which I would just love to see converted
or replaced
> > to match my rear QR Maillard hub.
>
> Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on
the skating
> rink. Paulsen Axel would turn in his grave if he only
knew.
>
> Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

If we have "breaks", why can't we have "axels"?................

jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
>
> Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on the skating rink. Paulsen Axel would turn
> in his grave if he only knew.
>

Assuming he could get his back glide/forward step done first.

- Brian "Skate Canada is on tv" Huntley

jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote in message news:<nnWob.2242$Wy2.31380@typhoon.sonic.net>...
> Adam Rush writes:
>
> > Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> > I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if
> > that has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> > Maillard hub.
>
> Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on the skating rink. Paulsen Axel would turn
> in his grave if he only knew.
>
> Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Gee...

Adam, solid axles and QR axles are commonly different threads and diameters. However, your Maillard
hub uses 9x1mm thread for both bolt-on and QR applications:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/wheels.html#axles

Hey, Jobst- what kind of bearings is Paulsen Axel turning on? Cartridge or loose balls? :-)

Jeff

jwills@pacifier.com schreef ...

> Hey, Jobst- what kind of bearings is Paulsen Axel turning on? Cartridge or loose balls? :-)

Seems like friction bearings to me. The kind that only works at temperatures below freezing ;-)

--
Regards, Marten

Adam Rush wrote:

> Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if that
> has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> Maillard hub.

Yes, but you should ensure the bearings are adjusted so they're *very slightly* slack before the QR
is fastened. A QR puts the axle into compression.

> > Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> > I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if
> > that has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> > Maillard hub.
>
> No problem at all. Well, I am not certain of the thread size on that hub (Sheldon Brown would
> know), but you should be able to find a hollow axle to fit.

What dimension of threaddom does "thread size" refer to? I guess I assumed that i'd have to replace
the axle, cones, and lock nuts to do this--making the characteristics of the previous axel
irrelevant. Are you refering to the diameter of shaft through the hub?

Forgive me for my methods, but I took an adjustable wrench and clamped it around the axle. When I
did that with a rear QR, it appeared 10mm wide. With the front bolt-on axle (the one in question),
it came to about 7mm.

> > Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> > I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if
> > that has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
> > Maillard hub.
>
> Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on the skating rink. Paulsen Axel would turn
> in his grave if he only knew.
>
> Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

My humblest apologies, for I have recently moved to a country in which everybody and their sister
are named "Axel," and Nokia sells more innertubes than cellphones.

On Sun, 02 Nov 2003 08:19:40 +0000, Adam Rush wrote:

>> No problem at all. Well, I am not certain of the thread size on that hub (Sheldon Brown would
>> know), but you should be able to find a hollow axle to fit.
>
> What dimension of threaddom does "thread size" refer to? I guess I assumed that i'd have to
> replace the axle, cones, and lock nuts to do this--making the characteristics of the previous axel
> irrelevant. Are you refering to the diameter of shaft through the hub?

I would imagine that the axle diameter would be the same on most hubs, but this is a French hub, so
I would worry about the thread pitch being different from your average axle. I don't know for sure,
but French headsets, bottom brackets, and even freewheel threads were just enough different from the
usual standards to cause trouble.

> Forgive me for my methods, but I took an adjustable wrench and clamped it around the axle. When I
> did that with a rear QR, it appeared 10mm wide. With the front bolt-on axle (the one in question),
> it came to about 7mm.

Front might be different anyway. I just checked; I have mostly Campy hubs, and their front axles
measure about 8.5 mm width. I have an old, very old, FB hub. It's front axle measured 8.0mm thick. 7
is very thin. 10mm for the rear is standard.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Some people used to claim that, if enough monkeys sat in front _`\(,_ | of enough
typewriters and typed long enough, eventually one of (_)/ (_) | them would reproduce the
collected works of Shakespeare. The internet has proven this not to be the case.

"Adam Rush" <adamrush@mail.com> skrev i en meddelelse
news:d0731d03.0311020822.73f692da@posting.google.com...
> > > Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
> > > I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if
> > > that has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear
> > > QR Maillard hub.
> >
> > Hey! This is bicycling not ice skating. Do your Axels on the skating rink. Paulsen Axel would
> > turn in his grave if he only knew.
> >
> > Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org
>
> My humblest apologies, for I have recently moved to a country in which everybody and their sister
> are named "Axel," and Nokia sells more innertubes than cellphones.

Mr. Axel Paulsen. ! The name Axel or AKSEL

Aksel (danish) = Axle (english)( or Shaft or Spindle)

Regards Michael

> >> No problem at all. Well, I am not certain of the thread size on that hub (Sheldon Brown would
> >> know), but you should be able to find a hollow axle to fit.
> > What dimension of threaddom does "thread size" refer to? I guess I assumed that i'd have to
> > replace the axle, cones, and lock nuts to do this--making the characteristics of the previous
> > axel irrelevant. Are you refering to the diameter of shaft through the hub?
> I would imagine that the axle diameter would be the same on most hubs, but this is a French hub,
> so I would worry about the thread pitch being different from your average axle. I don't know for
> sure, but French headsets, bottom brackets, and even freewheel threads were just enough different
> from the usual standards to cause trouble.

Okay, as a QR axel, how is the thread size relevant if I go to the parts aisle and pull off an axle
complete with cones, locknuts, and washers? Do I have to reuse the cones that came with this hub's
bolt-on axle for compatibility reasons or are these things standard enough that I can just trust the
box-o-axle to be compatible in all respects?

> > Forgive me for my methods, but I took an adjustable wrench and clamped it around the axle. When
> > I did that with a rear QR, it appeared 10mm wide. With the front bolt-on axle (the one in
> > question), it came to about 7mm.
> Front might be different anyway. I just checked; I have mostly Campy hubs, and their front axles
> measure about 8.5 mm width. I have an old, very old, FB hub. It's front axle measured 8.0mm thick.
> 7 is very thin. 10mm for the rear is standard.

This was very, very imprecise--It's probably the same as one of yours.

On Sun, 02 Nov 2003 15:18:02 +0000, Adam Rush wrote:

> Okay, as a QR axel,

To appease Jobst: It's axle.

> how is the thread size relevant if I go to the parts aisle and pull off an axle complete with
>cones, locknuts, and washers? Do I have to reuse the cones that came with this hub's bolt-on axle
>for compatibility reasons or are these things standard enough that I can just trust the box-o-axle
>to be compatible in all respects?

I was considering re-using the cones. Maybe a new set would work, maybe not. As I have said, old
French stuff has some compatibility issues. I really recommend you check Sheldon Brown's website.

I have used Campy cones and axles with off-brand hub shells, and it has been OK, but that was a rear
wheel. Front may work, and may not. You have to try it out.

> This was very, very imprecise--It's probably the same as one of yours.

I see no reason to believe that.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | You will say Christ saith this and the apostles say this; but _`\(,_ | what canst thou say?
-- George Fox. (_)/ (_) |

> On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 08:41:06 +0000, Adam Rush wrote:
>>Is it possible (or a good idea, for that matter) to swap the axel in a hub from bolt-on to QR?
>>I've got an old low-flange, front Maillard hub (stamped with "85 37" under the "Maillard", if that
>>has any relevance) which I would just love to see converted or replaced to match my rear QR
>>Maillard hub.

David L. Johnson wrote:
> No problem at all. Well, I am not certain of the thread size on that hub (Sheldon Brown would
> know), but you should be able to find a hollow axle to fit.
>
The nutted axle thread is m8x1. A standard Q/R front is
m9x1. The original Maillard/Atom/Normandy axle set is still available.
http://www.yellowjersey.org/helico.html

Current JoYou and KK axle sets interchange and cost a lot less. Cammpagnolo's second-rank fronts (
Gran Sport, Nuovo Tipo, Athena) also fit but are not at all cheap.

I believe you could use a Shimano Alivio or 105 or Ultegra front axle set if you can work around the
different size cone outer diameter so there isn't such a big opening between that and the dust caps.
Later model ( yours is a
1987) hubs have a 2-part dustcap with the inner shell pressed on the cone itself and the Shimanos
are too small for it. The bearing surfaces themselves are a perfect match.

Use new grade 25 balls (10x10-3/16") and fresh grease in a thoroughly cleaned hub.

Axel is Eddy's kid. Axle is the stationary equivalent to a spindle.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971