rear wheel spindle loose on N/S

greasemonkey62 · Post by **greasemonkey62** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 5:52 pm

As I checked th tyre pressure in my 1963 AJS model 31 back tyre I held onto the rear wheel and noticed the chain side spindle end moved in the near side chain adjustment fork, the spindle end nut was good and tight but the brake cover plate fixing nut was only nipped up, I thought if the spindle end nut was good and tight the wheel was firmly fixed and that the brake cover nut only held the brake plate in place?
I have not had the rear wheel out since I bought the bike last year and wondered if it had been wrongly assembled.
The rear wheel is the quick detachable type with the five wheel bolts.

Cheers Ray.

1608 · Post by **1608** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:29 pm

The brake cover plate nut MUST be tightened first and then the wheel spindle can be tightened against the b/plate nut. This is designed so one can release the rear wheel for what ever reason leaving brake plate etc locked in place. It appears that the last person to remove the wheel and the possibly adjusted the brake plate didn't tighten brake plate.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:03 am

I don't have a quick release wheel (QD Wheel) so I cannot be sure but what you have described could be normal as the sprocket and brake drum unit together with brake plate are separate from the wheel spindle.

This allows the chain and everything except the wheel to stay in place when removing the wheel for a puncture repair.

It maybe that the drive pins/rubbers of the QD Wheel could be worn but others will let you know.

Groily · Post by **Groily** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:26 am

If the brake and sprocket were moving in the chain stay on that side, then I reckon 1608 is right - the inner, bigger nut has to be done up good and proper first. Then the spindle end nut is tightened against that, and all is rigid. If the first nut isn't fully tight, then tightening the spindle nut will never clamp everything together on its own. As this is one of the few QD wheels that really is QD - speedo drive cable and one nut to get a wheel out can't be bad - I rather like the design.
But if you have any concerns about the speedo drive gearbox retention on the right, or about the correct small amount of clearance on the wheel bearings, or the state of the rubbers in the hub, I'd have a good read through a few of the many posts on the subjects on here!

greasemonkey62 · Post by **greasemonkey62** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:38 am

all sorted now, thanks to all, problem is there is not much detailed instruction on reasembly for me to have started from scratch, but I have undone both nuts held down the back brake pedal while first tightening the the inner brake plate nut up then the end spindle nut and all seems perfect now, thanks again.
Ray.

greasemonkey62 · Post by **greasemonkey62** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:39 am

PS Not much detailed instruction in the three manuals I have, I meant in the previous thread.