How tight should I screw my thru-axles?
I have a new road bike with thru axle and disc brakes (Ultegra). I noticed that depending on the how tight I screw the axle in the frame, the brake disc will be closer to either side of the brake pads. I didn't pay attention at first, so now the rear left pad is much more worn that the right one.
Is there a way to find the perfect torque to make sure that the disc is perfectly centered?
disc-brake hydraulic-disc-brake thru-axle
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
add a comment |
I have a new road bike with thru axle and disc brakes (Ultegra). I noticed that depending on the how tight I screw the axle in the frame, the brake disc will be closer to either side of the brake pads. I didn't pay attention at first, so now the rear left pad is much more worn that the right one.
Is there a way to find the perfect torque to make sure that the disc is perfectly centered?
disc-brake hydraulic-disc-brake thru-axle
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
1
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I have a new road bike with thru axle and disc brakes (Ultegra). I noticed that depending on the how tight I screw the axle in the frame, the brake disc will be closer to either side of the brake pads. I didn't pay attention at first, so now the rear left pad is much more worn that the right one.
Is there a way to find the perfect torque to make sure that the disc is perfectly centered?
disc-brake hydraulic-disc-brake thru-axle
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
I have a new road bike with thru axle and disc brakes (Ultegra). I noticed that depending on the how tight I screw the axle in the frame, the brake disc will be closer to either side of the brake pads. I didn't pay attention at first, so now the rear left pad is much more worn that the right one.
Is there a way to find the perfect torque to make sure that the disc is perfectly centered?
disc-brake hydraulic-disc-brake thru-axle
disc-brake hydraulic-disc-brake thru-axle
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
edited 1 hour ago
Argenti Apparatus
32.9k23483
32.9k23483
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
asked 6 hours ago
Rwanou
737
737
Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
1
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
1
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago
Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
1
1
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
You should screw your through axle according to the manufacturer's specified torque value range. The torque applied to the axle is not meant to be used for adjusting relative brake/disc position, even if you observe such effect. Keeping the axle under-torqued is dangerous, and over-torquing it might damage the fork/frame dropouts.
A proper solution would be to adjust the position of the brake caliper itself relative to the disc. One possible way to achieve that:
- Screw the wheel's axle to manufacturer's recommended torque.
- Loosen both bolts that attach the caliper to the fork/frame. Do not unscrew them too much; you should just be able to wobble the caliper by hand.
- Squeeze the brake lever so that both pads hug the disc. If the pads were symmetric, then the caliper would become centered relative to the disc. In your case, you should probably do this with a new pair of pads.
- Keeping the lever pressed (by using a rubber band, rope etc.), tighten the caliper bolts so that the caliper will stay in the new position. Make sure to tighten these bolts to a proper torque as well (typically in a range 7-9 N×m, but it may be different)
Now, when you release the brake lever, the distance between pads and disc surfaces will be equal (given that both pads move at the same rate, of course).
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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1 Answer
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oldest
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votes
You should screw your through axle according to the manufacturer's specified torque value range. The torque applied to the axle is not meant to be used for adjusting relative brake/disc position, even if you observe such effect. Keeping the axle under-torqued is dangerous, and over-torquing it might damage the fork/frame dropouts.
A proper solution would be to adjust the position of the brake caliper itself relative to the disc. One possible way to achieve that:
- Screw the wheel's axle to manufacturer's recommended torque.
- Loosen both bolts that attach the caliper to the fork/frame. Do not unscrew them too much; you should just be able to wobble the caliper by hand.
- Squeeze the brake lever so that both pads hug the disc. If the pads were symmetric, then the caliper would become centered relative to the disc. In your case, you should probably do this with a new pair of pads.
- Keeping the lever pressed (by using a rubber band, rope etc.), tighten the caliper bolts so that the caliper will stay in the new position. Make sure to tighten these bolts to a proper torque as well (typically in a range 7-9 N×m, but it may be different)
Now, when you release the brake lever, the distance between pads and disc surfaces will be equal (given that both pads move at the same rate, of course).
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
add a comment |
You should screw your through axle according to the manufacturer's specified torque value range. The torque applied to the axle is not meant to be used for adjusting relative brake/disc position, even if you observe such effect. Keeping the axle under-torqued is dangerous, and over-torquing it might damage the fork/frame dropouts.
A proper solution would be to adjust the position of the brake caliper itself relative to the disc. One possible way to achieve that:
- Screw the wheel's axle to manufacturer's recommended torque.
- Loosen both bolts that attach the caliper to the fork/frame. Do not unscrew them too much; you should just be able to wobble the caliper by hand.
- Squeeze the brake lever so that both pads hug the disc. If the pads were symmetric, then the caliper would become centered relative to the disc. In your case, you should probably do this with a new pair of pads.
- Keeping the lever pressed (by using a rubber band, rope etc.), tighten the caliper bolts so that the caliper will stay in the new position. Make sure to tighten these bolts to a proper torque as well (typically in a range 7-9 N×m, but it may be different)
Now, when you release the brake lever, the distance between pads and disc surfaces will be equal (given that both pads move at the same rate, of course).
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
add a comment |
You should screw your through axle according to the manufacturer's specified torque value range. The torque applied to the axle is not meant to be used for adjusting relative brake/disc position, even if you observe such effect. Keeping the axle under-torqued is dangerous, and over-torquing it might damage the fork/frame dropouts.
A proper solution would be to adjust the position of the brake caliper itself relative to the disc. One possible way to achieve that:
- Screw the wheel's axle to manufacturer's recommended torque.
- Loosen both bolts that attach the caliper to the fork/frame. Do not unscrew them too much; you should just be able to wobble the caliper by hand.
- Squeeze the brake lever so that both pads hug the disc. If the pads were symmetric, then the caliper would become centered relative to the disc. In your case, you should probably do this with a new pair of pads.
- Keeping the lever pressed (by using a rubber band, rope etc.), tighten the caliper bolts so that the caliper will stay in the new position. Make sure to tighten these bolts to a proper torque as well (typically in a range 7-9 N×m, but it may be different)
Now, when you release the brake lever, the distance between pads and disc surfaces will be equal (given that both pads move at the same rate, of course).
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
You should screw your through axle according to the manufacturer's specified torque value range. The torque applied to the axle is not meant to be used for adjusting relative brake/disc position, even if you observe such effect. Keeping the axle under-torqued is dangerous, and over-torquing it might damage the fork/frame dropouts.
A proper solution would be to adjust the position of the brake caliper itself relative to the disc. One possible way to achieve that:
- Screw the wheel's axle to manufacturer's recommended torque.
- Loosen both bolts that attach the caliper to the fork/frame. Do not unscrew them too much; you should just be able to wobble the caliper by hand.
- Squeeze the brake lever so that both pads hug the disc. If the pads were symmetric, then the caliper would become centered relative to the disc. In your case, you should probably do this with a new pair of pads.
- Keeping the lever pressed (by using a rubber band, rope etc.), tighten the caliper bolts so that the caliper will stay in the new position. Make sure to tighten these bolts to a proper torque as well (typically in a range 7-9 N×m, but it may be different)
Now, when you release the brake lever, the distance between pads and disc surfaces will be equal (given that both pads move at the same rate, of course).
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
answered 6 hours ago
Grigory Rechistov
4,458829
4,458829
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
add a comment |
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
You can also use some pair of spacers between pads and the disc (like thick paper bits), loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze and release the brake lever, then re-tighten the caliper.
– Grigory Rechistov
5 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
What is the purpose of the paper? It should bring the calliper in the exact same position as the first method.
– Carel
4 hours ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
I don’t really want to start readjusting my flat mounts hydrolic disc brakes every time I remove the back wheel for cleaning. I’m not even sure Ultegra brakes allow any travel prior to tighting them.
– Rwanou
59 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
If there were a torque specified for the through axle, how would one measure it while closing it? Improvise some kind of key that fits over the handle of the through axle? Or just fashion some similar lever to a torque driver and learn how it feels when tightening the through axles lever?
– gschenk
30 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
@gschenk - I was wondering the same thing, my bike's axles have traditional quick release levers, I have no torque wrench that would fit them. I just made it about as hard to close as a regular skewer based QR lever.
– Johnny
3 mins ago
add a comment |
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Do your axles have recommended torque values printed on? I'd also contact the shop that sold your bike about torque affecting the alignment, that's not supposed to happen and might be a warranty/service case.
– Klaster_1
6 hours ago
1
I don’t think they are mentioned, anyway, the axles come with a handle to easily remove a wheel on the side of the road, i couldn’t check the exact torque if I have a puncture during a ride.
– Rwanou
1 hour ago