Front wheel install

Hi all,

I just took my front wheel off for the first time to get a bad air valve fixed.

Putting it back together, I put the 2 little axle spacers on each side the way they came off. When I put the wheel in, it has like 3/4 inch play side to side (before putting the brakes on).

Is this the way it is supposed to be (floating front)? Or does it seem like I am missing a spacer.

Newby is concerned.

Thanks

 

I recently took my front wheel off to get a new tire installed and when I went to reinstall I noticed the same thing you're seeing. I assumed it was normal, when I put the axle in and tightened it down everything seemed fine. Hopefully someone else will jump in with a more certain answer.

 

Yep, I am hoping it is normal too. Never hurts to ask. Thanks for the reply.

 

Not sure what gen you have, I noticed this on my 6th gen when replacing the front tire. If you follow the directions in the manual it works fine. The freeplay is there until you tighten the axle bolt, then it draws the forks together and takes up that freeplay.

 

did you study the Honda service manual before starting work??

you should, always, the first time you attempt any job !!

your safety depends upon it.

 

I agree with the tightening comment. It will cinch up once the axle bolt is tightened.

 

Hey Squirrelman

Yep, read the manual, I just like the reassurance I get from others who have done it. Thanks.

 

Mine is all together and I have the long spacer on the right (front brake lever side) and the smaller spacer on the clutch lever side, tighten it up and it should be centered.

 

Is there a way to tell if it is not centered? It seems fine, buy inquiring minds want to know...

TIA

 

I think after getting it remounted and working the front and rear brakes a couple times, you look at the rotors and see if they are more or less centered in the calipers. If they are too far to one side then you have to move the axle a little bit. The manual has the actual procedure.

 

I hadn't actually experimented with it but I suspect that if you swapped the spacers around then the brake rotors wouldn't line up correctly with the calipers. I don't think you could physically install the wheel in that configuration.

 

I read in another post that it is possible to put the axle bolt on too tight where it pulls the forks together a bit too much and out of alignment. It didn't say how you could tell if you had done this.

Seems to me you would get a bit more brake rub.

Thoughts?

 

I don't know, it appeared to me in doing it that the forks get drawn against the spacers and can't come any closer together than that. The manual gives a torque spec for the axle and pinch bolts so if a reasonably accurate torque wrench is used it should be correct? I just followed the procedure in the manual and didn't have any issues.

 

Sounds like it is time to get a good torque wrench. The one I have isn't cutting it.

Thanks for the replies

 

You'll possibly need 2 torque wrenches, as some of the listings are in inch pounds and some are in foot pounds.

I use 2, I've got a 3/8" that goes into the inch pound rating, and a 1/2" that is in foot pounds.

 

"SPACERS?!?...We don't need no stinking spacers!"