Santa Cruz Tallboy-QR to thru axle

[alex_wohrnitz]

Hi All.

I'm thinking of converting my Santa Cruz Tallboy to thru axle at the back. it is currently quick release.

Is there a conversion kit that you have to buy and where do you get it?

 

Thanks,

Alex

[JXV]

I'm wondering why you want to do this? Did you maybe buy a wheelset with TA rear axle?

 

Your standard QR rear hub/axle is 135mm x 10mm with 5mm skewer..

The most common thru axle standard for mtb rear wheels is 142mm x 12mm. This has a 7mm longer axle and cannot fit in a standard 135mm frame unless the dropouts on both sides can be changed.

Much less common is 135mm x 12mm.

Also, DT Swiss made a 135x10 thru axle system that fits QR frames but not sure if this is still available.

 

12mm Thru axle conversion normally changes the rear axle length from 135 to 142mm and this is accomodated on the frame by means of corresponding 3.5mm recesses in the dropouts either side of the frame.

For the drive side you should be able to buy a thruaxle dropout to replace your QR dropout but I don't know about the non drive side. If the ND side does not have a replaceable dropout then I think you will need a new rear triangle....so I think a 142x12 is not going to be possible or practical. A new rear triangle from a Tallboy2 would do it if the geo and pivots are the same as your older Tallboy....but I think they are different 'cos there are different spares kits for them so check carefully if you go this route.

 

The 135x12 TA system is uncommon and also needs special dropouts so your frame may not be compatible. This system had issues and seems not to have been commercially successful.

 

So your only practical option seems to be DT Swiss 135x10 RWS system. This should fit into standard QR drop outs. If you can find the parts this would require you to replace your rear hub with the appropriate DT Swiss hub.

 

Personally I think you should just leave your rear axle as is. QR is tried and tested even if not the stiffest system around. For a marginal performance gain you might have to spend a lot of RRR to do this conversion.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Edited May 15, 2016 by JXV

[droo]

Buy a new frame. The TB can't be converted, the rear swingarm is one piece of carbon.

 

The only thing you can do if you don't have one of them already is to swap out your skewer for a DT Swiss RWS or a Shimano XT, which are the two strongest 9mm skewers.

[alex_wohrnitz]

Thanks guys. It was a question purely out of curiosity. 

I agree about keeping it QR though, that's good enough for me