MTB rear wheel thru axle coming loose

[SwissVan]

Its a Specialized Roval wheel / hub with a 12 x 148mm thru axle on an Epic EVO

Question: 

Do these type of thru axles (no quick release lever) tend to come loose often?

 

During my last ride i started having problems with the gears slipping and jumping.

Upon further investigation i noticed the whole rear wheel was loose / had some side play.

Checked the thru axle (allan bolt type, no quick release lever) and it was quite loose.

Tightened it up and gear slipping jumping problem solved. 

 

Question is: 

Do these type of thru axles (no quick release lever) tend to come loose often?

 

Has anyone had recurring issues like this?

While not yet recurring for me, I'm just wondering if this is a potential problem.

 

Thanks

 

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Yeah! On my wife's bike it had been an issue for a long time! Silverback Sido frame. Constantly coming loose during the ride no matter how much I torqued it. 

After countless applications of Loctite, I replaced the Axle. Touch wood it hasn't been a problem since!

[Dusty]

I have the same wheel and setup and it has never become loose.

[V18]

Just built up a bike with this kind of thru axle. The torque specification surprised me. It's quite a bit more than you think. Get a torque wrench. Set it to the reccomended Nm. It shouldn't come loose. Don't overtorque it either. It deforms the thread interfaces and eventually shears the whole business. Then you have to go full helicoil route and that is a massive ballache.

[V18]

In essence. I think you are undertorque-ing it. I suspect I have been all this time before I checked the reccomended numbers.

[SwissVan]

I have the same wheel and setup and it has never become loose.

Good to hear, maybe the spaz shop mechanic never tightened it “tight” at assembly.

 

Will keep an eye on it now tho

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Yeah I think I just got an axle with bad tolerances... At least it's a point you are aware of now and can be a part of your pre-ride check 

[RobertWhitehead]

After reading this it just got me wondering, what happens if you use a torque wrench at home and whilst out on a ride you have to put in a tube? How will you be able to get said Thru Axle loose without said torque wrench? 

 

Are we supposed to ride with a tool box linked to our bikes similar to what Danny MacAskill did in his day-care video  ? Some serious skill from this dude, I love his content

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj0CmnxuTaQ&ab_channel=DannyMacAskill

[Wannabe]

You don't need a torque wrench to loosen the axle.

You can "feel" the torque required to loosen the axle, try and hand tighten it to the same "feeling". Once you get home, whip out the trusted torque wrench, and get it back to the recommended setting.

[David Marshall]

If the wheel axle binds onto the through axle for any reason it will tend to loosen the skewer axle.

[DieselnDust]

Its a Specialized Roval wheel / hub with a 12 x 148mm thru axle on an Epic EVO

Question: 

Do these type of thru axles (no quick release lever) tend to come loose often?

 

During my last ride i started having problems with the gears slipping and jumping.

Upon further investigation i noticed the whole rear wheel was loose / had some side play.

Checked the thru axle (allan bolt type, no quick release lever) and it was quite loose.

Tightened it up and gear slipping jumping problem solved. 

 

Question is: 

Do these type of thru axles (no quick release lever) tend to come loose often?

 

Has anyone had recurring issues like this?

While not yet recurring for me, I'm just wondering if this is a potential problem.

 

Thanks

 

 

The unit in my scalpel doesn't come loose.

the unit in my giant did.

Check the rear wheel drop out isn't lose. this will cause the thru axle to shift around a bit that causes it to losen up

[MudLark]

You can probably also just safety wire it.

[Martin PJ]

Google searching this topic, there is a known problem with disk brakes sometimes causing the skewers to come loose. Been around for a while and there have been lawsuits. More a problem with the front fork than the rear.

[Martin PJ]

double post

[dirtypot]

If the wheel axle binds onto the through axle for any reason it will tend to loosen the skewer axle.

 

My riding buddy had this issue.  Was driving him mad until he got a new wheel set.  Same frame, same thru axle, no more problem.  

[Butterbean]

Why didn't the industry go with reverse threads instead of binding would lead to loosening? Not being pissy, just asking the question... Or is it a risk of shearing the through axle instead?