Aftermarket wheel - axle torque question

[79josh81]

So I’m in the middle of an XS650 200mm wide tire build and I have a question about the Ultima 60 spoke 16x5.5 wheel (or any aftermarket motorcycle wheel for that matter). My question is, being an aftermarket wheel, what should I torque the axle to? Obviously the xs650 rear axle torque is 108 ft/lbs in the service manual but with a different wheel and a hardtail I’d imagine it would be different. I do have a torque spec that came with the wheel for setting the wheel bearing end play (I think it’s like 60 ft/lbs or something like that). Should I just torque the axle to the wheel bearing end play torque? It makes sense to me to do that but I’d like to hear some other opinions from people running either the same wheel or a different type of aftermarket wheel/hub.

 

[Jim]

Main determiners of torque is bolt shank diameter and thread pitch. If those are the same as the original axle, I'd use the same torque. I think most guys (myself included) don't bother to torque the axles.... just crank it down good and hard.
Or as we used to say in the Air Force.... run it down 'till it strips... then back it off a half a turn....

 

[79josh81]

Main determiners of torque is bolt shank diameter and thread pitch. If those are the same as the original axle, I'd use the same torque. I think most guys (myself included) don't bother to torque the axles.... just crank it down good and hard.
Or as we used to say in the Air Force.... run it down 'till it strips... then back it off a half a turn....

Yeah the axle isn’t the same. It’s a Harley style wheel so I’m actually using an extended 3/4” axle from TC Bros for wide tire applications. I guess my question is, if you set the wheel bearing end play at 60 ft/lbs, but then torque to almost twice that at 108 ft/lbs, do you run the risk of ruining the bearings by putting too much pressure on them? I know there’s the inner spacer and shims and theoretically they should only allow the axle to tighten far without smashing the bearings (which is why they’re there) but is there any concern with the bearings even if the end play is set correctly at 60 ft/lbs?

I’m sure I’m probably just being overly cautious but I’ve never ventured outside of the stock xs650 wheels so this is fairly new territory for me.

 

[Jim]

I'm not familiar with your setup... but if I had to guess, what they mean by end play is the same as the XS. Tighten it so all the spacers and inner bearing races are tight to each other. If that's the case the extra torque won't hurt anything.
Of course... 60 might be fine....

 

[79josh81]

Ok that’s what I was wondering. I just don’t understand why they have a torque spec for setting the bearing end play if you can torque past that when mounting the wheel on the bike. I guess I assume it’s just the minimum torque so that when you set the end play you don’t leave any extra slop that would give you a false end play measurement reading.

 

[79josh81]

I’ll just keep the wheel spinning when I torque the axle down and if it stops I guess I’ll know I went too far.

 

[Jim]

I guess I assume it’s just the minimum torque so that when you set the end play you don’t leave any extra slop that would give you a false end play measurement reading.

Bingo. That would be my guess.

 

[mrtwowheel]

If I were tightening that axle with no torque mentioned...…..80 ft, lbs. or more.

 

[XSLeo]

I might contact the manufacturer of the wheel and ask them.
Maybe the seller of the wheel might have an idea.
Leo