Installed my rear axle today. The kart is starting to come together!
As I’m putting the rear wheel hubs (OTK for $35 on the Bay) I noticed that on the brake side the hub slides in easy over the axle. On the engine side the hub is binding as it get’s slid over the axle. I can get it to slide on but only by hammering it with a mallet.
I exchanged the hubs to check and the hub that slides so easy over the brake side of the kart also binds on engine side as well. This leads me to believe my axle is slightly bent on the engine side. It should be noted the axle slid easily through the cassette bearings.
1)Is this something I should be concerned about?
2)Should I return the axle I purchased?
3)Can I still use it and just gently mallet my hub over the axle?
Thanks for all your help throughout my build! I’ll post pictures soon enough!
It happens especially on used equipment. First de grease every thing hub and axle then take some emery cloth (strip of sand paper) 220 or higher grit and sand the end of axle and inside of hub. Sand so it’s nice and smooth and make sure there are no burrs. Apply a bit of oil and see if that works. If still tough to get on take a flat blade screw driver and tap into slot near bolt to help open up the hub. You still might have to tap with hammer but it should slide on easier.
The axle is brand new. Both hubs slide easy over the brake side. Once I get it on the engine side both hubs bind,
I tried tapping the hub with a flat head as you mentioned to open the hub up. No Dice maybe I’ll open the cavity up a little larger and try sanding it down and jimmy the hub on.
Just be careful with to much oil or grease. That could also allow it to slide in while on track. Clean up the area real good and put a few wrappes of electrical tape on axle behind hub. Will help it from sliding in to much and also a visual indicator to see if your hub has slid in.
Altering rear track width is a handling adjustment like Bryan said. The common neutral number for overall rear track width is 1390mm. There is usually a maximum width per regulations of 1400mm (55 1/8").
Spreading the hub with a flat head screw driver pounded in is a good way to get stubborn ones on or off. Keep the axle and hub surfaces clean, and if you have any metal gouges or burrs on either, sanding them off with a file or emery cloth is good for removing them. Also, a 50mm ball hone for your drill does wonders cleaning up corrosion or imperfections on the inside of a hub.
