[Superchuck]

Howdy friends,

Please help me jog my memory.  It was a sunny day in Baltimore today, so I went over the bike and retightened a number of loosening odds and ends. 

I loosened the front axle, fender, and fork clamps to straighten it up since my last little lay-down, then I tightened it all up super tight.

But then that got me thinking... I remember the plastic speedo sensor unit which is on the front axle used to have a little bit of play... Like it could rotate slightly forward and back (not horizontal) but it wasn't difficult to rotate it a bit.

This afternoon I tightened the front axle as tight as I could possibly get it, but when it's that tight, the speedo unit doesn't move at all.  It also feels difficult to roll the bike... perhaps it is too tight and it's that additional friction I'm feeling.

So this evening, I then re-loosened the front axle so the speedo sensor had a bit of play. 

But now, anything with the wheels freaks me out a little bit.  I don't want to do it wrong, cause if your wheels fall off, well I've heard that's not a good thing.

Thoughts?

Cheers all, and fingers crossed for spring soon coming!
Chuck

[Adrian II]

If you've tightened the front axle nut insanely tight you might have squashed the speedo drive gearbox and something is forcing the inner to bind on its housing, thus stopping the front wheel from turning freely. The speedo drive is a plastic version of the metal one used on iron barrel Bullets for some reason, though ISTRC it has a metal sleeve where it sits on the spindle.

Maybe find a new M14(?) nyloc nut, or perhaps drill the axle for a castellated nut and split pin as on the rear.

Actually it's a fairly simple job to move the speedo drive on the back wheel where it always used to be on Redditch and early Indian Bullets, and use a longer cable with a metal speedo drive. You just have to cut a couple of slots in the hub for the speedo drive to engage, and cut down the outer spacer by the same amount as the thickness of the speedo drive casting to compensate.

A.

[Superchuck]

Thank you Adrian... I'll give a closer look to the plastic speedo sensor thing.  I don't think I tightened it enough to crack anything, but thanks for the heads-up.

With as much ongoing maintenance that my bike needs I probably won't find the time to swap the speedo to the rear, but that's a really cool idea... didn't know it was possible actually, but it makes perfect sense. 

Thanks!
Chuck