# Alfine Tugnut



## Citizen Kane (Aug 12, 2007)

I have a Genisis IO ID factory fitted with an Alfine hub. The sliding dropouts use small diameter reaction screws to set the axel position and chain tension.

Heres a picture of the disk side, you can see the small set screw and how it works, the drive side was the same.









I had 2 main problems with this system, if you flat on the trail you need a tiny allen key to wind back the drive side to get some chain slack to remove the wheel and because of the angle the no turn washers hold the flats on axel the screw dosnt react normal to the flat.

When the bike arrived the paint on the drop outs was pretty thick, so thick in fact that the no turn washers couldnt get a good bite on the steel. The result was the washer fretting away at the paint until the axel was loose. Next the force reacting on the set screws and the fact that the axel flat is at an angle resulted in the screw simply being bent out the way. Once the paint was scaped away this initial problem went away but I still didnt like the idea of having to wind out this screw every time the wheel came out and then resetting the chain tension again so I made a quick release tugnut.

This picture shows the tugnut in place








Undo the nuts and theres normally enough slack in the chain to skew the wheel over and turn the bar 1/4 turn and allow the wheel to slide forward to release the chain.









The tugnut is made from stainless steel, the tab is much deeper than an Alfine washer and allows a length of M5 studding to be screwed and loctited into place. The bar has a shallow groove that locates around the dropout and a nylock nut keeps the adjustment correct for refitting.


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## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

That's a pretty slick idea, integrating the non-turn washers into a axle tensioner.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Nicely done.


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## 20.100 FR (Jan 13, 2004)

very nice.
I have a KM and an Alfine, PM me if you can create another !


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## irrah (Dec 18, 2008)

My version:
On-One tugnutt & Alfine non-turn washer combo. Only little filing needed.


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## jasevr4 (Feb 23, 2005)

Very clever! Well done!


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## mountaingoatepics (Jan 30, 2004)

Dig your tensioner Irrah!


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

I came across this (old) post because I'm searching for options to combine NT washers and chaintugs.

@ Irrah : Nice work, but you don't need a tug on the non-drive side.
Have you done the same on the drive side ?
I also have a 29" Inbred and also an old/unused On One tugnut.

@ Kane : Nice work also, but this is what is used on ols fashioned commuters:








It hooks in to the NT washer, and it sits in the dropout, between the washer and the hub's contra nut.








The black part is (reinforced) plastic, and can be replaced bij a bit of alu.
Where you not aware of this, or where you unsatisfied with the strength of this tug ?


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## irrah (Dec 18, 2008)

thasingletrackmastah said:


> @ Irrah : Nice work, but you don't need a tug on the non-drive side.
> Have you done the same on the drive side ?
> I also have a 29" Inbred and also an old/unused On One tugnut.?


Both side, and more filing because i replace NT-washers 8>6. (different tab size).


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

Interesting thread that has been ressurected. I have an On One frame on the way that I will be running an Alfine hub on. I was hoping that with proper torque on the nuts I would not need a tugnut. Is this not the case? Has anyone tried horizontal dropouts without a tug of some kind?

Thanks,
Mark


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

bikeny said:


> Interesting thread that has been ressurected. I have an On One frame on the way that I will be running an Alfine hub on. I was hoping that with proper torque on the nuts I would not need a tugnut. Is this not the case? Has anyone tried horizontal dropouts without a tug of some kind?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark


Yes, I have an horizontal dropout Inbred, nexus, no tug, no problems. Just snug down the nuts, nothing crazy.

And, a horizontal dropout Monocog 29er, alfine, no tug, no problems.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Here's my solution, MKS tugnuts on the inside of the dropout, everything fits nice on a 135mm frame since the Alfine/Nexus is 133mm OLD:


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Citizen Kane said:


> ...The sliding dropouts use small diameter reaction screws to set the axel position and chain tension....


Nice solution! I have the same dropouts on my Jabberwocky, I screwed some nyloc bolts onto them, The nuts act as thumbscrews and allow me to turn the reaction screws with my fingers:


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

bikeny said:


> Interesting thread that has been ressurected. I have an On One frame on the way that I will be running an Alfine hub on. I was hoping that with proper torque on the nuts I would not need a tugnut. Is this not the case? Has anyone tried horizontal dropouts without a tug of some kind?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark


Yeah, nice, and that's exactly the reason why I did ressuret this topic.
I have a On One Inbred 29" wich I used as a singlespeed.
I'm curious how far the Inbred will take me with an Alfine, compared to my 26" geared FS.
Commuter bikes with a Nexus use the above shown tugnut NT washer combo.

I succesfully used the Inbred as a singlespeed without a tugnut.
However, that was with a 44t chainring. Now I use a 36t chainring, and set up as a ss, I pulled the wheel forward under heavy pedaling.
So some sort of tugnut is needed.
I guess I go for the MKS (8mm) on the inside of the drive side.
I never had to use a tugnut on the non drive side, so I don't expect to need one now either.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

thasingletrackmastah said:


> Now I use a 36t chainring, and set up as a ss, I pulled the wheel forward under heavy pedaling.
> So some sort of tugnut is needed.


What kind of hub/qr/nut did this happen with? The reason I ask: I've had issues w/ ss qr setups, but with the alfine/nexus config, it has been no big deal. The nuts seem to have a pretty good grip on the dropouts. Maybe my chicken legs just don't put out enough power for me to see issues...


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

baker said:


> ...The nuts seem to have a pretty good grip on the dropouts....


I don't have issues with steel frames, on aluminum frames with track-style horizontal dropouts I couldn't get any hub to stay in place without a tugnut. I use tugnuts on both sides because it was slipping so badly I just decided to be sure, I didn't actually try it with a single drive side tugnut.


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

baker said:


> What kind of hub/qr/nut did this happen with? The reason I ask: I've had issues w/ ss qr setups, but with the alfine/nexus config, it has been no big deal. The nuts seem to have a pretty good grip on the dropouts. Maybe my chicken legs just don't put out enough power for me to see issues...


That was with a LX hub, converted with a threaded axle and nuts.
With a 44t front ring it was OK, with 36t it slipped forward sometimes.

But I've ridden the Alfine 2 times now, and it stay in place just fine. without a tugnut.
Must be the serrated NT washers that keep the axle from sliding forward.
The nutted LX hub had normal washers, nothing agressive.
:thumbsup: NT Washers.:thumbsup:


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