# Through-axle confusion....



## Porschefan (Jan 14, 2011)

New bike... (long story).

This one has a Fox Quick-Release 15mm "thru-axle" and I'm not certain about how it works, especially the "indexed" threaded "cap".

It's easy enough to remove and put back, but when I screw the through-axle in far enough to get the quick-release lever in something like an upright position when closed, it seems really too tight to me.

The "cap" side has the "1" position lined up with the bump cast into the fork leg, and was set up that way by the bike shop when they built it.

I'm thinking that the indexed piece must somehow function to set it up so the QR lever is positioned properly when the axle is screwed in enough to close--but I'm really just not getting how changing the position of that piece would affect anything.

I'm attaching a couple of pix. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be embarrassed when I get this.

TIA for any pointers.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Taken from the Fox wsbsite: http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/index.html

Go to the 'Table of Contents' at the left side of the page and drill down: Forks/32mm/32mm 15QR Installation Guide

There, you can find this info complete with illustrations:
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32 mm 15QR Axle System Installation Procedure
WARNING: Some models of FOX forks are equipped with the 15QR axle system to help facilitate easy installation and removal of the bicycle front wheel assembly. Failure to properly install the 15QR axle and wheel onto your bicycle could cause the wheel to become detached from the bicycle while you are riding, and result in serious or fatal bodily injury. Before using, carefully read the 15QR instructions in your owner's manual. If you have any questions, ask your dealer for further instruction and training.
CAUTION: Use extra caution to keep your fingers away from the rotating disc brake rotor when installing or servicing the front wheel. The rotor is sharp enough to inflict severe injury to your fingers if caught in the openings of the moving rotor.
CAUTION: The calipers and rotor will become very hot when the brakes are normally operated. Do not touch them while riding or immediately after dismounting from the bicycle, or you may get burned. Ensure that the brake components have cooled down sufficiently, before attempting to adjust or service your disc brakes.

Installation Instructions
Before beginning the installation procedure, take note of the following points that would indicate a successfully installed 15QR Axle System.

Criteria for a Successful Installation
•The point of resistance when the 15QR lever cam starts to engage and tighten must be where the lever is parallel to the 15QR axle when closing the 15QR lever by hand; see Figure 4: 15QR Lever Resistance Point
•The 15QR lever must be secured by the use of hand strength only. No hand tools should ever be used; see Figure 6: Closing the 15QR Lever
•The side of the lever with the inscription "CLOSED" must be facing outwards from the wheel, and the 15QR lever must be positioned between one (1) and twenty (20) mm forward of the fork leg; see Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever

1.Position your front wheel into the dropouts of the lower fork leg. As you are installing the front wheel, be sure to squarely position the brake rotor in between the brake pads of the disc caliper. The hub shoulders should seat squarely and firmly in the dropout counterbores. 
WARNING: Dirt and debris can accumulate between the fork axle openings; always check and clean this area when installing the wheel. Dirt and debris can compromise the security of the axle system, potentially leading to serious or fatal bodily injury. Improper hub and axle installation can result with serious or fatal bodily injury.
Figure 1: Inserting the Wheel into the Fork Dropouts

.
2.Insert the 15QR axle into the right side of the fork dropout and slide it all the way through the hub, until you contact the axle nut on the other side (see Figure 1: Inserting the Wheel into the Fork Dropouts and Figure 2: Inserting the 15QR Axle). 
Note: The term "right side" here means from the perspective of the rider looking at the front of the bicycle.
Figure 2: Inserting the 15QR Axle

.

3.Thread the 15QR axle into the axle nut five to six (5-6) complete turns, orienting the axle such that the open 15QR lever arrives positioned below the fork leg, as shown in the image on the left in Figure 3: Tighten and Close the 15QR Lever. 
This step will ensure that when the 15QR lever is closed, it will be positioned properly forward of the fork leg, as shown in the image on the right in Figure 3: Tighten and Close the 15QR Lever.

Note: Do not thread the 15QR axle into the axle nut beyond the five to six (5-6) complete turns, or it will begin to bind into the 15QR lever-side fork dropout.
Figure 3: Tighten and Close the 15QR Lever

4.Move the 15QR lever from the open towards closed position, to test whether the cam resistance of the 15QR lever starts to be felt when the lever lines up parallel to the 15QR axle (see Figure 4: 15QR Lever Resistance Point). If the resistance point is not felt where the 15QR lever is parallel to the axle, the axle nut orientation needs to be readjusted. For the instructions how to do this, see the 15QR Axle Lever Cam Tension Adjustment section. 
WARNING: Improper adjustment of the axle nut can lead to serious or fatal bodily injury!

Figure 4: 15QR Lever Resistance Point

Figure 5: 15QR Lever Closing Action

5.With hand strength only, push the 15QR lever to the fully closed position with the palm of your hand. Do not use any kind of hand tool to increase leverage; see Figure 6: Closing the 15QR Lever. When closed, the lever must be in the CLOSED orientation, as shown in Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever. The 15QR lever mechanism is an over-center cam system, which is very similar to quick release hub systems common in the bicycle industry. 
Figure 6: Closing the 15QR Lever

WARNING: Never use any other tool to tighten the 15QR lever onto the lower legs. Over-tightening the 15QR lever can damage the axle, axle nut or fork dropouts, potentially leading to sudden failure resulting with serious or fatal bodily injury.
Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever

The 15QR lever should be fully pushed in to close, the side of the lever with the engraved inscription CLOSED must be facing outwards from the wheel, and the lever must be positioned between one (1) and twenty (20) mm forward of the fork leg, as shown in Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever.

CAUTION: Positioning the closed 15QR lever below the fork leg dropout may leave it vulnerable to hitting an object, posing a potential risk of quickly loosening the axle. If you position the closed 15QR lever in front of the fork leg, this potential hazard may be reduced.
15QR Axle Lever Cam Tension Adjustment
WARNING: Improper adjustment of the axle nut can lead to serious or fatal bodily injury! Follow these instructions very carefully.
If the 15QR lever cam tension is either too loose or too tight when the 15QR lever is positioned between one (1) and twenty (20) mm forward of the fork leg when it's closed (as shown in Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever above), use the following procedure to correct this maladjustment.

1.Write down the axle number engraved on the axle nut, which is pointed to by the indicator arrow on the fork leg; see Figure 8: Dropout Indicator Arrow and Axle Number. 
Figure 8: Dropout Indicator Arrow and Axle Number

2.With a 2.5 mm hex key wrench, loosen the axle nut keeper screw approximately four (4) turns, but do not completely remove the screw; see Figure 9: Loosening the Axle Nut Keeper. 
Figure 9: Loosening the Axle Nut Keeper

3.Move the 15QR lever to the OPEN position and unscrew the 15QR axle approximately four (4) turns.
4.With the 15QR lever in the OPEN position, push the 15QR axle in from the lever side of the fork. With this action, the axle nut keeper will be pushed out of its splined recess. Rotate the nut keeper out of the way, while continuing to push on the 15QR axle (see Figure 10: Adjusting the Axle Nut). 
Figure 10: Adjusting the Axle Nut

5.Turn the axle nut clockwise to a higher number to increase the 15QR lever cam tension when the 15QR lever is closed, or counter-clockwise to a lower number to decrease the 15QR lever cam tension when the 15QR lever is closed. 
6.With the axle nut newly adjusted, push it back into the splined fork recess. Double-check your changed axle nut number, to ensure your intended 15QR lever tension adjustment.
7.Return the axle nut keeper into place and apply eight (8) in-lb (0.90 Nm) of torque to tighten the axle nut keeper fixing screw. 
8.To safely secure your front wheel into the fork, repeat the Installation Instructions for the 15QR Axle System until the result shown in Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever is achieved. 
CAUTION: After closing the 15QR axle lever, do not attempt to re-position or spin the lever, as either of these actions can cause the axle to dangerously loosen.
Figure 11: 15QR Axle Lever Warning

WARNING: Never attempt to install the 15QR axle system by only rotating the 15QR lever to tighten and fasten. This will not be sufficient means to safely attach the wheel, and can result in serious or fatal bodily injury.
Items To Inspect Before Every Ride
Always check your front 15QR and rear quick release levers before riding, to verify that you have installed your wheels correctly and safely. Before every ride, inspect the proper tension level of your 15QR lever by opening and closing the lever by hand. If you are not certain as to whether you have your 15QR lever adjusted and tightened correctly, repeat the 15QR Axle System installation instructions.

It is very important to be sure that you have pushed the 15QR lever fully to the CLOSED position. The side of the lever with the inscription CLOSED must be facing outwards from the wheel, and the axle lever must be positioned between one (1) and twenty (20) mm (see Figure 7: Correct Orientation of the Closed 15QR Lever).

As shown in Figure 4: 15QR Lever Resistance Point and Figure 6: Closing the 15QR Lever, the 15QR lever must:

•always be closed by using hand strength only
•always engage tension at the correct resistance point, which is approximately when it's positioned parallel with the hub
•never be only rotated to secure the wheel

As you rotate and inspect your wheels, verify that your brake disc rotor, hub or rotor bolts do not interfere with any other component. If you are not familiar with adjusting your disc brakes, see the brake manufacture's instructions.

Before every ride, lift up the front end of the bicycle to suspend the wheel off the ground to give the top of the tire a few sharp downward blows. The wheel should not be loose at all; wiggle the wheel side-to-side to confirm this (see Figure 12: Testing the Front Wheel).

Figure 12: Testing the Front Wheel


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## PnkCrnk (Nov 25, 2010)

1. Loosen the hex screw (you don't have to remove it, only loosen so the indexed nut can be popped out.) This screw keeps the indexed nut from popping out and getting lost when you remove the bolt and also helps in keeping the nut from turning.
2. Loosen the thru-axle bolt so that it's totally separated from the indexed nut.
3. Pop out the indexed nut (you can use the bolt to push it out) and you can either turn the nut clockwise to get a tighter fit, or counter to loosen. Thread in the bolt again and lock it to check if you have the right tightness. Re-adjust the nut as needed.
4. Once you got the tightness right, secure the indexed nut by re-tightening the hex screw.
5. You're done.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

jeffj said:


> Taken from the Fox wsbsite: http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/index.html
> 
> Go to the 'Table of Contents' at the left side of the page and drill down: Forks/32mm/32mm 15QR Installation Guide
> 
> ...


Holy Schmoly...thank God for the Maxle


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## Porschefan (Jan 14, 2011)

Jeff--

THANKS. I searched the internet and even the Fox website, but I missed finding this.

stp


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

ha wow they wrote a book just to tighten a QR


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

eatdrinkride said:


> Holy Schmoly...thank God for the Maxle


and Marzocchi's 20mm axle (I don't think it has a name.)


> For optimum fork performance, please follow the instructions below when
> installing the wheel:
> Place the wheel in between each fork.
> Align the center of the wheel with each wheel axle clamp
> ...


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

I have used a few bikes with the Fox 15QR and in actual use, they are pretty nice. 

One thing I do like that Marzocchi has done is to put the lever on the opposite side of the rotor so the chance of burning your hand on a hot rotor is reduced.


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## Porschefan (Jan 14, 2011)

I tinkered around with this a bit and got the QR lever to close in the recommended position and with a little less tension than before. I moved the axle nut two positions counter-clockwise (from 1 to 17--loosen) and it seems about right to me now. (I guess this works because re-orienting the axle nut moves the beginning of the threaded portion closer or further away, but it's got to be just a tiny bit--whatever length of one revolution of the threads is??)

So that's good. I still don't quite understand this part of the instruction:



jeffj said:


> Taken from the Fox wsbsite: http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/index.html
> 
> 1.Position your front wheel into the dropouts of the lower fork leg. As you are installing the front wheel, be sure to squarely position the brake rotor in between the brake pads of the disc caliper. _*The hub shoulders should seat squarely and firmly in the dropout counterbores. *_


The hub shoulders do not "seat squarely" on anything, as far as I can see. Wheel position is determined by the brake rotor/caliper and that puts the hub shoulders flush with the fork dropouts and the 15 mm QR axle itself aligns everything and it appears to me to bear all the load.

Everything seems OK, though, and I'm just mentioning this to make sure I'm not missing something obvious and/or important.


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## Porschefan (Jan 14, 2011)

PnkCrnk said:


> 1. Loosen the hex screw (you don't have to remove it, only loosen so the indexed nut can be popped out.) This screw keeps the indexed nut from popping out and getting lost when you remove the bolt and also helps in keeping the nut from turning.
> 2. Loosen the thru-axle bolt so that it's totally separated from the indexed nut.
> 3. Pop out the indexed nut (you can use the bolt to push it out) and you can either turn the nut clockwise to get a tighter fit, or counter to loosen. Thread in the bolt again and lock it to check if you have the right tightness. Re-adjust the nut as needed.
> 4. Once you got the tightness right, secure the indexed nut by re-tightening the hex screw.
> 5. You're done.


Thanks--that's definitely the correct condensed version now that I've done it!


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## roxnroots (Aug 12, 2010)

What the hell. Those QR instructions are longer than the Constitution. :skep:


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

roxnroots said:


> What the hell. Those QR instructions are longer than the Constitution. :skep:


Not even close, that had 1,705 words where the Constitution has 4,440 words.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

zebrahum said:


> Not even close, that had 1,705 words where the Constitution has 4,440 words.


Does that include any possible amendments?

I'm speaking of the Fox instructions. . . . .


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

jeffj said:


> Does that include any possible amendments?
> 
> I'm speaking of the Fox instructions. . . . .


I think we need to call Cray and get one of their computers in order to count the words in the Fox manual, and even then we'd be here all day.


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## Wishful Tomcat (Mar 6, 2009)

The Fox manuals especially like the use of the words "serious or fatal bodily injury".


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