I have just bought new wheels for my Raleigh mountain bike. Simple enough job changing over tubes and tyres and the freewheel. The front wheel sits in a treat as does the rear wheel until I try and tighten the wheel nuts, then the nut "rides" across the dropout. It is a new wheel, new axle and new nut so I all is true, and the previous wheel tightened without issue so I would have thought the frame was OK. To get round it I have put a washer between the wheelnut and the frame and that's OK. I have obviously lost the serrated nut edge against the frame, but years ago many bikes had smooth wheel nuts so shouldn't be a real problem. I may well try a couple of track nuts where the serrated washer is captive to the nut which can rotate separately to the washer. While typing this I have realised the one thing I haven't looked at is the actual nut. I will try the ones off the old wheel and see where it goes.
Wheel nuts
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raleighnut
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Track nuts Deffo 1 piece nuts are useless, washer will be ok for now though.
I have had another look and the frame each side of the axle recess is very slightly out of line so the nut hits one side about .2mm (that is point 2) before the other causing the axle to move with the nut. I am not even going to attempt to square it up as it is ok with a washer and will be unnoticeable with track nuts.
I had that problem with a cheaper set of wheels bought for my Peugeot before I upgraded to Fulcrum 7's. Tightening up one side would drag the axle out of place in the dropouts.
To solve it, I'd hold the wheel centred in between the chainstays with one hand, whilst tightening half turns at a time, alternating sides. If I remember correctly, starting by tightening a particular side lessened the issue even more (just can't remember which side it was!).
To solve it, I'd hold the wheel centred in between the chainstays with one hand, whilst tightening half turns at a time, alternating sides. If I remember correctly, starting by tightening a particular side lessened the issue even more (just can't remember which side it was!).
