Converting to Female Axle
First off, a female axle is an axle that has a female bolt that threads into it. Look at This The advantage is that you have more threads touching, it is lighter and is cleaner. Also, read the interview, its cool. Now, take a look at a normal male axle. You see how female looks cleaner? Now the plan is to take a drill bit, a size Q, or maybe a 1/3″ (thats a 0.001″ difference, you make the call) and a 3/8″ 24 tooth per inch (TPI) tap, some 3/8″ 24 tpi bolts and some hacksaw blades. Now the plan is to cut the axle so that 3mm is sticking past the lock nuts on both sides, and then drilling it out so it is about a 1/3″ hole, and taping it for threads for the bolt. Now, when you put your wheel back in the dropouts 3mm of the axle will be sitting on the 4mm thick dropouts so that your wheel will be centered and most of the stress will be on the axle, not your sketchy bolts, like this kid did. (thats not 3mm) but you can see the basic idea. Now, I would use 3/8″ bolts, not, 5/16 like this clown used. (remember, this blog is for making fun of other peoples technical blunders) (or, at least it is now) Now, if we use 3/8 bolts, thats about 9.5mm so you will have a 14mm axle with 2.25mm thick walls. Not that strong, compared to your original axle with walls of about 5mm. But, look at this. Shadow is making a conversion kit for there new rant v2 hub, slide out the 14mm axle, slide in the new one, and you have, basically, what we are doing, only not scary. You can’t ruin your axle with a conversion kit. So, if it works for shadow… oh, wait, the olive color didn’t, so take note, don’t make an olive color way. But color is not female axles, unless your axle is olive.
Also, This post was all just theory, but after testing some of this, I came to the conclusion that your heat treated cromo axle is very hard, and the standard drill and tap set just wont cut it. (hahahahahahah) So, you would want to take it to a machine shop, put that sucker on a lathe and have some fun. I want a lathe. If you had a lathe, and are good at operating it, I would recommend attempting this. I don’t have a lathe. I am going to cut my axle flush instead. I hope pep boys takes back the drill and tap set I bought and then mangled. Also, don’t try this unless you can get replacement axles for your hub.
Also, we are up to 4,000 views.
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