Lucky Find

[White Dog_imp]

I'm not sure if I will need this tool when I do the gaiters installation, but today I found a 17mm hex wrench in my plethora of tools that fits the left side of the front axle perfectly. Sure beats having to go out and buy one these days. I either got it to work on a '71 VW bug or a '76 Toyota, not sure which. It's another of my "one time use" tools.

[Redbird_imp]

Good find! I have those occasional finds myself, and sometimes I can't for the life of me recall why I bought it in the 1st place.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Good find indeed. Most of my tools are SAE or Whitworth so for the last few years have spent a lot of money on getting myself metric.

Cheers

[White Dog_imp]

So, the next question is "Is this hex wrench necessary for removing the front axle?" I know the nut needs to be undone on the RH side, but does the axle pull straight out the LH side or is it threaded?

[Rocky_imp]

So, the next question is "Is this hex wrench necessary for removing the front axle?" I know the nut needs to be undone on the RH side, but does the axle pull straight out the LH side or is it threaded?

Once the axle nut is removed the axle pulls straight out. It is not threaded into the fork leg.
Check out the excellent tutorial by the ferret in the "how to" section for detailed instructions on fitting gaiters.

BTW, I've often made those "lucky finds" in my tools too. It's one of those, "I didn't know I had that" moments!

[White Dog_imp]

This hex wrench has been hanging on top of the pegboard I mounted for my tools when I moved into this house in Spring, 1992! I already had the wrench before that.

[White Dog_imp]

Speaking of tools I found out that a 1 1/16" socket is about spot on as a 27mm socket. My rear axle nut is 27mm across the flats.

[Rocky_imp]

Speaking of tools I found out that a 1 1/16" socket is about spot on as a 27mm socket. My rear axle nut is 27mm across the flats.

In the past 20 years of playing with vintage British bikes with their odd nuts and bolts (Whitworth, UNF, UNC, CEI), I've found that metric and SAE sockets or wrenches with their slight variance in manufacturing tolerances often fit those odd nuts and bolts.
Years ago I had a lengthy forum debate with a fellow on the internet about using a metric wrench on a British bike. He basically told me I was nuts so I let it drop, but I knew I was right because I was using the wrench(s). Whatever works is what I use

[redbirds_imp]

I make my own specialty size wrenches by buying a hardened steel hex head bolt of appropriate size and then jamming two nuts together on the bolt. Voila, specialty wrench for less than a buck. The front axle on my Triumph Tiger 1050 required such a wrench.

[Blockhead_imp]

"Check out the excellent tutorial by the ferret in the "how to" section for detailed instructions on fitting gaiters."

+1 Rocky...The ferret's tutorial is spot on. Only took me about an hour start to finish...