Sturmey Archer axle nut — availability outside UK?

[Pickled Onion]

I’ve lost an axle nut.
 

What are the chances of getting one in North Macedonia?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Failing a miracle, I think you are waiting for an express delivery. Western Europe (other than the Netherlands) was mostly Sachs 3sp territory and the axle threads are slightly different. A Sachs nut will strip on a SA axle. Damned if I know what brand of 3sp hub was popular in that part of the world.

[quixoticgeek]

In the Netherlands, they are easy to find. Should be about €6 to ship.

Let me know if I can be of use.

J

[Pickled Onion]

That is incredibly kind of you qg

I’m here for another three weeks so the only other option seems to be new wheel. Amazon are only showing shipping from US.

I can’t believe I was so stupid as to not bring a spare (but then again it’s not something I’ve known to just fall off!)

[nobby]

That is incredibly kind of you qg

I can’t believe I was so stupid as to not bring a spare (but then again it’s not something I’ve known to just fall off!)

Buy two. Carry one as a spare and you'll never have one fall off again. 

[rogerzilla]

An older Campag one (10mm x 26tpi) might be usable if you force it on with cutting oil.  Might be easier to find there.  SA nuts are 13/32" x 26tpi.  However, Campag nuts are usually chromed and could damage the axle.

[Gattopardo]

Is there a brompton dealer nearby?

[Pickled Onion]

Good shout, but sadly not, the nearest one would appear to be in Greece.

[rogerzilla]

I have spares but I imagine post to Macedonia would take weeks these days.

[mzjo]

I haven't checked but hollandbikeshop would be my first stop. I can't remember how quick they were posting to France but they do go international and handle a lot of SA bits.
(QG buying one over the counter and posting it to you would probably be quicker tho'but)

[quixoticgeek]

I haven't checked but hollandbikeshop would be my first stop. I can't remember how quick they were posting to France but they do go international and handle a lot of SA bits.
(QG buying one over the counter and posting it to you would probably be quicker tho'but)

That's probably where I'll get them from. Then resend.

Holland bike shop are €33 for shipping direct to the OPs location. Postnl are €9.

J

[rogerzilla]

HBS will ship to North Macedonia but not to tinpot failed states.

[quixoticgeek]

HBS will ship to North Macedonia but not to tinpot failed states.

Yeah. Just for rather a lot of money...

J

[nuttycyclist]

...Might be easier to find there.  SA nuts are 13/32" x 26tpi.  ......

With this information I'd be looking for a relevant nut online/local shop/local knowledge/asking around to see if I could find one.


Alternative, could a LBS swap out the axle in entirety?    Are the cones a really unique shape or are they normal for whatever size balls are used in the bearings?
nut <> axle <> cone <> axle <> axle <> axle <> axle <> axle <> cone <> axle <> nut

Cost of axle + two nuts + two cones?     Cheaper than postage?  quicker than postage?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It is a 3sp hub with a proprietary axle thread. The only alternative source of nuts to Sturmey is somebody with a lathe. Fitting an alternative axle isn’t an option.

[quixoticgeek]

...Might be easier to find there.  SA nuts are 13/32" x 26tpi.  ......

With this information I'd be looking for a relevant nut online/local shop/local knowledge/asking around to see if I could find one.


Alternative, could a LBS swap out the axle in entirety?    Are the cones a really unique shape or are they normal for whatever size balls are used in the bearings?
nut <> axle <> cone <> axle <> axle <> axle <> axle <> axle <> cone <> axle <> nut

Cost of axle + two nuts + two cones?     Cheaper than postage?  quicker than postage?

It's €9 for me to ship it... The nuts are ~€1.5 ea.

J

[nuttycyclist]

Forgive me for my skim read oversight (second time today - ed).

I don't know why,maybe due to frequency of recent threads, and bikes I need to mend, but in my head a mental image of a Brompton and then a front axle came to mind.  How I got there from SA acronym when the thread (pun not intended) is clearly labelled Sturmey Archer axle nut" I have not a clue.

I apologise for my nuttyness, and QG I applaud you for your help to the community.

[rogerzilla]

No-one's asked the obvious question yet.

How do you lose an axle nut?

[nuttycyclist]

No-one's asked the obvious question yet.

How do you lose an axle nut?

Stop asking me direct questions.  I don't know how to lose an axle, I didn't lose an axle and I wasn't there at the time.

[Pickled Onion]

No-one's asked the obvious question yet.

How do you lose an axle nut?

I have no idea.

I know they were done up tight cos I'd had some creep on some previous steep climbs so put some welly into tightening the nuts (albeit with a stubby spanner that I take travelling). I then did some rough track climbing followed by >1000m descent. It must have shaken loose at some point then, but it's all stiff enough to hold together on just the drive side nut, so I didn't notice until I started to put pressure on to go back up and the tyre was pulled into the stays.

Somehow it would have been better if it all went to shit as soon as the nut was loose, then I would have found it. Instead it was rideable to a degree and I managed to (gingerly) ride the 125 km back to base with just the one nut.

The only other explanation is that one of the monks nicked it while I was visiting the Bigorski monastery.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Possibly the nut partially stripped when you tightened it and fully let go while you were riding.

[mzjo]

No-one's asked the obvious question yet.

How do you lose an axle nut?

I have no idea.

I know they were done up tight cos I'd had some creep on some previous steep climbs so put some welly into tightening the nuts (albeit with a stubby spanner that I take travelling). I then did some rough track climbing followed by >1000m descent. It must have shaken loose at some point then, but it's all stiff enough to hold together on just the drive side nut, so I didn't notice until I started to put pressure on to go back up and the tyre was pulled into the stays.

Somehow it would have been better if it all went to shit as soon as the nut was loose, then I would have found it. Instead it was rideable to a degree and I managed to (gingerly) ride the 125 km back to base with just the one nut.

The only other explanation is that one of the monks nicked it while I was visiting the Bigorski monastery.

Possibly the nut partially stripped when you tightened it and fully let go while you were riding.

Having once partially stripped a nut on an AW I have a theory that if the lockwashers aren't a tight enough fit in the fork-ends the axle can rotate a tiny bit back and forth which overtightens the nut and strips the thread. In my case the nut was definitely not overtightened before going out and the threads stripped while I was out. I was using some lockwashers I had bodged out of cone lockwashers so although they stopped the axle rotating as such they definitely didn't stop a bit of rotational movement. (In my case the axle was the tiniest bit too short - 6 1/4" axle in 130mm oln drop outs squeezed a bit; the threads on the outside end of the nut were just ok so I turned the nut inside for out and went home like that, solemnly vowing to get the right lockwashers and never to ride without a spare nut!)

[Pickled Onion]

That sounds like a plausible theory. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have over-tightened the nut with the stubby spanner (and I've been riding the bike many years with a standard fixed axle and track nuts, regularly taking the wheel out, never any issue before). There is a degree of play with the lock washers.

... solemnly vowing ... never to ride without a spare nut!

wise words

[Lightning Phil]

No-one's asked the obvious question yet.

How do you lose an axle nut?

Happened to me on front axle of Brommie.  Just noticed it wasn’t there when I unfolded bike.  I’m guessing it just vibrated loose given the feedback you get through the bars.  The axle retaining bit was there and wheel hadn’t moved out of position.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

SA nuts are pretty soft compared to track nuts and the flats on a 3sp axle mean there is a much smaller area of axle nut thread to support the load. I have stripped a SA nut in the dim, dark past at a surprising (and memorably low) torque. I am a low-key fan of a chain tug with SA hubs for that reason, despite the added faff while replacing a tube.