# Titanium axle nuts



## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Hello.

As im slowly but surely learning about bikes in as much detail as I can and having recently built my first bike from beginning to end. My maintenance skills are also slowly evolving. Im aslo becoming a little particular about details on the bike.

This has been playing on my mind for quite some time. Ive noticed that the axle nuts on my wheels, front and back always develop surface rust. Now I know that an easy fix for this is to take them off and clean them up on a wired wheel and they will look as good as new. Unfortunately, I don't have a wired wheel for this purpose in my garage...yet ! I also don't want to have to do this. Not that its hard. I just simply don't want to excersize that option.

What I do want is a titanium replacement. Ive searched every bicycle site that I know of looking for titanium axle nuts to replace them. There are plenty of titanium bolts and nuts out there but I haven't been able to source an axle specific nut. Im not clued up on thread sizes, I see such things such as M8, M6 or M5 bolts and nuts. But I haven't yet worked out exactly how to interpret these sizes. Obviously the larger the number the bigger the bolt. And ive gathered that an M5 bolt for example will probably requite a 5mm allen key. But I somehow don't think any of these bolts or nuts I have come across are an axle specific nut. Im sure they will be a lot smaller than they appear on the web page if I were to have them delivered to my door. They also don't have that built in domed washer thingy you get with a standard axle nut.

So all this fuss has brought me to this very helpful website. I didnt think it would be such a difficult task. Im hoping that someone can point me in the right direction and have me thinking 'well, why the hell couldn't I find that before?' 

Secondly, why are titanium nuts and bolts so damn expensive anyways ? The price difference seems to be ridiculous. Yes ok, there is probably far less demand for it and so the tooling up costs to produce them would be expensive. But, it really is an expansive option.

Besides my winge on price, I still want them, as I will only require 4 for my fixie.

Thanks 

Steve


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## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Yes I will consider stainless. But preferred option is Ti.

In actual fact I havent been able to find any axle nuts anywhere. Just head set, seat post, rack, crank nuts n bolts etc etc. But no axle specific bolts ??

Surely they are out there. 

Steve


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## wvucyclist (Sep 6, 2007)

Ti in general is way more expensive of a material, between mining, processing then fabricating ti parts, it's all more difficult than steel, and it's less abundant of a material. Have you searched for stainless nuts?


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

In over 40 years of messing with those, never had rust develop on track axle nuts. My guess is that you're using inferior axle nuts and/or ruining the plating with an inferior or worn wrench. Ti or stainless nuts are a bad idea, they may not be strong enough for the torques needed. Size depends on the hub. There are 10 x 1, 9 x 26 tpi, 9.5 x 26 tpi, and 9 x 1 axle nuts. Get the ones with the integrated, but freely spinning, washer.

Here's one source to call. Just as an example, the $$$$ nut at the link is one of the best you can buy. It'll never rust unless you mistreat it with a bad tool or by overzealous cleaning using degreasers.

CAMPAGNOLO Track Axle Nut - Front [153-269-17] : • Milwaukee Bicycle Co. • Ben's Cycle

.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

wim said:


> In over 40 years of messing with those, never had rust develop on track axle nuts. My guess is that you're using inferior axle nuts and/or ruining the plating with an inferior or worn wrench. Ti or stainless nuts are a bad idea, they may not be strong enough for the torques needed. Size depends on the hub. There are 10 x 1, 9 x 26 tpi, 9.5 x 26 tpi, and 9 x 1 axle nuts. Get the ones with the integrated, but freely spinning, washer.
> 
> Here's one source to call. Just as an example, the $$$$ nut at the link is one of the best you can buy. It'll never rust unless you mistreat it with a bad tool or by overzealous cleaning using degreasers.
> 
> ...


^^^^^^this! To the OP, you probably can't find Ti axle nuts because it sounds like a bad idea...just because titanium is a strong metal doesn't mean it has the right strength for the forces required for a high-torque application. Besides, that would be such a niche market that the tooling and manufacturing of such an item would be prohibitively expensive.

Do this: buy some new good-quality plated axle nuts like Wim suggested (with the captive washer), install them and rub some Renaissance Wax on them. They will not rust unless you abuse them.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

check into these...White Industries white has been doing these for a couple of years. they're bronze and stainless i believe. i have a set on my race wheels. they're spendy, but they're damn cool.


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## RHankey (Sep 7, 2007)

Ti nuts and bolts are a terrible choice for places where any torque or stress is required. Ti bolts behave like brittle rubber (winding up and distorting as you attempt to tighten/loosen them), and Ti nuts/bolts can easily seize and snap. There is no way you could get Ti nuts tight enough to stop the rear wheel from shifting in the dropouts. Ti bolts for things limit screws or cable adjusters are fine. As others have suggested, get yourself a high quality set of wheel nuts with integral washers and be happy.


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## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Wow. $28 for a nut ?? That was far more than I expected. Ok so Ti isn't a good idea. I obviously have inferior quality nuts as I definetly don't think im abusing my nuts  in anyway. And my spanners are fine. 

So thats $112 for just 4 nuts ? :shocked:

Ive always liked the allen key axle set up on some of the higher end hubs out there. It suddenly sounds like an even better idea to get one of those...Eventually !

Thanks for the advice guys. I can't see myself spending over $100 for 4 nuts. But I have been known to be quite extravagant at times. I do own a Surly Travellers Check with S+S couplers,a Rohloff and a Thompson seat post and head stem, so im no cheap ass. I definetly appreciate a quality product.

I'll just sit back and mull over this idea for a while. :thumbsup:

Steve


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## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Ok guys. Just came across this.

Halo Axle Nuts and Washers - M10 - 10 mm

Now if Ti is considered to be too brittle for axle nuts, can someone explain why aluminium axle nuts are an option ? 

And secondly. Are these a viable option ? Im sure with a little care they should do the job yeah ? It will also solve my corrosion problem gripe. And just for a little extra bonus, they come in different colors.

What do you's think ?

Steve


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

punchy said:


> Ok guys. Just came across this.
> 
> Halo Axle Nuts and Washers - M10 - 10 mm
> 
> ...


Aluminum nuts would scare the hell out of me....you don't want something as important as track nuts failing on you..I'd stick with good quality chrome or stainless


You haven't mentioned what hub you are using....Formula hubs( and Formula's many variations such as Origin 8, IRO, etc..) use a 10mm rear and 9mm front....I use Dura Ace track nuts on my Formula hubs as Shimano uses 10mm rear and 9mm front as well


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Those aluminum axle nuts are crazy...and I'd really hesitate to use them in a high-torque application.

Back in the day of square-taper BBs, several companies made aluminum crank bolts. You had to use the stock steel ones to actually tighten the crankarms to the spindle, and then remove them, install the aluminum ones and snug them just beyond hand-tight. They simply weren't strong enough to do the heavy lifting on their own, and I suspect aluminum track nuts would be the same.


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## RHankey (Sep 7, 2007)

As Dave and Silver pointed out, Al wheel nuts may even be less appropriate than Ti wheel nuts. Al nuts may work once or twice, but they will inevitably strip out or snap after tightening them a couple times. Ti nor Al nuts are not capable of handling the torque required to prevent the wheel form slipping in the dropouts without high risk of the nut failing. Just because some boutique company offers fancy looking parts doesn’t mean they are suitable for their intended use.

for your safety and those around you, stick with steel wheel nuts. There is nothing wrong with surface rust on nuts. I agree $20/nut is not necessary. Your local hardware store may even have nuts with captive washers - if they do, you're probably looking at less than $2 for a set of four. Steel nuts will last as long for years.


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

Yoyodyne used to have a broad selection of Ti fasteners for motorcycle use. I use a few on an old race bike but it gets safety wired and inspected before I roll it in front of a Tech Inspector at the track. You'd need to have OCD for a bicycle.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Proper track nuts*

8 bucks a pair. Harris Cyclery. Sheldon is gone, but he's still being helpful.
Harris Cyclery: Your Fixed-Gear Bicycle Headquarters!


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Stainless steel is just fine, and better if you use them with St St washers. Even regular plated steel nuts are fine, and so cheap that you can just replace them once or twice a year if you don't like rust. 

Ten for under $13:
McMaster-Carr

Just not that big of a deal....


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## rayms (Sep 11, 2013)

TWB8s said:


> Yoyodyne used to have a broad selection of Ti fasteners for motorcycle use. I use a few on an old race bike but it gets safety wired and inspected before I roll it in front of a Tech Inspector at the track. You'd need to have OCD for a bicycle.


These guys have nothing in M9. Isn't that the size of road hub axles?


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## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Thanks for the link Special eyes. Stainless Steel sounds good. Not clued up on sizing though. I have a fee SS bikes that would benefit from these nuts. They are all standard nut sizing, they must be, as they all take the same size nuts. 

Could you recommend me the specific size I would require from that link please, for front and back ?

Cheers.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

punchy said:


> Thanks for the link Special eyes. Stainless Steel sounds good. Not clued up on sizing though. I have a fee SS bikes that would benefit from these nuts. They are all standard nut sizing, they must be, as they all take the same size nuts.
> 
> Could you recommend me the specific size I would require from that link please, for front and back ?
> 
> Cheers.


Forget those, they're just normal, everyday nuts. You want actual bicycle axle nuts. I can't believe that people have had this much trouble finding these damn things. 

Problem Solvers Axle Nuts > Components > Wheel Goods > Hub Small Parts | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop


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