I completely dismantled the rear axle on my no-name 200cc China quad so I could clean off the surface rust and replace some broken bolts on the rear axle chain sprocket.

As I'm reassembling, I find myself with a couple of questions:

- The sleeves (spacers?) that go over the axle between the nuts and the wheel hubs (one short, one long): Are hey supposed to be tight between the nuts and wheel hubs? How tight should the axle be to the bearing hub itself?

- Should I grease the axle underneath those sleeves?

- What purpose do the sleeves serve?

Pardon the terminology if I got the part names wrong.

 

All of mine are tight at the moment.. but they do loosen up.. when loose they rattle and or vibrate around.. not good...

Their purpose is to provide a solid assembly when the axle is assembled... no wobbles..

I put a little bit of grease on so they come off easier the next time..

 

So here's what I don't get: If I tighten the axle nuts so that the sleeves are tight, that leaves more play in the center section where the sprocket and disc brake fixtures are.

Also, the sleevers are relatively light, thin pieces of steel, versus the very tough, heavy steel of the axle. Do these sleeves really provide any support?

 

Are their pics of this atv on here? (rear axle)


sorry for not looking but Im working at the moment..

 

Don't apologize. You're helping me.

It may be hard to perceive, but there is lateral play between the wheel hub, the sleeve and the jam nuts.

 

Thanks for the pics...

How tight are the large double nuts on the outside of the sprocket and disc? did you replace the bearings? were they tapered or enclosed ball bearings? was their a sleeve inside the axle carrier?

Yes the sleeves are pretty thin but they only see a force put on the ends... pretty strong in that application..

 

Right now, the nuts are tight against the fixtures that hold the disck brakes and the chain sprocket.

There is a sleeve inside the axle housing. I didn't replace the bearings; not sure what type they are. The seals on the bearings are in good shape and the axle spins well without any unexpected noise or resistance.

 

So Im on the same page...

Right now the disc and sprocket are mounted tightly?

Then when you tighten the nuts that hold the hubs on the axle... the disc and sprocket get loose?

 

Haven't gotten to that point. But the hubs can go all the way onto the splines so they won't go any further, and there is still play in the sleeves. If I move the jam nuts outward to hold the sleeves tight against the hub, there will be about 1/8" of side-to-side play for the axle to move within the axle housing.

 

I understand now...Id go down to your local hardware store and get some large thick washers.. use them as spacers to make up for slightly short sleeves...