Axles - How Tight?

[amursko]

My axles are currently tightened so that my wheels have the slightest, smallest amount of "play" in them - the closest thing to being completely tight. Is this how they should be - or should my wheels have absolutely no "play" in them at all? To completely tighten down my wheels, I have to tighten the axles awfully hard.

[MDE3]

Not sure what you mean by "play" The way the axles/wheels should work is that once they are as tight as they need to be - so as they do not come loose in a game, the wheels should be free spinning and have almost no side play. You may be able to "snap" the wheels side to side a few thousandths if they are properly installed, But tightening the axle will not change this. When fully tightened , the buttress on the inside of the frames will press up against the inner races of the bearings - which in turn will snug up tight to the bearing spacer. Once this happens - you cannot tighten the wheels or bearings anymore. You will just make the axles harder to undo when you go to change wheels or bearings again, and maybe strip the threads or the allen hex hole.

If you are having problems that the wheels/bearings tighten up when you tighten the axle - that is a problem with the wheel hubs, or the spacers - and has happened to several manufacturers. Sometimes different spacers will solve the problem. If the wheel hubs and spacer dimensions are correct, the wheel should spin freely no matter how much you tighten the axle.

[Proshop]

To simplify the problem, Dr. Proshop says just tighten your axels right to the point where you feel resistance and then snap your wheel back and fourth once to realign any off center spacer. The best thing you can do for speed is keep them cleaned and lubed now and then. Don't leave play, it leads to spacer break down.

Dr. Proshop out

[MDE3]

Certainly can't disagree with your simple advice - well put,
However with the host of out of dimension wheels and sometimes spacers we have seen, I think one may have to look a little farther sometimes - particularily if they are new to the sport and do not understand that his can happen, or what is "normal".