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I have a bike with a 15x125mm thru axle at the front. I tried to unscrew the axle, but only the lever unscrewed (detached completely), leaving the axle in the fork. This leaves me with two questions.

First, how do I remove my front wheel now? The axle does not have an allen key socket, or any other way to remove it, as far as I can see.

Second, if I figure out how to remove it, how would I replace it? Will any 15x125mm axle do, or is there something to consider beyond dimensions?

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WSBBB/on-one-bish-bash-bosh-frame-axle

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    Pictures, please. A pretty major determinant of the answer is whether the part that came out broke, or it was a bonded part (either shaft or threaded) where the bond failed. If it's the latter, probably the route is to try to re-establish the bond, but if the former you'll have to do some destructive removal of the axle if it appears to be stuck now.
    – Nathan Knutson
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 3:49
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    The lever was threaded. It doesn't seem like any part broke, just unscrewed. I screwed it back on for now. I guess I could apply some strong glue to the threads that hold the lever on and some oil to the fork's threads, then try again. Why they decided it was a good idea to have it threaded I will never know.
    – DGBiker
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 4:31
  • Sounds like a bad design. Can you thread the lever back on but put locktite in the thread first? Tighten, let it cure according to instructions, then try undoing several days later. And photos would help future searchers understand too, please used Edit to add two clear well lit photos of your problem area.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 9:59
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    Link to frameset isn't providing any relevant info so you might as well remove it.
    – Argenti Apparatus
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 10:55
  • One word (OK, two): Vice Grips! Or you could drill a hole through the threaded-on lever and insert a pin.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 17:01

2 Answers 2

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Does not sound like a great design, presumably the lever was supposed to be tightened onto the axle body tighter than the axle in the fork.

Two possible methods to get the axle body out:

  1. Use a threadlocker such as Loctite to bond the lever to the axle body. There are two kinds of Loctite: Blue and Red. Blue is weaker and designed for preventing fasteners vibrating loose. Red is stronger, designed to be more permanent and is loosened with heat. Red may be appropriate in this case.

  2. Find a bolt that fits the internal thread of the axle body and a nut and washer that fits the bolt. Put the nut and washer on the bolt, screw the bolt into the axle (in place of the lever) tighten the nut against the axle as a locknut (with the washer between the nut and axle to protect it). Hopefully when you back the bolt out the axle with come with it.

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  • Good points - also consider the axle damaged and buy a new one rather than reusing the old one.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Oct 14, 2017 at 21:44
  • Finding a bolt was almost impossible since mine was reverse threaded. But red loctite did it for me, thanks for the tip!
    – ofairfoul
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 6:31
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Exact same thing happened with my Maxle Ultimate. Had to gently separate my rear fork to expose the axle and put a wrench between the gearset and frame to hold it open. I then drilled a small hole in the axle. Then incremented up bit sizes until I could fit an allen wrench in the hole and turn it.

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  • How did you separate it - some kind of expanding clamp?
    – invariant
    Commented Jan 20, 2021 at 12:24

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