rear axle cotter pin design difference?

[Tony Betts]

normally these cotters are made by suppliers with the thread in the middle, because its far far cheaper. otherwise the cotters have to be lined up and the taper cut one at a time.

when i was making the donkeys years ago, NOBODY would machine them correctly one at a time.

today, to make them correctly, would probably tripple the price of this item.

they are not useless, but what happens is the thread is damaged when fitting.

if you have very cheap old dye sets, the ones that cant be adjusted. you can tidy the thread after fitted.

so your choice is simple, put up with what you have. or pay tripple to get someone to make them properly.

tony

[Hedd_Jones]

A cotter can be made out of any plain shank bolt of the correct diameter provided you can file straight. Takes about 10 mins. Quicker if you rough out with a grinder.

[Colin Reed]

HI All,

Providing the thread has a smaller Dia than the taper there is no way it should be damaged.
 damage is caused by using the cotter as a means of lining up the shaft you are trying to locate by bashing it in with a hammer
then they have problems fitting the nut as they have damaged the thread
very poor workman ship take you time and do it right

Colin
NZ

[Howard Wright]

Hi Colin

I would agree but for the fact that the length of the cotter and the presence of the stiffening rib means you can’t feed it into place straight on. The correct offset cotter allows you to wiggle it into place.  I’ve found that I’ve had to shorten the length of new cotters to assist this.

Cheers

Howard

[Tony Press]

normally these cotters are made by suppliers with the thread in the middle, because its far far cheaper. otherwise the cotters have to be lined up and the taper cut one at a time.

when i was making the donkeys years ago, NOBODY would machine them correctly one at a time.

today, to make them correctly, would probably tripple the price of this item.

they are not useless, but what happens is the thread is damaged when fitting.

if you have very cheap old dye sets, the ones that cant be adjusted. you can tidy the thread after fitted.

so your choice is simple, put up with what you have. or pay tripple to get someone to make them properly.

tony

Usually the proper cotter form with offset thread allows the proper taper form without taking off half the thread !

The local price list shows Cotters at A$5.50 £2.25 - at triple cost this would be $16.50 or around 4 cups of coffee.

I recently had my 12 year old VW Tiguan serviced (annual event) and then bought 4 new tyres - not much change out of A$1,700 £850.

eBay lists many correct form bicycle cotters so not difficult to make- I remember making my special long front cotters with offset threads some 60 years ago and I am no machinist   (still on the Chummy) 

Cheers, Tony.