Spit stub axle split pins - it's 3mm not 3.2mm nor 1/8! - suppliers note - it matters alot!

[Benjamin Swatton]

This is an exasperating recurring issue every time I'm in the hubs the old chestnut of get the right split pin size looms. 

Twice I've order split pins from paddocks and they look too big and are really tight through the hole needing to be almost wound through! - theyre at least 1/8 inch diameter the eye head sits too far out - you give up as they ridiculously big for the nut and you get imperial next size down at 3/32 and then find they're way too small and nearly pull through!

The install is very size fussy because if the pin diameter is too big the larger eye end scrapes on the inside of the hub grease cap as it rotates - it would be very easy to misidentify this then  as knackered bearings - a wild goose chase which I narrowly avoided.

Sick of waiting for more pins via ebay - I went back to the old days and went down to Halfords and bought a pack labelled 3mm  code HFX111 - i can confirm these are exactly the correct size IMO.

For the pins to not scrape the inside of oem grease caps the outside face of the pin eye end needs to be less than 15mm from centre point of stub axle shafts - the paddocks eyes are several mm over whereas the Halford 3mm ones are about 14.5mm.

Interestingly if you buy the paddocks hub overhaul kit it comes with several different size split pins one of which is correct 3mm size but if you order a load of individual paddocks pins as spares - youll be stuffed as they're too big! 

3mm split pins everytime as the last photo shows

 

 

 

[ferny]

Your pin engages with the castle nut? Show off! The one on my replacements are nowhere near.