Quiz Time - Spot The Difference

Here is the left hand front axle pinch bolt:



Here is the right hand front axle pinch bolt:



Spot the difference

It took me while to figure it out and the findings baffled me!

Yeah you forgot to tighten it.--- Or is there some other great mystery going on here? Inquiring minds must know the answer.

The left looks as though all the silver color has been polished off. Or maybe it has a heavy layer of clear coat applied.

Someone has too much time on his hands. I think I belong to that group also.

They are both tightened to correct to torque values. Both bolts are identical.

OK, time's up!. I've taken better photos this time:

Left hand pinch:



Right hand pinch:



The pinch bolts are identical so, naturally, the LH bolt head will protrude by about 4mm; which it does.

This was brought to my attention after overhauling my forks recently and then checking that everything was secure after about 30 miles of riding. I'm just astounded that I hadn't noticed this before. Could anybody, or everybody, take a look at their own pinch clamps so that I can reassure myself that this is normal?

Mine are:

Left: 13mm
Right: 14mm

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist! Your measurements have just compounded the issue. What is going on here?

The two ends of the axle are different diameters; the smaller end is pulled in hard by the axle nut, and the larger end is allowed freedom to move side to side a little before being clamped. Nothing to see here, move along.

That's true but it doesn't explain why the two pinch clamps should be of different thickness. Think about it

Loosemarbles wrote:

That's true but it doesn't explain why the two pinch clamps should be of different thickness. Think about it

The two forks might have been designed by different engineers. Some aspects of the work might have been designed with loose tolerances. The two different sized axle holes might have an effect. The man who poured the aluminum might have had a bad day. At the end, does it really matter?

Give it up, have some refreshment, don't worry, be happy.

Yeah, I wondered if the right fork was a Friday afternoon job and the Left fork was a Monday morning job?

I'm not worried about it, I'm just curious. Seeing that left hand bolt sticking out like that made me think it was falling out. Besides, curiosity has served me well in the past

Well spotted in-mate, I will have to measure mine in the morning....