front axle wrench size

[baird4444]

getting ready to do front wheel bearings, what size allan hex wrench
do I need for the Left hand side of the axle?? just want to buy the right size, not a set.
   thanks - Mike

[Chrisj CMA]

getting ready to do front wheel bearings, what size allan hex wrench
do I need for the Left hand side of the axle?? just want to buy the right size, not a set.
   thanks - Mike

All you need is the spark plug wrench from the OEM tool kit

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

I've never needed anything more then the 7/8 inch socket to get that off

[Chrisj CMA]

I've never needed anything more then the 7/8 inch socket to get that off

its really 22mm but I suppose the 7/8 is close enough

[houstone]

To answer the original question, it is a 17mm allen on the axle itself.  The bolt on the right side is a 22mm.  I prefer to leave the pinch bolts loose and torque the axle by itself while rotating the wheel.  Just being anal I suppose...
Somehow I always forget the speedo stopper goes BEHIND the fork, but I get it right the second time!  ;-)
Jeff

[baird4444]

Thanx all, gotit....
   whilst I've got your attention, past experience on a vintage motorcycle
   forum had the general wisdom to avoid FAG and SKF bearings due to the
   shoddy Chinese clones. any thoughts??  also any thoughts on the Japanese
   brand - NACHI ?
         - Mike

[PhredValk]

Sorry, I don't know squat about bearings, but a full metric set of hex wrenches is about $15. A single wrench is around $5. There are several different hex bolts on a Valkyrie, so a ser in the bags is almost a must.
Fred.

[RonW]

I use this axle wrench. Mostly I like the aluminum. And instead of 4 sizes stacked on top of each other, conveniently it has only 2 hex sizes at opposite ends, 17mm & 19mm respectively. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find it anymore. Anyways, you don't need two wrenches if the left pinch bolts are tightened first, per manual, since the left pinch bolts lock the axle from rotating, albeit there's still the one wrench, two wrench debate. In my case, I stopped using the two wrench method because you'd have to shift the left fork laterally to get it aligned which was easier to do with the axle loose. Yea, with the non-manual method of tightening the right pinch bolts first, two wrenches are necessary.