I changed the front wheel, now the nut won't screw on the axle. Any fix or do I need to change the axle? 2003 HD Fatboy

 

Can you tell what exactly you have done? Nut? Bent threads on the axle? Usually, when someone asks a question like yours, it's best to tell them to trailer it to a local dealer and get it repaired properly. Post some pictures..

Having an axle nut fall off can be dangerous and kill you or someone else or worst.

And Welcome from Hampton Roads Virginia..Chef 17

 

Not sure what you are saying.

There are two ways of interpreting this.

Are you saying that somehow the threads are screwed up? If you take the axle off the bike, can you screw the nut on? (It's hard to imagine you munged the threads without knowing it. That wouldn't be easy to do.)

OR are you having trouble getting enough axle to stick out from the fork on the left side to get the nut started?

Did you change anything? Spacers all in place correctly?

How much of the axle is sticking out on the right side?

Some pics would help.

I'm with RIPSAW on this one. This is pretty basic stuff. You sound like you're in over your head. You need to get someone who has more experience to take a look.

 

Having trouble putting the nut on the axle.
I am putting it back in the garage and will:
a. remove the axle in there
b. either take it to my shop where the I will be lambasted and he can fix it or
c. get a new axle

 

B is a good choice. He and we do still do a good job of that but we still love you.

How do you know it's the axle and not the nut?

 

Did the nut come off easy when you took it apart?

Those are fairly big threads, on steel parts. It's hard to imagine you could screw them up without knowing it.

If it's the nut that's a problem, a new one is cheap.

Axles are more expensive. Your mechanic might be able to chase the axle threads and clean them up enough to get the nut on.

 

Try a new nut, then look at the threads with good reading glasses.you should be able to file the smash out of them with a few strokes.
Depending on where you live you can even buy a thread file.
They will automatically fix the threads with a few strokes.

 

sometimes all it takes is to clean up the very beginning of the thread. Any file small file with a sharp edge that will fit in between the coarse axle threads should work well enough to get the axle nut started. If the threads look clean on the axle then do as suggested and buy a new nut.

 

thread comb can be your friend

 

Did you have to hit the axle to remove it? On my 2009 FLHTCU, I was having a hard time removing the axle so I decided to use a tapered punch & a hammer to assist it. I placed the punch in the center hole of the axle and tapped it out. Little did I realize that the tapered punch was splitting the end of the hollow axle. I was able to get the nut back on the axle when I assembled the front end. Lesson learned, that cost me a new axle & nut …. about $80 back in 2012.