Do you really need to torque a through axle?

[spokewrench]

No need. I have had thru-axles in my both e-bikes for several years, the first such an e-bike since Nov 1st 2019
Anyway: if any grease then on the thread only.

OTOH, maybe the threads are intended not to be greased so they would stick and not work loose.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

OTOH, maybe the threads are intended not to be greased so they would stick and not work loose.

Come on... with the torque of 12 Nm? This is a lot! I have removed and replaced wheels on my both e-bikes for numerous times. No worries.

 

[spokewrench]

Come on... with the torque of 12 Nm? This is a lot! I have removed and replaced wheels on my both e-bikes for numerous times. No worries.

Mine's the same way. I don't see anything but thread friction to keep it in place. The rear nuts are 45 Nm, and they're serrated.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Mine's the same way. I don't see anything but thread friction to keep it in place.

Think of the thru-axle as of a bolt with a nut. Do bolts keep because of the friction in the thread?

The answer: Most bolts keep because they are torqued. There are some special threads that intentionally do not hold: for instance the cymbal stands (drums & percussion). The cymbal has to sway on the stand, so the thread is made the way the nut doesn't hold and moves up and down. Not the case for the regular threaded bolts and nuts.

The technical name for a regular thread is 'self-locking'.

 

[spokewrench]

Think of the thru-axle as of a bolt with a nut. Do bolts keep because of the friction in the thread?

The answer: Most bolts keep because they are torqued. There are some special threads that intentionally do not hold: for instance the cymbal stands (drums & percussion). The cymbal has to sway on the stand, so the thread is made the way the nut doesn't hold and moves up and down. Not the case for the regular threaded bolts and nuts.

The technical name for a regular thread is 'self-locking'.

If normal threads can be counted on to keep a bolt from turning, why use liquid thread lockers? Why are there so many washers and other mechanical devices to keep nuts from loosening? Why do some nuts use nylon inserts to prevent loosening? Thread friction is counted on to hold lug nuts on a car. To that end, manufacturers specify that the threads be clean and dry.

I grease my through axle, but I wonder if this could make the threads more likely to loosen.