Its the original wheel, just, I can only get the nuts to screw on a few threads, instead of them coming out the other side. What would be the best bet to do? -Find a larger Axle? -See if a quick release axle fits in it? (maybe previous owner attempted a convert?)-Or what?From what I read, its not easy to to convert quick release to nut and bolt. Cones are good on the axle(not showing the bearings, tightens nicely etc) So I assume its standard,just, axle is to short. Should I take away the spacers, or are those required?Thanks.
Conversion between nutted or q/r axle can be both real easy or a bit tricky. My approach is to take a locknut or an axle nut with me, and go to a good bike mechanic. Then I ask him/her to sell me an axle with the same threading and in the length and model that I want. If that works out, conversion is real easy. If it doesn't, then you need to find new cones to go with your new axle, and then you might run into issues with getting the seals to line up, and you'll probably need to fiddle around with spacers and washers. Whether the spacers are required or depends on a bunch of things. The wheel should fit nicely between the dropouts. You shouldn't need to force them(much) neither in or out. So yes, if the frame is OK, and the wheel is OK, and they're actually meant for each other, then whatever spacers are there are actually needed. Apart from that it's mostly guesswork. Sometimes a frame can be respaced(cold set) which'd allow the use of a narrower hub. That MIGHT allow you to remove some spacers and keep the axle. OTOH, then maybe the sprocket(s) won't clear the dropouts any more, which'd make the bike unrideable. And it'll mess with the alignment of the dropouts, which can intefere with shifting and introduce bending into the axle.
My guess is that the inner nuts (the ones that adjust the play) are too far out. Grab the axle, is there any back and forth play? Okay, I read the rest. My guess is maybe somebody put the wrong nuts for the lock nuts. They should be thin ones.
In reality, the nut only has to engage the axle by 2 full threads IF you follow proper torque protocol. There is no need for any more engagement. Of course, if you use excess torque the threads will strip. If the axle and all the components are original TO THAT WHEEL then there should be no problem- axles don't shrink. If you used a front axle on a rear wheel you will be at least 20mm (almost an inch) too short, and THAT is if the axle is properly centered. It could be that you accidentally used the axle nuts instead of the proper locknuts against the bearing cones- this would be apparent if you had to pull the frame apart to get the wheel in place.
