Why no cotterpin on Honda axle nut?

[rcdyna]

I'm not a mechanic so this question is for those that are.  Why is there no cotterpin on the axle nut of my 600RR or my F4i? Do you not want a pin on the nut that holds your wheel on.  Any problem with me just drilling a hole in my stock axle for a cotterpin?  I'm not a racer, just track days. 

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Well most YZF's also dont use a cotter pin. Honda and Yamaha use a nylock nut (has a nylon insert which locks the nut).

Personally I'd use what teh factory designed it with. As long as you have the nut tight it shouldnt even budge when riding. If you are real paranoid, just safety wire it.

[Jeff]

torque it and you won't have a problem.

[loc_dogg]

I drilled and safety wired mine!

[endoracing]

eventually I will drill and wire mine ... but I dont have the patience at the moment to drill through a hardened steel axle and axle nut ... for now I just run some safety wire around the threads of the axle right after the nut. it wont stop the nut from loosening, but it will hopefully keep it from completly falling off.

I may not be the most in tune with my bike, but I'd like to think that if my rear wheel is moving around at all, I'd be able to tell.

[EX_#76]

torque it and you won't have a problem.

Jeff is absolutely correct.  The safety wire and or cotter pins only keep the nut from falling off.  That only happens when the axle was not torqued in the first place (or some bizarre failure).  If the axle nut is loose and the wheel begins to move around, you are in serious trouble anyway.  So the fact that your nut is kept from falling completely off is irrelevant.  Safety wire and clips are false security.  Clips and wire can be put on things that have not bee tightened.

The same applies to any fastener.  When was the last time you put saftery wire on you rod bolts? 

[Sig]

The safety wire and or cotter pins only keep the nut from falling off. 

I'm not sure I agree with this. If you safety wire it correctly it will prevent the bolt from backing out unless the wire breaks.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I have to agree with Sig.  My GSXR has the cotter pin hole and castle nut on the rear axle.  That nut would have to loosen up at least one full 360 degree turn before the axle started flopping, and the clip I use for a cotter pin won't let the nut move more than 1/16 of a turn.
When properly done, safety wire can save your ass.  I've had bolts back off on my EX500 four weekends after I installed them.  The safety wire made the difference between an innocent ooze of oil and complete oil pan evacuation!

[Super Dave]

It wasn't so long ago that Honda America had a few problems with their rear wheels.  Because they put their axles in from the LH side, the axle, secured only by the big lock nut, spun with the direction of the wheel dropping the nut off.  One loss was catestrophic.

The cotterpin WITH a castle nut prevents everything from turning.

I put my rear axles in from the RH side too so that the spinning of the wheel would tighten the axle if something bizzare happend.

[Court Jester]

I put my rear axles in from the RH side too so that the spinning of the wheel would tighten the axle if something bizzare happend.

i never thought about that. good idea.
i just locktite everything i can get my hands on. but i'll keep the idea of putting the axle in from the RH side in mind from now on.

[Jeff]

I tend to put mine on from the right hand side just to hold the caliper up while aligning the wheel...  Anybody out there with a 600rr can attest to the wheel being an absolute BITCH to get on...

[Jeff]

And the axles on the 05 and newer 600rr won't spin as they now use axle blocks...