14mm are a larger diameter axle. Therefore the frames to accept them have larger slots. You can buy reducing washers to use 3/8ths axles on 14mm frames but not vice versa.

Damn, I type slow.  Yeah, what he said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Last edited by psychoduddycycles (2008-12-19 3:16pm)

some people have done that.just make sure you grind both dropouts very close to each other or you will have an unlevel rear wheel.that is what chases most away.

IceBreaker wrote:

QTRPNDR wrote:

They aren't interchangeable???  3/8 only fits certain make bikes???

Just asking because I noticed a pair or wheels for sale in the classifieds, and one guy replied that he'd be all over them but they are 14mm axles...

Please fill in the noob, thanks!!! 

I think I'm the guy your talking about.  I always thought that a 14mm axle wouldn't fit in my old school 3/8 forks or dropout.  Is this noob wrong??  If I am I will buys that wheelset.

14mm well not fit in 3/8 frames or forks.
Unless you do what SCIVIC94 is saying.
And grinding out the dropouts on frames and forks to make them fit, I WOULD NOT DO THAT

thay will fit but only if you swap the axle for a flate axel. suZey , kink and khe make flat 14mm axels for most hubs! but if you have a os frame do not file it it will make it wearth a lot less. if you go to sale it.

80sOregonRacer wrote:

QTRPNDR wrote:

Maybe this is the wrong question to ask, but why not just clearance the dropout area (I think that's what it's called)" to accomodate the larger diameter 14mm axles???  Or do people just not want to do that to their bikes???  I only have a couple of mid 90's Dyno's and a mid 90's GT, they're nothing special I'm sure...

Yikes.. good way to f*& up a nice frame set, especially if its chrome.

That's why I figured it was a no-no to ask, the idea doesn't thrill me, and I more than likely wouldn't do it, I was just curious as to how much it would be frowned on by the hardcore BMX purists...  It just seems as though the 14mm setups are more plentiful than the 3/8" setups, when you look at wheels for sale, or am I imagining things???

Last edited by QTRPNDR (2008-12-19 7:19pm)

grinding the dropout makes the dropouts weaker, specially on race frames with have think dropouts to begin with

Last edited by Thrash (2008-12-22 4:34pm)

psychoduddycycles wrote:

14mm are a larger diameter axle. Therefore the frames to accept them have larger slots. You can buy reducing washers to use 3/8ths axles on 14mm frames but not vice versa.

Damn, I type slow.  Yeah, what he said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Where can I get these from? I need them for a set of 14mm axle Haro hubs and I want to run 3/8" hub axles

Damn I was hoping I could put 3/8" hub axles in the hubs I have I've been looking for female hub axles for my back wheel hubs well because the front already has one if I can find a female hub axle I might have to get the adapter bolts from 14mm to 3/8"

FRESSTYLE FREEK wrote:

ford1981 wrote:

psychoduddycycles wrote:

14mm are a larger diameter axle. Therefore the frames to accept them have larger slots. You can buy reducing washers to use 3/8ths axles on 14mm frames but not vice versa.

Damn, I type slow.  Yeah, what he said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Where can I get these from? I need them for a set of 14mm axle Haro hubs and I want to run 3/8" hub axles

he means if say your frame is filed to fit 14MM axles there's a washer for that so you can fit a 3/8 axle in it with no slop. they allso make the washer for pegs to.

but you cant swap out 14 mm axles that I know off in hubs for 3/8 axles. however if you have  a free coaster  hub or casset  hub with screw in / thread in axle half's they do make adapters. from male to female and vise versa.

You can swap 3/8th and 14mm on GT Mohawks as long as you have the correct bearings

Some of my bikes have 14mm nuts some have 15mm axle nuts. But none of my axles are 14mm diameter they are all 3/8”. You should probably get a wrench set so you have every size.