So I bought a wheel from herewhich has a “novatec/Superstar Switch” hub in. Came 142×12 which is great but my frame needs old-fashioned 135QR so I managed to find one also on here.

Then I discover that there’s a chance these two parts are not in fact compatible. Maybe.

Putting in the QR axle results in this:

There’s a rather large looking unsealed and exposed area (the silver bit) between the XD driver and the axle, looks like dirt could get past the cassette and into the bearings that way. Also until I put the centerlock lock ring in the axle has about 5mm of side to side play.

Does this sound right and I should stop worrying? Or is this the wrong axle? Should the XD driver have a special end cap? Why can’t people just put a model number somewhere on any of this?

(in fairness the old 142×12 axle has 519-03082500001 stamped on it, and the XD driver has HEC-T02100200003-B, but google has no idea what these are)

Thanks for any insight.

Hmmmm, that doesn’t look like a switch rear qr axle. They look like this, more of a deep gloss black finish rather than polished and matte grey:-

I’m taking the Superstar name as provisional, it’s most likely a Novatec hub but has no branding on so may or may not be one of the models that Superstar resell.

Just pulled both axles out to have another look at them.

The 142×12 that came with the hub is 100mm between the seal (screw on, disc-side) and the start of the stepped section (driver side).

The 135 QR is 105mm, which explains why it has some play.

I think I just confirmed that I’ve definitely got the wrong QR axle, I just need to identify what I have and what I need…

Hey Ross, it was definitely a Switch axle, so unless they redesigned the hubs since I got them I don’t know why it wouldn’t fit in yours? Pretty sure there weren’t any other washers or spacers with it but will check my parts box and let you know!

I suspect they’ve changed how they look over the time, as there’s now the Switch, Switch Evo, and Switch Ultra. My suspicion is that the hub I have is a Novatec but isn’t one of the models that Superstar resold as a Switch.