Hawk 250. Front axle
 

I noticed the front axle hub doesn’t have a castlenut, has anyone done this conversion ? Or does Loctite suffice ? If I recall nut should be on the right of the hub. Correct?

I've done castle nut conversions on a few China bikes and quads. I picked them up at the local bearing and fastener shop (Precise Bearing in Abbotsford, BC) and used stainless cotter pins to secure them.
Do you have a Unimog? We're gonna need pics!

Medium Loctite, Nylock, or Stover nuts are more than sufficient to retain the front bolt. Mine has yet to get loose or back off - torqued to 32ft-lbs/44Nm.

I also place my axle nut on the left side since the Hawk lacks pinch bolts for axle retaining. This ensures that any potential force applied to the axle shaft via the front bearing inner races turn against the nut in the "righty tighty" direction.

Yes Left Not right ! I used loctite on mine but was used to seeing castle nuts on axles that I thought about getting a castlenut but drilling the shaft would be a pain and I would most likely mark it and have a local machine shop drill it for me (been there done that and after three ruined bolts I gave up trying to get it perfectly straight - although thinking about it a jig could probably be made to put hold the bolt for drilling).

Thanks for the input I will stick with the loctite for now

I have a few unimogs, I used to love them but now cringe when I have to work on them. I had a really nice U300 over the summer and loved it. I will post a pic when I get a chance.

When you do your castlenut conversion , how do you ensure your cotter pin hole is perfectly straight ? I have ruined a couple trying to drill the hole.

Would it be easier to just get an axle shaft off another bike that is already tapped for a castlenut

Use a v block and a drill press and it will be fine .

Almost every bike I have owned has never had a castle nut and cotter pin on the front axle, but often did have one on the rear.

Granted, like I mentioned before, most of those bikes also had front axle pinch bolts.

A trick for getting a cotter pin hole to go straight and centered is to actually drill a guide hole through a hex nut and thread that over the bolt into the position you wish to drill the hole. The hex nut has flat sides with known dimensions, so you can mark, punch, and drill straight through the middle with ease. This will give you exact alignment with the bolt, and also stop the bit from deflecting off of the threads and the round surface of the bolt.

I've used Bruce's method of v-blocks and a drill press. I also drill two holes; I tighten the nut and determine where I'd like the first hole to be, then I mark for a hole that is not exposed by the slots. That allows for two different positions. Before I drill, I grind away a little of the thread with a Dremel, so I have a flat surface to start with.