I've never had the front wheel bind up like this before

I just got new tires put on my Seca wheels today. For the first time ever (that I remember in 18 years), when I install the front wheel without the brake caliper on, it really drags when I tighten the castle nut any more than hand tight. I checked the manual, and all spacers and seals are present and still in the right place. The fork lower pinch bolts are both loose, and the speedometer drive is properly engaged in the two internal drive teeth as well as locked into the fork tube.

I replaced the bearings a few years ago, and I don't have that many miles on them.

When I loosen the castle nut, the wheel spins freely, several revolutions. When I hand-tighten the nut (I've not even tried torqueing it yet), it spins only 1/4 revolution and stops.

It acts like there's a spacer missing and it's pinching the bearings... but I confirmed there doesn't appear to be anything missing.

I'm baffled. What could I be missing?

 

Same fork leg gap, each side? (to wheel rim)

What about the calipers, do they 'line up' with the discs pretty easily??

 

is the spacer between the bearings present?
the drawings show a plate that goes onto that tube about a half inch to hold tube up when installing axle. could be tube fell below axle when reinserting.

you insert axle from left side of bike. the wide portion of the spacer on the castle nut side goes against the fork tube with narrow part inserting into seal on wheel and rides on the inner race of the bearing.. check seal could be you have a chunk of it under the spacer
under castle nut is a washer it is a spacer too.

post a photo

 

Yes, the gap between the wheel and the fork legs is the same on each side. I didn't try reattaching the caliper yet (this Seca is single-disc only). Good suggestion.

Yep, the spacer tube between the bearings is there, and centered over the end holes; it didn't drop. I specifically looked for that, because it's happened in years past when I couldn't get the axle in.
I do have the castle nut-side spacer on as you described, and it's well seated through the seal and also seating well against the fork face. But what does seem odd to me (because I don't remember it) is that the opposite side seems to have a considerable gap between the inner fork face and the speedometer gear housing. Although the gear housing is properly keyed into the fork, I still seem to be able to move the fork toward it as if a spacer is missing between the fork and the housing... but the manual doesn't show one. I'll snap a photo tomorrow.
Thanks, guys.

 

Get it all running smoothly with nuts and bolts finger tight. then do the pinch/clamp bolts first followed by the castle..

 

Well, I didn't snap a picture... but I did let things settle during a few days of busyness. Strange how frustration and a little distance can work in your favor sometimes...

Today, after I reviewed the manuals I have, I verified that I had all the correct spacers in place. Then I decided to test the axle for fit in the fork holes without the wheel installed. It seemed a little tight like it was binding some axially, so I cleaned the holes and the axle ends with brake cleaner, and retested. It fit better, and the axle seemed to go further through the large fork hole (without binding) until it purposely stopped. At that point, I lightly re-greased the shaft and mounted the wheel.

Voila! Problem solved. This time there was no binding, and I was able to torque the nut to the full 76 ft-lbs without any noticeable drag during wheel rotation.

a100man, I hesitated to try tightening the pinch clamps first, just because the manuals all mention doing that last, after centering up the forks with a couple bounces of the front wheel. I think there is supposed to be that pinching of all the bearings against the spacers, to effectively make the inner bearing races "one" with the axle. That way there's no side play in the assembly.

I'm a little puzzled as to why that little bit of cleaning on a stationary axle would free up a binding bearing situation, but hey, I'm a believer now!