A thru-axle system installs a wheel on a hub disposed between a pair of dropouts of a frame or fork. An axle (10) extends between dropouts and supports a wheel on a hub (60). The axle has a first end with at least one radially protruding shoulder (12). The second end has a thread (16) for engaing a threaded sleeve (5). A bushing (20) between the radially protruding shoulder (12) and the other dropout has a central bore with first and second inner diameters. Its first inner diameter is large enough to admit the radially protruding shoulder and the second diameter is large enough to admit the axle portion of the axle. The bushing (20) has an external tapered surface (22) facing the other dropout for transmitting an axial force acting on the shoulder to the bushing and from the bushing to the first dropout.