DROPOUTS HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Swivel]

Guys, how the hell can you increase the size of the drop outs without fooking them up or weakening the frame? I have a lovely bike which I hope to bring along on sunday but I've just for the 1st time tried fitting the wheels and they ain't going in! They are 10mm axles as they should be, but the forks are so tight that they won't fit around the inner nuts of the wheel to slot it in, and the rear is so tight, I cannot even slide in the back wheel!

Help! 

Really want to take this along on sunday but need urgent advice.

Ta

Matt 

[Mr Nice]

I used an angle grinder on some aero reflex forks. took nice and easy had no damage

[Swivel]

Nope, not good, don't want to damage or fook up the chrome. All they are is TIGHT, can anyone advice how to free them up i.e. seperate the front forks and back dropouts without fooking them up or damaging the frame.

Ta

Matt 

[Swivel]

 

[fouronethreeoh!]

How far out are they?
Sometimes you have to "spring" the frame a bit to get a wheel in.
Are there additional washers between the hub cone nuts making the hubs too wide?

[Swivel]

They are out enough to not enable the 10mm axle to slot in, and the front forks are the worst offenders with not allowing the wheel in due to it being so tight, it won't go either side of the inner nuts to the hub. Must be a way of sorting this... 

[fouronethreeoh!]

Personally i would alter the hubs rather than the frame.
Reduce the thickness of the cone lock nuts or possibly even take them off.
If the gap is then too large, shim it back with washers.
The cone lock nuts arent essential as the wheel nuts will keep the cones locked when everything is tightened up.

[ron burgundy]

Are you saying the slots in the drop outs are not wide enough or the actual forks/rear drop outs are to narrow?

[bodamus]

How about slotted 3/8" axles with the flat sides rather than the round type. Failing that gently file a small flat spot on the wheel axles where they need to go in the dropouts and you will be able to slide your wheels in without having to damage your Frame.

bodamus

[Haro82]

Are the hubs too wide or is the diameter of the spindles to large ?   

[vdubferret]

Ditto what someone has already said re doing the axles not the frame.

I would either take it to a machiners & get a gnats whisker take off the whole diameter, or just file off a tiny wedge either side with a needle file. I did it with N/S 14mm rims on my O/S 10mm Haro: it cost me a beer!

[pickle]

Matt........your forks are quite common in the way that they are meant to have the flattened axel.......just get a small file and rubb away some of the axel where the forks hit it.   don't do the forks! 

it's easy to do....just file a little at a time and make sure you do both sides evenly as you can.......should only take you 10 minutes 

[Swivel]

Sounds good lads, i'll give that a go. I will also whip it up the bike shop in a mo and speak to them also 

[pickle]

if you do the file thing.....make sure you only file the axle where it hits the forks.....don't do the whole thing as you won't be able to get the nut on the threads 

[lazychubs]

the nuts still go on pickle lol as ive done a few now

[motomagII]

me too i normally file axle down two opposite sides so there is still thread for nuts just done 14mmto 10mm on monday works treat 

[lazychubs]

file i use a grinder lol

[Swivel]

Ok sounds good lads, will give this a go and try and get up some piccy's later today 

[kdw712]

i've used the file on the axle as well to get the fit sorted