Bright ideas for spreading dropout - not widening OLN?!

[Captain Stupido]

Adjustable spanner gets my vote if there's space to grip it with that. Steel is forgiving stuff and if you go easy you're unlikely to overdo it. Nut and bolt etc miss the "feel" aspect of the repair, and if you slip a pipe over it you won't be able to see what you're doing so may overdo it. If not enough room for an AJ I'd just prise it open with a big screwdriver or similar.

 

[2manyoranges]

Call this engineering?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Two wheels, one clamped to the outside of each drop out.
No need to faff with gaps ;-)

To be honest, by page three I forgot what the problem was.
I'd just lay the bike on its side, stand on the lower dropout and pull till it's 135mm.
Then get on with life. (I may flip it over a few times till it is there...)

 

[FluffyChicken]

Ah I remember now, it's the dropout itself.
Just tap it with a hammer and tube till you can get a front axle in, then hammer that in the a 10mm axle hammer it in (or out if you can wedge it in from the side.)

But I need pictures I'm working blind and it could just be a fraction of a mm and you are trying to get a modern er hub in (some Alu axles can be very tight on old dropouts)

 

[TreaderSteve]

Blimey! Log-on 12 hours later and we're on page 3! So many good ideas thanks. It's not the first time a dropout has been closed up...let me try a few of your ideas....see how I get on....it only needs a few millimetres...







log

 

[grogee]

I've used a car jack before for this. Go steady, gently does it, a bit at a time then measure.

 

[2manyoranges]

Grogee I think you are referring to opening up the TRACK - ie the width between the two dropouts, whereas the OP is talking about the SLOT on a dropout. I too have tracked frames using a car jack. Works fine on steel. Not recommended on heat-treated aluminium (although I did do that on a hack frame).

 

[Mark_h4dng]

how about a drill drift?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rohm-ROH17...=1&keywords=drill+drift&qid=1621498232&sr=8-6

 

[Ian Raleigh]

Some years ago I had a similar problem, I filed 'flats' on the axle, fitted into the drop-out snugly.

 

[2manyoranges]

IR - I assume that was the axle on a Chris King rear hub....(silent scream in head).....