Coldsetting a steel frame

[twain]

has anyone had experience of having this done/doing this?
I'm not looking to do it myself, but wondered who's done it and how 'much' have you had to reset a frame by (as in is there a limit to how much you can reset a frame depending how badly its misaligned?)
i have an old Raleigh burner frame which i had powder coated etc and built up but when assembling the wheels etc i noticed the back end was out by quite a bit (not sure by how much, but its very noticeable when looking at the chain line) i think its at least 5mm possibly up to 10mm out (stood above it, the chains line is pulling to the non drive side) and it is noticeable when riding the bike.

i have heard that cold setting steel frames is possible, but i'm not sure what the range is in terms of how much it can be 'out' before it gets 'too risky'.
I will hopefully get measurements this week via my LBS to see what the damage is.
i'm not sure how the damage was done (either in transit to the powered coater's or on its return - i've had the frame around 10 years since it was reconditioned so i've no way of telling. just need to deal with it or 'wall hang it' depending on opinions and diagnosis from LBS.

so, does this sound like a dead end already or is there any hope? it wont be a race/trick bike (i don't do either) it'll purely be a dry day cruising/posing type garage queen. this is the bike in question:

 

[kingbling]

The Ridgeback I'm restoring at the moment was pulled from a skip with the rear drive side stays pushed in 30mm. I reset it with a string line and a blocks of wood and then inserted a hub and left it for a few days its all good and has no issues the tubing is tange prestige.

 

[twain]

Re:

Hmmm, how did you force the frame exactly? Got any pics by chance?

 

[kingbling]

Sorry got no pictures of the process unfortunately, I had the frame clamped to a picnic table and levered the drive side stays outward. I used the string line to check the position of the dropouts by wrapping it around the head tube with a length going to each dropout once the lengths were equal the backend was then straight.

this is the frame post straightening http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;t=357299

 

[barry2017]

Certainly fixable, especially with a frame made of high tensile steel. Mercian cycles will reset a frame for £35.

 

[hamster]

I did it on a 531 road frame recently. What surprised me was how easy it was!

I took a long length (1.5-2m) of 75mmx50mm wood, slotted it through the triangle of the stays until the end was resting on the seat tube. Then I propped the other end onto a big paint can (a chair will do too) and then put my weight - gently - onto the seat tube. A couple of little bounces, remove, measure, repeat.
IT DOES NOT NEED MUCH FORCE!

Afterwards I needed to re-parallel the dropouts as the rear tips were further out than the front. This I did by putting it into a bench vice (between wooden blocks) and bending the frame holding the head tube.

The watchword on all this is small amounts of force, take your time, do it bit by bit.

 

[twain]

Re:

OK so softly softly then. I just need to get some time with the frame to figure out which bit is out of shape/by how much. I don't have a vice yet - I'll probably see my local (trusted) LBS first and see if I can get them to do it if there is a chance they have a better set up

 

[barry2017]

If you're paying your LBS, you might as well pay a framebuilder with an alignment table. Really, it's not a big deal.

 

[twain]

Re:

ok - good to now it doesnt sound terminal. ive just done a quick reference check with some string (looped it round the head tube then come straight back to the rear drop out slots) and it looks to be about 5mm out at least.
i should really get this to someone with some proper tools though. not sure of any local frame builders to sussex but will get myself chatting to some other people and see whats what.

thanks for the help and ill update again once/if i have any success!

 

[cmjc]

I followed the directions on Sheldon Brown's page, and found it safe and easy. (Dig for the url, if you haven't already read it.)

I was surprised how easy, and glad I didn't pay to have it done.

You can align to within a mm accuracy, with gentle pressure, using a yard of 2 by 4, a stool, and a piece of black thread. (String is far too fat to allow accuracy.)

It's nowhere near as violent as you imagine: Roll y'sleeves up lad!