Late seventies/early eighties Witcomb...
- Thread starter BerthaPog
- Start date
Midlife":8ddbhq44 said:Spring the forks open and see if the wheel sits at the top of the dropout
Shaun
Tried that, one side will sit in the correct position, other won't - you're then at the limit of sensible "opening the forks" gap. Took a couple of seconds to get it in, and around five minutes of swearing to get it out again.
I suppose I could just file the dropouts (not really).
glorfingal
Old School Hero
from the picture of the dropout it looks more like the "open" end has been squashed in slightly .... the gap
appears smaller at the opening than at the "top" of the dropout ?
I'd be inclined to do a touch of gentle sympathetic filing there ...
appears smaller at the opening than at the "top" of the dropout ?
I'd be inclined to do a touch of gentle sympathetic filing there ...
torqueless
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
Yeah me too, but I'd like a naked front axle to hand first, to see if it will go in from the side? if it does, leave it in place and file the 'neck' of the dropout just enough until the axle can be removed by that route.
Maybe only a few mm of the axle extends beyond the locknuts, but there should be a thread on it, if it's anything like the kind of axle I'm familiar with? If there's no thread on it, it could be some new-fangled (at least to me) design which really does have a larger diameter than the usual front axle?
Personally I'd sooner file the dropouts than the axle, but if you're worried about f**king it up, I guess an axle is easier to replace than a nice old pair of forks.
I remember TGR had a similar problem after getting a crown-race fitted, and I pontificated at some length on his thread about what to do about it (sorry TGR!) That thread is back there, somewhere..
I'd be inclined to do a touch of gentle sympathetic filing there ...
Yeah me too, but I'd like a naked front axle to hand first, to see if it will go in from the side? if it does, leave it in place and file the 'neck' of the dropout just enough until the axle can be removed by that route.
Maybe only a few mm of the axle extends beyond the locknuts, but there should be a thread on it, if it's anything like the kind of axle I'm familiar with? If there's no thread on it, it could be some new-fangled (at least to me) design which really does have a larger diameter than the usual front axle?
Personally I'd sooner file the dropouts than the axle, but if you're worried about f**king it up, I guess an axle is easier to replace than a nice old pair of forks.
I remember TGR had a similar problem after getting a crown-race fitted, and I pontificated at some length on his thread about what to do about it (sorry TGR!) That thread is back there, somewhere..
Re:
Thanks for input guys, did some measuring earlier and "test fitting" - one side fits if you go past the jaws, other side won't.
Wheel axle diameter - Left 8.93, Right 9.09 - so taking into account measurement in-accuracy 9mm - same a my more modern wheel sets. Also measured a very old (read early/mid sixties) nutted axle wheel - inc threads diameter was around 8mm.
Drop-outs
Left, where the axle should sit, 8.6mm, going down to 8.4 at the jaws, 8.0 including "burrs" on both sides of one edge.
Right, where the axle should sit, 8.6mm, going down to 8.5 at the jaws, no burrs.
Looking more closely at the axle end, definitely no threads but does look as though someone might already have taken a file to them.
Next steps will be to remove the burrs on the drop-outs and see where we are - might be a few days, got two other bikes needing more immediate attention.
Thanks for input guys, did some measuring earlier and "test fitting" - one side fits if you go past the jaws, other side won't.
Wheel axle diameter - Left 8.93, Right 9.09 - so taking into account measurement in-accuracy 9mm - same a my more modern wheel sets. Also measured a very old (read early/mid sixties) nutted axle wheel - inc threads diameter was around 8mm.
Drop-outs
Left, where the axle should sit, 8.6mm, going down to 8.4 at the jaws, 8.0 including "burrs" on both sides of one edge.
Right, where the axle should sit, 8.6mm, going down to 8.5 at the jaws, no burrs.
Looking more closely at the axle end, definitely no threads but does look as though someone might already have taken a file to them.
Next steps will be to remove the burrs on the drop-outs and see where we are - might be a few days, got two other bikes needing more immediate attention.
Attachments
torqueless
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
fwiw I measured the diameter of one end of a Campag. front axle which is about as old as your frame and got a reading of 0.345", which is about 8.76mm. That's also very close to 11/32", (0.3438"), which may be the nominal size?
fwiw I measured the diameter of one end of a Campag. front axle which is about as old as your frame and got a reading of 0.345", which is about 8.76mm. That's also very close to 11/32", (0.3438"), which may be the nominal size?
Re:
Long delay since last posts/questions.
The good news, some careful filing on the dropouts allowed the axle to fit.
The bad news, scrotes stole it back in July before I'd even had a chance to ride it properly, needed an alternate rear mech to clear the freewheel/cluster.
Long delay since last posts/questions.
The good news, some careful filing on the dropouts allowed the axle to fit.
The bad news, scrotes stole it back in July before I'd even had a chance to ride it properly, needed an alternate rear mech to clear the freewheel/cluster.
