Stupid wheel alignment question!

[South Bound]

Just putting modern wheels on my 94 Kona and can't get the rear to sit centrally - spins fine, in the dropouts fine, but it as offset a little to the left. They are disk wheels (so I can use them on other bikes if I need), but for the life of me I can't work it out.

Am reluctant to send the wheel I took off to its new owner until I work out what is wrong with this one or if it is me being monumentally dense - but I am having a sh1t week, so I expect this will be something stupidly annoying.

 

[icantthinkofausername]

Sounds like it is dished. A quick google should give you all of your answers.

 

[jonnyboy666]

kona's can have slightly pissed rear ends from the early days, mine was, sometimes the wheel had to be spaced and dished to the frame so you might find the wheel is fine and the frame a little out. check another wheel you know to be spot on that will give you a clue. also the wheel itself could just be dished over one side a little too much but could be sorted with a spoke key.

 

[letmetalktomark]

Hi SB,

I had a similar problem with a rear wheel recently (as above in a Kona frame) - when it was trued it was dished slightly too far over to one side - which lead me to think it was a problem with the frame.

It was true just in the wrong place (read off to one side) :roll:

I took the wheel in to my LBS in the frame and they dished it accordingly.

Maybe the answer to the problem you describe? :?

Mark

 

[South Bound]

Coolio, not being a wheel expert I did not realise you could dish it like that. Thanks guys, will probably just live with it as it seems to go ok in the modern frame.

Thanks again.

 

[pete_mcc]

Get yourself a spoke key and release the spokes on the side where it's too close to the frame by half a turn then tighten the other side by half a turn. then repeat if needed until you're all square (or the wheel is, in which case go to the LBS and get them to repair the damage). I use the reflector hole in the seatstay bridge as a guide to the middle, just line that up with the centre of the rim/tyre.

Forgot to say, once you have done one round tightening and loosening take the wheel out of the frame and gently apply pressure on the rim by resting the hub axle on the floor and pushing down on the sides of the rim all round, flip it over and do the same again. This will reseat the nipples and remove any spoke twist, you'll often here a tinkling noise as you do it which is cool!

 

[stevet1]

Put the wheel im the other way around i.e. cassette on the left and see if the wheel still sits to the same side then its the frame, if its reversed then its the wheel.

 

[letmetalktomark]

Put the wheel im the other way around i.e. cassette on the left and see if the wheel still sits to the same side then its the frame, if its reversed then its the wheel.

Cunning.......Like a >>>>>

 

[FluffyChicken]

I wouldn't redish if it works fine on the modern and you can live with it on the retro

 

[greenstiles]

I used to build wheels for customers.....................take it to a bike shop and ask them to just check if it is dished right.....shouldn't charge takes seconds to check..............................then you'll know 4 sure if it is frame or wheel.......................i've seen a lot of bad rear ends......................but quite often it's too much paint in a drop out or a badly turned axel side (non threaded)..................if it is the frame be very careful to work out weather it is up and down or side to side misalignment before you get the file out !