Looking to lace up a drum hub to the front wheel/fork but the axle on the hub is larger than the fork dropout. What's the best way to grind out extra room? Is it possible to mess this up bad so the wheel ends up crooked or is it just plane simple grind it out?
Grinding drop outs
- Thread starter Euphman06
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Never though about it that way.. That seems easier to do. Anyone else chime in? If it was a regular hub I wouldn't worry about messing up the axle, but it's a drum hub and I've never had one of those apart.
Depends on the specific hub. Some have unusual proprietary thread, in which case the dropouts are a better bet. If you're worried about overdoing it, go with the traditional method; a mill ....... file.
Agreed, work up to it with a file with a name that is banned but refers to a file with unwed parents...
Luke.
You probably don't need to take it apart, and it is pretty hard to screw up.
I use the side, edge, of a flat file which is just about the right width. Just file the raised threads down to the level of the solid shaft on directly opposing sides of the axle, right alongside the locknuts or cones. Do the same on the other side taking care that your flats are parallel to each side of the axle and each end of the axle.
Here is the build I'm working on. I don't want to mess up this fork so I'll take the file to the axle instead. Thanks for the words of wisdom. Would it hurt if I took the threads off all the way around the axle where the fork would be? I figured if the nut won't tighten enough I could just add a washer and that way I won't have to worry about making the filed down parts perfect.
Never thought about the value of axle v. fork before. I've just always used a grinder to open the fork up a little more.
I wouldn't file all the way around the axle, just two sides. The reason is it creates what is called a shear point/angle. That is where a piece of metal is reduced to make weaker so it breaks at a known place.
As a kid I went thru , say a hundred bmxs, most had the little axle I soon replaced, then ground the dropout to accept the new size. I only file one side of the dropouts,ie: the back using the axle as a guage. And iI used a mill-bass-tard file, a big nasty one!
As a kid I went thru , say a hundred bmxs, most had the little axle I soon replaced, then ground the dropout to accept the new size. I only file one side of the dropouts,ie: the back using the axle as a guage. And iI used a mill-bass-tard file, a big nasty one!
I did mine with a dremel and silicone carbide cutoff wheels. 2 of the thick ones mounted on a mandrel. Way faster than a file. I cut 4 flats on my big fat drum brake axle in no time. Worked fine and saved grinding on a prewar Schwinn springer fork. Gary
