Pro Touring '62 Schwinn

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I’ve known the rear of the frame was bent and that fact had been looming over me in a mild capacity. The other night I finally stepped up and took it all apart, stuck it in the vise and moved the seat stays around ‘til they were lined up properly.

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While it was apart, I found the rear axle was bent too! I brought the wheel to my LBS to have them take the freewheel off and quote $32 for an axle and $35 to R&R the hub. No thank you.

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I brought the works home and straightened the axle in under 5 minutes.
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I've always used an anvil or a concrete driveway as the backing for tapping on the axle as you roll it around. It really doesn't take a lot of force. I use a 5lb sledgehammer but even a carpenters hammer will work in a pinch. You might deform some threads a little but one journey of a cone on the threads fixes that. Been doing that since I was a kid. Cassette hubs finally stopped all the foolishness around bending freewheel hub axles.
 
I understand the labor for digging into the hub, but $32 for an axle?
I was recently thinking about converting a hub from quick release to bolt on. When I looked for an axle online the price was $35. For an axle? I have no idea what the deal is but $35? For an AXLE? I have bought two new front hubs recently. Alloy hub, quick release axle with skewer. $20. I can buy a new quick release hub for less than the cost of a simple axle?

I don't recall them being particularly expensive back in the day, I have no idea why they are so expensive now.
 
I was actually sanding it down to both find out what the original color was and prep it for paint then I got to a certain point and stopped when my hands hurt then looked at it in the daylight the next day and didn't have the heart to paint it. It just looked like the battle worn bike that it is so I sprayed it with 3 coats of Rust-Oleum gloss clear enamel. I use Duplicolor engine enamel now as it is more durable.

Here's the link to the build if you want to see it.

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/ratornado-done.74927/

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/ratornado-tank-fab.74546/page-6
Sweet build, I LIKE THE SHOP!!!!! :inlove:
 
Sweet build, I LIKE THE SHOP!!!!! :inlove:
Shop wasn't mine unfortunately but was an old Studebaker parts store back in the day. Place had been abandoned for years. I bought the van that was in the background and asked if I could get some pictures with the shop.
 
If you figure out just how long of a Schwinn kickstand you'll need, I have several in vsarious sizes and can send the right one for just shipping. I have way more than I'll ever use.
Well that’s great to know! The bike is back together now that everything is straightened out. It’s a fun strider 29” bike now.
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The fork and bars look good with that frame. I'm using one of those bottom bracket conversion kits on my Freeliner. It seems easy to set up and spins freely.
 
Hey long time no talk or progress!

Parts are coming in, including this stylish crank set and sprocket. The price was right and I think it looks cool.
Sealed bearing bottom bracket in coming maybe tomorrow, so that is exciting.
Thanks for noticing. 🙂
 

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