A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Dave Smith" wrote: (clip) The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I
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think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, (clip) Does it look like it can be repaired? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ From the way the light is reflected, it looks like there is a slight buckle to one side of the dropout, resulting in a narrowing of the slot, and making the axle hard to insert. I believe you could lay this over an anvil (or equivalent) and hammer it lightly to reopen the dropout. The impact loads to the axle from riding do not go through this lobe, so I feel this would be a safe repair. Still, I would inspect it closely for any sign of cracking before repair, after repair, and occasionally after riding.
Your other idea, of filing, also sounds doable and safe--subject to the same admonition about inspecting it for cracks.
On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:48:29 -0700, Dave Smith <[email hidden]> may
have said:
My wife's brand new Klein.
A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
That's aluminum? It sure looks like steel. I'd file it and not worry too much; bent once, by that small amount, I doubt that it will present any issues later. If it's really aluminum, don't try to straighten it; you can often bend aluminum once without seriously compromising its structure...but each successive yield increases the chance of failure later.
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:48:29 -0700, Dave Smith <[email hidden]> may
have said:
My wife's brand new Klein.
A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
That's aluminum? It sure looks like steel. I'd file it and not worry too much; bent once, by that small amount, I doubt that it will present any issues later. If it's really aluminum, don't try to straighten it; you can often bend aluminum once without seriously compromising its structure...but each successive yield increases the chance of failure later.
Beware of surface irregularlity if filing if the route you take; the flat surfaces probably aren't flat anymore, and you'll most likely need to take a little off of them to make the skewer grab evenly.
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:48:29 -0700, Dave Smith <[email hidden]> may have said:
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My wife's brand new Klein.
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A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
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That's aluminum? It sure looks like steel. I'd file it and not worry too much; bent once, by that small amount, I doubt that it will present any issues later. If it's really aluminum, don't try to straighten it; you can often bend aluminum once without seriously compromising its structure...but each successive yield increases the chance of failure later.
Beware of surface irregularlity if filing if the route you take; the flat surfaces probably aren't flat anymore, and you'll most likely need to take a little off of them to make the skewer grab evenly.
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
safest thing I think will be to file it; bending it back might just snap it off, then where would you be ?
On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:35:46 -0600, Werehatrack <[email hidden]> may have said:
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On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:48:29 -0700, Dave Smith <[email hidden]> may have said:
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>My wife's brand new Klein.
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>A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped >it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit.I >think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even >file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the >aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the >dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I >uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one >at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates >the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd >rather be safe than sorry.
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That's aluminum? It sure looks like steel. I'd file it and not worry too much; bent once, by that small amount, I doubt that it will present any issues later. If it's really aluminum, don't try to straighten it; you can often bend aluminum once without seriously compromising its structure...but each successive yield increases the chance of failure later.
Quoted message said:
Beware of surface irregularlity if filing if the route you take; the flat surfaces probably aren't flat anymore, and you'll most likely need to take a little off of them to make the skewer grab evenly.
Quoted message said:
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.- Hide quoted text -
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safest thing I think will be to file it; bending it back might just snap it off, then where would you be ?
Ditto. File it down. It looks like the majority of the clamping area is unaffected. No worries.
Ditto. File it down. It looks like the majority of the clamping area is unaffected. No worries.
And get rid of those lawyers lips while you're in there with the file.
Or don't, OP's choice.
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thanks very much for any help.
Do not ride the bicycle. Unsafe at any speed. Take it to a reputable framebuilder who has told you over the telephone that he guarantees his repairs to Al frames.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Right. Put on your helmet and sit on the couch. Do not answer the door--there are all kinds of risks out there.
Michael could be right... Aluminum can easily crack after a bend. It's a risk to ride it. If it was steel I wouldn't worry, but aluminum can have issues.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Right. Put on your helmet and sit on the couch. Do not answer the door--there are all kinds of risks out there.
Michael could be right... Aluminum can easily crack after a bend. It's a risk to ride it. If it was steel I wouldn't worry, but aluminum can have issues.
Seems to me that only the front part of the dropout has seen any bend at all. It's not going to get any further significant stress. Axle loads are upwards into the dropout slot, placing the top of the slot in compression, so there won't be any worries about generating a crack. Clamping loads are minor and well supported. IOW, I can't visualize a likely cause of any failure of consequence.
Even if I had to "unbend" it a little bit to get clearance for the QR nut, I wouldn't worry as long as it didn't crack during the unbending process. But my first choice would be to just file and ride.
A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thanks very much for any help.
just use a file and make the slot wide enough to fit the axle again - you'll be fine. try not to make any gouges on the inside of the slot though.
A well meaning friend tried to help her load it on her car and dropped it on the front dropout. The dropout's bent and the axle won't fit. I think it might be possible to bend it back into shape or maybe even file it because the axle almost fits, but I'm worried that the aluminum might be weakened and I don't really like the prospect of the dropout failing and her front wheel falling off on a fast descent. I uploaded a picture comparing the damaged dropout to the undamaged one at: http://www.westiesd.com/posting/Fork.jpg I think it illustrates the damage pretty well. Does it look like it can be repaired? I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thanks very much for any help.
Junk it.
If it was a STEEL fork, you could bend it back into shape or file it.
Not so with aluminum, which will crack when bent. You cannot see the cracks, but they are there. You might even want to cut off one side of one of the dropouts, so nobody else picks it out of the trash and tries to use it. ~
