filing fork dropouts

Quoted message said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and

the

Quoted message said:

wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when resting in the
dropouts, quick

release

Quoted message said:

loose. Is it adviseable to use a round file on one or both
sides to even them out, so that the wheel rests centered,
thus simplifying wheel installation?

Before filing the dropout, you need to confirm that it's a
problem with one dropout being set a bit lower than the
other, vs a fork that's out of alignment. If the fork is
kicked off to the side, filing the dropout is *not* the
answer (a new fork that's made correctly is).

If you set the wheel in straight (so it's centered in the
fork), does the bike ride in a straight line no-handed? If
so, chances are the fork's OK alignment-wise (ok to file the
dropout then). If the bike heads one way or the other, then
there's an alignment issue that won't be corrected by filing
the dropout to center the wheel.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"Kyle.B.H" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8ZF5c.24778$JL2.277621@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and

the

Quoted message said:

wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when resting in the
dropouts, quick

release

Quoted message said:

loose. Is it adviseable to use a round file on one or both
sides to even them out, so that the wheel rests centered,
thus simplifying wheel installation?

The same problem exists for the rear, however I'm guessing
that filing the dropouts there wouldn't be such a good
idea and that I should have the

frame

Quoted message said:

alignment checked.

Thx,

Kyle

Agree with Mike, make sure before you file the dropout make
sure it is indeed the problem. There are so many issues with
the fork, the bend, one leg longer than the other, one leg
could be twisted, it doesn't take much.

I was fortunate to see the alignment operation on my fork:
Working off a surface plate, my fork (steering column) was
placed in a 1" squared rectangle collet block which centered
the fork about 2" from the surface plate. One could flip the
block 180 degrees and the fork should be centered. A 100mm
squared rectangle was placed in position of the hub. It also
had a center indicator. Next, a right angle was placed to
touch both legs of the fork. I could clearly see that the
squared rectangle hub was not perpendicular to the table. An
indicator was brought in to touch the center of the squared
rectangle hub, then the collet block was flipped 180 degrees
to see if it matched the center of the opposite end. It also
didn't match. As it turned out, one of the legs of the fork
was slightly skewered, enough to make me believe it was the
dropout. -tom

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and

the

Quoted message said:

wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when resting in the
dropouts, quick

release

Quoted message said:

loose. Is it adviseable to use a round file on one or
both sides to

even

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

them out, so that the wheel rests centered, thus
simplifying wheel installation?

Before filing the dropout, you need to confirm that it's a
problem with

one

Quoted message said:

dropout being set a bit lower than the other, vs a fork
that's out of alignment. If the fork is kicked off to the
side, filing the dropout is *not* the answer (a new fork
that's made correctly is).

If you set the wheel in straight (so it's centered in the
fork), does the bike ride in a straight line no-handed? If
so, chances are the fork's OK alignment-wise (ok to file
the dropout then). If the bike heads one way

or

Quoted message said:

the other, then there's an alignment issue that won't be
corrected by

filing

Quoted message said:

the dropout to center the wheel.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"Kyle.B.H" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8ZF5c.24778$JL2.277621@attbi_s03...

Quoted message said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and

the

Quoted message said:

wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when resting in the
dropouts, quick

release

Quoted message said:

loose. Is it adviseable to use a round file on one or
both sides to

even

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

them out, so that the wheel rests centered, thus
simplifying wheel installation?

The same problem exists for the rear, however I'm
guessing that filing

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dropouts there wouldn't be such a good idea and that I
should have the

frame

Quoted message said:

alignment checked.

Thx,

Kyle

Kyle.B.H said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and the wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when
resting in the dropouts, quick release loose.

I'll put this idea up since no one else has gone for it: Is
it possible that the rim is not properly centred between the
ends of axle?

Use either
a) an alignment tool to check this (bow-shaped device that
spans the diameter of the wheel and touches the end of
the hub axle), or
b) flip the wheel around (left-right) to see if the position
of the tyre, relative to the fork, changes.

If b) causes no difference, then yes it could be the fork or
dropouts. If it does, then you just have to shift the rim
across (assuming you have wheel truing skills; take the
wheel to the LBS if you're not sure).

/Robert

So "Kyle.B.H" <[email hidden]> says:

Quoted message said:

... installing the front wheel on a bike with a Kinesis
carbon fork, and the wheel is mis-aligned by a few mm when
resting in the dropouts, quick release loose. Is it
adviseable to use a round file on one or both sides to even
them out, so that the wheel rests centered, thus
simplifying wheel installation?

The same problem exists for the rear, however I'm guessing
that filing the dropouts there wouldn't be such a good idea
and that I should have the frame alignment checked.

Thx,

Kyle

If the wheel fits in the dropout it doesn't need to be filed
and you'll likely be sorry if you do. You've got some
alignment issues. jeffb