Author Topic: Rear Wheel Adjusting  (Read 1481 times)

Offline Hugo @ Portugal

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Rear Wheel Adjusting
« on: July 15, 2008, 11:08:30 PM »
I've been riding for about 4 years now and something that always upseted me is the adjustments we need to do every once in a while on the rear wheel.

I mean, I must be really noob at mechanics or I just don't possess the right tools for the job couse everytime I need to work around a rear wheel problem (mostly that annoying play) I always end up quitting couse I just can't get it to work.

When I bought my bike I asked for chain tensioners but it only came with one, not a pair. This is a bit strange since it makes all sense to have them on both sides making sure the axle is pulled towards the rear end in the same amount on both sides, anyway..

Today I wanted to ride for a little bit but I had my rear wheel dismounted. When it was almost done I noticed the chain was going against the.. how do you call it.. not the chainstays the uppermost tube.. seatstays maybe, I dont know.

So I figured I had done something wrong when tightening the peg bolts (how do we call them anyway?..).
Right now my ride is standing upside down in my room and I have no idea how to put an end to all this hustle. I guess I need more tools and probably another tensioner but the fact is that the axle ain't gonna take much more spacers or anything since there's already few room to put the wheel in to place with pegs and all.

Im really frustrated and I need help. Images would help ALOT.

Thanks in advance.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2008, 11:11:31 PM by Hugo @ Portugal »




Offline brian84corvette

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Re: Rear Wheel Adjusting
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2008, 01:37:56 AM »
I just don't possess the right tools for the job couse everytime I need to work around a rear wheel problem (mostly that annoying play)
^
you are talking about the 2 on each side- nuts that keep the hub of your rear wheel snug,  those are coming loose on you ?
this would allow your back tire to have slop in it even when the pegs are tight on the frame.

to check this,   stand your bike up,   with the peg bolts tight on the frame
and grab the top of your back tire,   and try and wiggle it side to side.
if you can feel slop in there,    those bolts on your hub are loose.
and you need a cone wrench ( for the inside one )  and an ajustable wrench for the outer one at the verry least.  ( having both size cone wrenches helps  - as you dont have to remove the rear wheel completely to fix. - )   but it can be done.

1 - take back wheel off. -  remove pegs.
2 -  eye ball your axle to see if its centered in the hub.   its possible it can work its way
to either side -    if one side is sticking out further than the other - no big,  -  just loosen the 2 nuts on the long side,   and tighten the 2 nuts on the short side.
-  so now the axle is centered in the hub.

3 -   take the cone wrench and ajustable wrench and put them both on the same side of the hub and crank those bolts tight together.     dont worry about the other side yet.
its verry important to get those 2 jamb nuts on one side super locked together first.

4 -  this is going to sound weird,    but put a axle nut on the side that you just tightened up,  and mount the wheel on the bike, (fliped up side down now)   only using the outside dropout.   so the axle nut is on the inside of the dropout, and the wheel is on the outside of the frame. -   then tighten that axle nut up.
-  so now the wheel is locked tight to the frame,   and you can now mess with the other side 2 jamb nuts to get them set properly.

grab the top of your rim -  wiggle it,   feeling for slop,  if you can feel slop in the hub,   tighten those nuts in to compress the bearings of the hub.
go 1/4 turn at a time.    -  checking your wheel as you go.
spin it,   see how it rolls.    if the wheel seems to spin freely,   keep going tighter with the nuts until you see the wheel start to react to "drag"  as this will cause it to act like there is slight amount of brakes on.   -   when you get it that way,   its just a hair too tight.

then back off those 2 jamb nuts on that side  going 1/8 turn at a time and spinning the wheel to see how it rolls.    you want it to roll freely,  with the most minimal amount of drag possible.   but not loose at all.

once you get to that point,   then use the cone wrench on the inside nut -  and ajustable wrench on the outside nut -  and lock them together by tightening them to eachother.    like the inside nut turns looser as the outside nut turns tighter,     

this process should take you about and hour  the first time. to get your wheel fully dialed in.
but the beauty of this -  is that your wheel is now fully dialed - and you know how to do it again,   next time will go alot faster.

so take off the wheel from the frame.

put pegs back on,

put wheel back in place,   

bike up side down

socket wrench in hand, 

put one foot on the seat post

grab the back rim with one hand,  and pull backwards to you
at the same time with other hand tighten up one side of your wheel.

check for straightness,  and chain tension.

push and or pull on the tire up by the cranks to get it centered in there,
and then tighten up the other side at the same time.

check your chain tension.    too loose -  try again.   it will go.
it takes practice.      ive done it so many times I can practicly do it sleeping.
it gets eazier.     grab those tools up and give it a go.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2008, 01:41:29 AM by brian84corvette »
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Offline AK

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Re: Rear Wheel Adjusting
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2008, 02:53:24 AM »
 check this article out it works pretty good..its 4 slipping back wheels and wheels that are a bitch to get centered

 http://www.gsportbmx.com/tech/dropouts.php

 

Offline Hugo @ Portugal

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Re: Rear Wheel Adjusting
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2008, 02:32:02 PM »
Both posts were very, very helpful guys, I' also watched matt wilhelm's video and he uses two tensionres, on on each side, I think I'm gonna have to buy another one..

Thanks alot, I'm gonna try make thins right this afternoon ;)

Cheers.