I have a lugged steel frame with horizontal dropouts. It has never been built up, and with too many bikes I sold it to a fellow who would build it and ride it.
When he came to pick it up and put it on a roof mounted bike carrier, the rear wheel on the drive side would not go in, but the non-drive side would. After looking at it, it was evident the rear right dropout was just a bit smaller than the non-drive side dropout at the opening of the dropout.
I took a open-end wrench, put the handle between the dropout, and with one application of force on the wrench the dropout now accepts the rear wheel with no problem. It also looks to be the same distance the length of both dropouts now.
My questions are:
(1) What is the possibility this adjustment will weaken the chromed dropout and cause problems down the road with this drive dropout from the small (maybe 1mm) adjustment?
(2) Is this something that others have experienced maybe by the dropout closing a bit when shipped or something?
(3) Is there a better way to fix a problem like this in the future should it occur again?
Thanks,
Frank Phillips
McAlester, OK