If you take a close gander at the dropouts of my Torpado SLX with Campy 50th gruppo, you will note that the dropout screws are not there. That is because I was determined to thread out the bent up screw that I thought I had straightened well enough for removal. Well, from the tension, it broke at the driver end, flush with the inside of the dropout (whew, it could have been worse). I was then unable to thread it back out the back, because the tip had already gone inside the drop. I didn't have time before Cirque 2005 to get the thing carefully drilled out, and likely retapped, so it has stayed that way. Never again I say! Yesterday, as it happens, I was pulling out the Fabulous Flaming Ferrari Fixie for a ride with a couple of guys (one on an '82 Trek conversion, and the other on a beautiful and over the top with yellow and red accents Guerciotti Pista). Forgetting I had sold the rear wheel with Phil hub, I had to act fast and find another rear wheel. The easiest was a track wheel with a smaller cog than the original had, and this left the chain loose still, with the axle to the stop screws. Them screws was bent up real bad too, on the outside ... so I threaded them to as tight as the spring would go, easily snipped them off on the outside with a pair of side cutters, and they thread back through perfectly ... NO BROKEN BITS LEFT INSIDE! This was preferred... Moral: if it won't turn somewhat easily, then snip and unscrew to be safe.
Ciao, Mark Agree (who yesterday rode 31 miles on a 1975ish fixed gear, very close to) Southfield MI USA ~ ~ ~
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 13:02:00 EDT From: Philcycles@aol.com To: tr4play@cox.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]How to remove bent dropout adjuster screws?
In a message dated 7/7/06 9:51:57 AM, tr4play@cox.net writes:
>Help! I've got a frame (an otherwise very nice Sachs that I want to ride
>tomorrow) that has both dropout adjuster screws bent fairly severely.
>What is the best way to remove them without damaging the threaded holes
>that they reside in? Both are bent sufficently so that they cannot be
>straightened enough to still unscrew in their normal manner.
Maybe Richard could help but I have yet to find a DO screw so damaged that
it couldn't be unscrewed from one side or the other.
Phil Brown
San Rafael, Calif.