Moving a hub to one side

[GHW]

I've got a bit of a problem with the rear wheel on my Orange. It's off to one side, to the extend that the tyre rubs slightly on the frame under some conditions. I wasn't toooo worried about this to start with 'cos it was only taking a wee bit of paint off, but now it's worn through the paint and it's beginning to make a groove in the aluminium underneath

Is there some way of shifting the wheel across on the hub (it's a Shimano one)? I'm guessing it's only going to take about 2-3 mm of movement to get it centred.

[pawsmcgraw]

check spoke tension, if its moved you will probably have loose spokes, the dish of the wheel has moved.Just tighten the spokes to the correct tension on the side you wish to pull it over to.Usually none drive side come loose or stretch over time.
Try giving each spoke half a turn tighter, then repeat if not tight enough.Make sure you complete a full circle of the wheel or you can very easily "hoop the rim"

Edited by pawsmcgraw on Wednesday 18th June 00:43

[GHW]

The spoke tension is all fine, and I hate to have to fiddle with it too much because knowing my luck I'll screw it up and end up with a pringle for a back wheel

I think it's always been off to one side slightly - when you spin the wheel with the bike upside down it doesn't actually touch the frame, only under load it seems.

I noticed it rubbing a wee bit of paint off a while back, but I never expected it to actually cut into the frame!

[pawsmcgraw]

It might pay to check the wheel is in the drop ots correctly.Loosen the qick release off an waggle the wheel or sit on the bike with it loose, then tighten it up.Wouldn't be the first time i've seen that happen.Other than that, you will have to get the dish of the wheel correctly aligned by your lbs

[GHW]

I fiddled with the drop-outs too - with the amount of wiggle room available I can get it to sit centrally, but as soon as it hits the first bump it falls back into its normal slightly off-centre position

Meh. There's a new LBS just opened near work. Maybe I'll have to give them a go at fiddling the wheel... or maybe I'll just go a bit mental and have a go at re-dishing it slightly myself. It can't be too hard, especially since the wheel is pretty much 100% true already

[Xenocide]

Quite easy, slacken off the spokes attached to the side of the hub in the direction you want to move it in... if that makes sense.

use a bent zip tie attached to the frame to check for true-ness if you've got disks.

[Saddle bum]

The frame may need checking out to see if it is "in track".

Checking can be done easily but is somewhat difficult to explain.

You need a long straight edge.

Lay it against the side of the head tube and the outside of the seat tube so that it protrudes into the area near the inside of the rear ends*. Measure the distance from the inside of the the rear fork end to the straight edge and repeat the procedure on the other side of the frame. Obviously, it is easier with some one helping. If the two measurements are different by, say, two millimeters, the frame is out of track and needs adjutment.

Of course your rear wheel could be "out of dish".

• The "ends" are the slots the rear axles fit into.

[GHW]

Somehow I doubt the back end of the frame is bent, since it's been like that from new (unless it's a manufacturing defect maybe). The chain-stays are chunky, square mother-lovers, so I can't see them bending too easily either.

[Saddle bum]

GHW said:

Somehow I doubt the back end of the frame is bent, since it's been like that from new (unless it's a manufacturing defect maybe). The chain-stays are chunky, square mother-lovers, so I can't see them bending too easily either.

Check the rear wheel with a dishing tool, which should tell you all you need to know about the wheel. If it is correct, you will need to check the frame. If not, get it retensioned/rebuilt.