Axle not straight in dropout

sounds like a frame alignment issue. Your LBS should have a set of tools that will show what going
on with the dropout alignment, rear triangle aligment etc.... these things can often be fixed with a
subtle bending but I'd be careful bending Al parts......

Michael said:

I've noticed for a long time that my rear wheel tends not to be centered between the chainstays
(where they join the BB shell) even when I've just dished it perfectly, and I just figured out why
- the axle doesn't sit squarely in the dropouts. In the right (drive-side) dropout, the axle
naturally sits a mm or 2 forward, causing the front of the wheel to shift left.

By "naturally" I mean that's where the axle goes by itself when I put the wheel in, and it doesn't
change when I put weight on the bike. I can pull the axle to the center of the dropout (moving the
right side of the axle back to the top center of the dropout) either by pulling on the right
quick-release nut back/up or pushing the front of the tire (at the seat tube) to the right. I
hesitate to do this and lock the wheel in what seems to be an unnatural position for it. Sould I
leave it or force it back to the center? Is there some kind of dropout alignment problem? Is this
likely to have existed for the life of the bike or developed over time?

The bike is a 1995 Cannondale CAAD3 road bike with replaceable derailleur hanger (though the axle
sits in the frame's aluminum dropout and doesn't touch the hanger.) I've seen the problem with 2
wheels, Open Pro/Ultegra and Spinergy Spox.

Thanks.

Since you are sure that the wheel is properly dished, there are two other possibilities.

A ) The center between the dropouts is not exactly on the centerline of the frame.

B ) The dropout slots are not at 90 degrees to the centerline of the frame.

Since the action of your pedalling tends to pull the axle forward, consider the front edge of the
drive side dropout to be 'zero' and file on the appropriate part of the left side dropout until the
wheel lines up correctly.

Hope this helps you.

Lewis.

........................

[email hidden] (Michael) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've noticed for a long time that my rear wheel tends not to be centered between the chainstays
(where they join the BB shell) even when I've just dished it perfectly, and I just figured out why
- the axle doesn't sit squarely in the dropouts. In the right (drive-side) dropout, the axle
naturally sits a mm or 2 forward, causing the front of the wheel to shift left.

By "naturally" I mean that's where the axle goes by itself when I put the wheel in, and it doesn't
change when I put weight on the bike. I can pull the axle to the center of the dropout (moving the
right side of the axle back to the top center of the dropout) either by pulling on the right
quick-release nut back/up or pushing the front of the tire (at the seat tube) to the right. I
hesitate to do this and lock the wheel in what seems to be an unnatural position for it. Sould I
leave it or force it back to the center? Is there some kind of dropout alignment problem? Is this
likely to have existed for the life of the bike or developed over time?

The bike is a 1995 Cannondale CAAD3 road bike with replaceable derailleur hanger (though the axle
sits in the frame's aluminum dropout and doesn't touch the hanger.) I've seen the problem with 2
wheels, Open Pro/Ultegra and Spinergy Spox.

Thanks.