Mountain Biking - any way to straighten rotors?

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View Full Version : any way to straighten rotors?

madbiker555
09-30-05, 04:03 PM
My rear hayes rotor has gone slightly out of true, so is there anyway to straighten it out and make it true again? (without going to my lbs)

bikebugmenot
09-30-05, 04:06 PM
http://isrg.nmt.edu/~mrobokit/assemble/pics2/ad_crescent_wrenchb.jpg
madbiker555
09-30-05, 04:11 PM
Ya I don't think that's the greatest idea.

snoopz666
09-30-05, 04:15 PM
ya thats how you do it, just make sure the wrench is clean and smooth. if its only bent in 1 small place use 3, 2 to stabalize and the other one in the middle to bend it. this is prety much what the shop would do.
meme
09-30-05, 04:16 PM
Ya I don't think that's the greatest idea.

Then go ahead and go pay your LBS to pull out a crescent wrnch and straighten your rotor for you.
Raiyn
09-30-05, 04:17 PM
Ya I don't think that's the greatest idea.
Actually (for once) he's correct. Park Tool does make a proper tool for this , but provided you're careful you can do it with an adjustable wrench
madbiker555
09-30-05, 04:24 PM
O....it just sounded crude to do it with a wrench but I'll go try it.
zx108
09-30-05, 04:24 PM
this might be a little far fetched but, a vise grip?
Raiyn
09-30-05, 04:26 PM
O....it just sounded crude to do it with a wrench but I'll go try it.
It is a bit crude, but it does work. Bear in mind you may not get it perfect and you may end up needing a new rotor (I've got a link for some cheap ones if you need it)
Trekbikedude
09-30-05, 06:18 PM
can I get the link?
Raiyn
09-30-05, 11:50 PM
this might be a little far fetched but, a vise grip?
Not unless you cushion the jaws and made sure they were parallel. this is why the crecent is a better choice
bobflyer
10-01-05, 07:30 AM
if u were you.. i would just get a new rotor.. i paid S$25 for mine.. in US$ i think it is $13 or something.. but they are quite cheap.. and they work just fine..
Callaway
10-01-05, 09:19 AM
Sure they might be cheap. but why run out and buy a new one if the old will work just fine with a minimal amount of elbow grease and a few firing synapses? If it doesn't work or it gets ruined, then sure, go ahead and buy a new one, until then save the money or buy something worth spending the money on.
sngltrackdufus
10-01-05, 10:03 PM
muwahahaha! an "okie fit'em all wrench"!! good answer! :beer:
norcodirtjumper
10-02-05, 07:01 AM
I bent mine so bad on the trail one time, my bike was almost unridable, I hvae no choic but to bend them back with my hands.
Drunken Chicken
10-02-05, 07:05 AM
I bent mine so bad on the trail one time, my bike was almost unridable, I hvae no choic but to bend them back with my hands.
Did you manage to?
OneTinSloth
10-02-05, 09:52 AM
paul morningstar makes an excellent set of rotor aligning tools. when paired with the rotor guage that attaches to most truing stands, you can get a rotor to be straight within .1mm. this is what we use at my shop.

god bless you paul morningstar.
duckliondog
10-02-05, 05:53 PM
I bent mine so bad on the trail one time, my bike was almost unridable, I hvae no choic but to bend them back with my hands.

I carry a Cool-Tool with me when I go mountain biking. The crescent wrench on it is perfect for fixing rotors. I have done it with my hands too.
EJ123
10-02-05, 06:08 PM
http://isrg.nmt.edu/~mrobokit/assemble/pics2/ad_crescent_wrenchb.jpg

lmao
Maelstrom
10-02-05, 08:53 PM
if u were you.. i would just get a new rotor.. i paid S$25 for mine.. in US$ i think it is $13 or something.. but they are quite cheap.. and they work just fine..

I would be broke if I did this. Everytime I crash my rotor goes a little out of true. It takes minutes to fix it. Why spend money on something THAT easy to fix.