brianinc-ville

I just picked up a '76 Raleigh Superbe from a really nice young guy who...is learning how old bikes work.

First, he somehow managed to get the front Dynohub totally seized up (I'm guessing he was riding it with the adjustable cone on the wrong side). I'll be working on that, later.

Then, he replaced the seized front wheel with a Walmart-type MTB front wheel. Somehow, he got the non-flatted axle to slide into the fork ends; now it seems totally impossible to get that wheel off -- the round axle is in place, but it's too wide to slide out through the slots that are intended for a flatted Raleigh axle. I have no idea how he even got it in there, and neither does he. I really don't see how the fork could be spread wide enough to go all the way over the end of the axle.

My first inclination is to take a Dremel and grind off enough of the threads to make it look like a Raleigh axle, then slip it out. But before I get violent, can anyone suggest a gentler way to remove a wheel when the axle appears to be wider than the fork end slot?

roccobike

I'm confused, is the axle in holes or slots? If it's slots, take a flat end screw driver and a rubber mallet and tap it out.
Pulling that fork to the side that much will bend it.

Oh, BTW Go Pirates!

3speed

I say pull the fork toward the end of the axle on one side just enough to get a tool in there to flatten the axle. Then once you slide that side out the proper way without hurting anything, you should be able to slide the other side out over the end of the axle. ...I think. Otherwise repeat griding on side 2. I only say to only do one side because then at least you leave nice threads to get everything off of the axle on the other side. Sure, you may have to get a new axle, but better that than a new fork. The replacement axle will probably be better than whatever came on the wal-mart quality wheel anyway.

cudak888 

Loosen the cones and locknuts on both sides. Turn them until you offset the axle out of one dropout. Angle the wheel to point the free end away from the dropout to the bottom, and work the axle in the other direction until it clears the second dropout. Wheel should be out at this point.

-Kurt

brianinc-ville

Right. Duh. Of course. As you were!

brianinc-ville

Actually, a note for those reading this post in posterity: Kurt's suggestion didn't quite work. I couldn't get the axle at a sufficient angle to clear the outside of the fork end. So, the only thing to be done was to keep working the axle out far enough out on one side to fully remove the cone and cone locknut, then work it all the way back in the opposite direction 'til I could remove the other cone and locknut.

Since the axle had lots of mashed threads (due to the PO's brute-force installation; it also left thread grooves gouged into the slotted portion of the dropout ), this was not fun at all. There's also that moment where I popped the first cone off (with the wheel still in the fork) and got my fingers mashed/pinched between the fork and spokes. Ouch. But the @#$%^& wheel is off!

nlerner

I probably would have resorted to a hacksaw early on in that process!

Neal

wahoonc

Reciprocating saw, grinder or torch...

Aaron

roccobike

Good point. Wish I thought of that. An axle is cheap and easily replaced. Lot's of luck replacing a fork. I've had terrible luck when I've tried it.

randyjawa 

Raleigh Superbe front wheels are always hard to remove! I am not sure why, but I always have to spread the forks a wee bit to remove the wheel.

By the way, I am no expert on roadster bicycles, or any bicycles, now that I think of it.

David Newton

Because the cones have a raised center button that mates with the dropouts. I guess they shouldn't be called "dropouts".

wahoonc

Kind of an early version of the current lawyer lips or hook washers.

Aaron

Chris_in_Miami

How about #%$*!@-outs?