Washers as spacers—cheap wheel
02-13-20, 11:41 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Washers as spacers—cheap wheel
For a steel hub ...is it okay to use 3/8 washers as spacer?
My old beater is a basic 20 year-old steel town bike, and I took the rear wheel off the bike to replace the tire, and learned that the single speed freewheel has 100 O.L.D. But dropout spacing is 110.
I need to add 10mm thick washers.
I realize washer have poor tolerance...so it will bend the axle slightly.
Or is it okay for a low performance bike?
My old beater is a basic 20 year-old steel town bike, and I took the rear wheel off the bike to replace the tire, and learned that the single speed freewheel has 100 O.L.D. But dropout spacing is 110.
I need to add 10mm thick washers.
I realize washer have poor tolerance...so it will bend the axle slightly.
Or is it okay for a low performance bike?
Last edited by mtb_addict; 02-14-20 at 02:03 AM.
02-14-20, 12:50 AM
#2
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For a steel hub ...is it okay to use 3/8 washers as spacer?
My old beater is a basic 20 year-old town bike, single speed freewheel. The drop out spacing is 110...but the old wheel has 100 O.L.D.
I need to add 10mm thick washers.
I realize washer have poor tolerance...so will it bend the axle slightly.
Or is it okay for a low performance bike?
My old beater is a basic 20 year-old town bike, single speed freewheel. The drop out spacing is 110...but the old wheel has 100 O.L.D.
I need to add 10mm thick washers.
I realize washer have poor tolerance...so will it bend the axle slightly.
Or is it okay for a low performance bike?
02-14-20, 12:56 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
the bike flexes alot when cornering...feels lIke noodle. I am hoping that increasing the O.L.D. 110 will stiffen up the frame, maybe.
Last edited by mtb_addict; 02-14-20 at 01:52 AM.
02-14-20, 01:09 AM
#4
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Technically, your dropouts aren't staying parallel when you squeeze them together. I doubt if adding less than spec washers is going to be much worse. If it were me, I'd just do it and see if anything bad happened next time I had the hub apart. Now if this was a nice Campy hub, I'd rethink this.
Ben
Ben
02-14-20, 03:41 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
well ...this thread is moot now. because the washers’ outer dia are too large because of the freewheel.
i guess i have the bite the bullet and order real spacers.
i guess i have the bite the bullet and order real spacers.
02-14-20, 08:50 AM
#8
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Dan
02-14-20, 09:12 AM
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Or (assuming you don't have a metal lathe) put the washers on a 3/8 bolt, tighten a nut onto the stack (best use another nut as a locknut), and put the bolt in drill press or hand drill. CAREFULLY use a file to reduce the washer diameter.
Or, just order spacers. BTW, you axle is long enough, right?
Or, just order spacers. BTW, you axle is long enough, right?
02-14-20, 09:28 AM
#10
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I've removed the thin cone locknuts and replaced them with wider/standard width nuts on occasion. Works nice and looks better than washers.
02-14-20, 10:07 AM
#11
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If you have a co-op in your area, find a wheel or two they are discarding and save some spacers. A local shop may also have a few laying around. I keep a variety of axles, cones, lock nuts and spacers from trashed wheels.
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02-14-20, 10:31 AM
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I've also just added extra lock nuts to each side, doesn't really make any difference on the hub staying adjusted but works just as well.
