How bad is it to...."make it fit"
 

Is there any real problem with installing wheels in a frame, when the axle over-locknut width is slightly greater than the dropout/fork blade spacing (approx 5 mm or less off, and prying the dropouts/ fork blades apart enough to install the wheel isn't particularly difficult. I ask because i am trying to do a cheap rebuild on an apollo sport 5, and the original steel wheels are (A) steel wheels and (B) have some very ugly rusty spokes, and refurbishing them (new spokes) doesnt seem time/cost effective to me when i have some perfectly good, low end, aluminum wheels that just don't quite fit. For the record, I have done this before, with no problems (for me) other than minor pain in the ass wheel changes. I was just wondering if anybody has any good reasons not to go this route.

also, if i go with the aluminum wheels, they have a seven speed freehub (shimano) opposed to the 5 speed suntour freewheel on the original wheels. probably for the best if i opt to replace the chain as well, right? Lastly, the derailleur is suntour honor, am i likely to run into issues shifting that over a seven speed shimano casette? obviously its not ideal...but in a friction application I can't see it being a big problem unless it doesn't have the range to cover the wider cassette.

I think that about covers it for now, i think all the relevant info is there, any feedback you have is appreciated.

None of those issues sounds very serious to me.

I'd just grab the two dropouts in my hands and pull them apart. Since you're talking about less than 5 mm. it doesn't take very much go permanently cold set the dropouts.

Derailleur will work fine. You'll have to radjust it a bit.

How old is your chain? I think that I'd replace it just on general principle. Trying to eke the last bit of wear out of a chain is counter productive.

Not bad at all. In fact, it's a very good idea because it gives you a much wider range of parts to use. You don't even have to spread it out or 'cold set' it. Just push.

thanks for confirming my suspicions that it was no big deal, I decided to stick with the original wheelset, in the light of day the rusty spokes arn't all that noticible and the rims are still nice and shiny. I don't think the bike was heavily used at all, all the damage/problems on it seemed to stem from the fact that it hadn't been used. I'll save the aluminum wheels for a bike that really needs them. managed to get this one in good working order for about 20 bucks in parts, the majority of which was cables and bar tape, plus some old brake levers (I dont build bikes with suicide levers) and a sleeker shifter.

You may be able to cold-set your frame by getting a MTB spindle in the dropouts and winding out the locknuts. Prolly worth giving your dropouts a slight tweak with a large shifter so they don't bend your spindle when you clamp up the wheel.

Oops, just saw the above post; never mind

no, thankyou, this is the sort of thing i do all the time, i just figured since it was something i had been wondering about i might as well ask. like the idea of cold setting using an mtb spindle. definetly worth trying on a future project.

If you're actually going to permanently bend the stays to the new wider spacing then I'd suggest doing it the way shown and described on Sheldon Brown's website in the Coldsetting article. If you're doing this you will want to make sure that you bend each side out by the same amount. And just grabbing the dropouts and heaving on them or using an MTB axle and nuts does not guarantee that both sides will flex and bend the same. Far from it in fact. On the other hand by using the method shown in Sheldon's write up you will bend to measure one side at a time while checking the opening. The first side being bent until the spacing in increased by 1/2 the desired amount and then the other side being bent out to finish the job.