goodtimes5

I recently converted my road bike to a single speed bike by removing the derailleurs, shortening the chain, etc. The frame has horizontal dropouts and a bolt skewer. When I bike on flat roads, there's no problem. However, when I bike up a hill, the rear wheel will suddenly jam itself up against the side of the frame. It looks like the chain tension pulled the wheel axel askew such that the wheel became slanted.

I realigned the rear wheel and tightened the bolts on the skewer until they could not be tightened anymore. But the same problem occurred. Is there a solution to this?

passerby

new bolts or chain tensioners?

steveymcdubs

You just need to tighten the bolts more.

goodtimes5

What if the bolts cannot be tightened any more but the problem persists?

steveymcdubs

It shouldn't be a problem as long as the bolts are tight enough. Chain tension alone shouldn't have enough force as to dislodge your wheel and make the non-drive side slant backwards.

Chain tensioners would work, but that'd be like putting a band-aid on broken bone. Are the bolts of the hub in contact or close to being in contact with your frame? It could be that you've tightened the axel bolts sufficiently, but there's a gap between the frame and the hub bolts that allows this slipping.

passerby

torque wrench

AEO

skewer you say? tightening you say?
is it a quick release skewer with a cam-lever on one side?
you're doing it wrong if it's the QR variety.

the_don

I think he means a special skewer that uses an allen wrench or hex wrench.

I have one on the front of my bike.

I have strong high-quality long allen wrenches. It could be that you are using a short one and are unable to tighten enough with your tool.

Or maybe you are just not strong enough to do it!

AEO

these types of skewers typically use aluminum for the clamping teeth and are really terrible for horizontal drop outs.

QR skewers in horizontal dropouts are fine, it's just that you want one with a steel teeth core and closed cam like shimano and campagnolo offer.

reueladhikari

^ +1 If the serrated washers of the skewer are Alu then they may not bite on to the dropouts strongly. A steel alternative would be better.

The LT

take a picture of the setup so we can see what you are talking about

goodtimes5

My camera is broken, so I'm going to try my best describing it.

It is not a quick release lever - there are no levers on the axel. The skewer is essentially a bolt with a nut and a washer on each side. The washer comes into contact with the dropouts on the frame on one side, and on the other side of the dropout looks like another washer and then the wheel hub. From outside to in, it's bolt-washer-dropout of the frame-thicker washer-hub of wheel.

I tightened the bolt with an adjustable wrench of this type, if this is significant:

Moreover, it looks like the force from the wheel disalignment last night bent the skewer a little bit. I don't have time to take a closer look, but something is certainly off.

etothepii

Go to LBS and have them show you something in a heavy-dutier skewer.

(Is heavy-dutier a real word?)

ianjk

Like these? So confused.

jet sanchEz

I ride SS with a QR and have had no problems yet and it has been that way for more than 4 years now.

You just need to really tighten it up. Every road bike has QRs and you never see them slip...

yepyep

I would add another thought. Could it be your wheel is spaced at 120 and your rear triangle is spaced at 126 or 130? If this is a case, and your frame isn't taking to cold setting you might need to add a couple of 3mm spacers on each side of your axle. What frame did you convert? Is it aluminum?
If you are tightening things down as much as you can with said wrench you shouldn't be having this problem.
My trying to be of help $.02.

I just read your axle was bent during this, hmmm...

Schnayke

If you had a removable derailer hanger then you need to put it back on. Most new bikes need the derailer hanger in to keep the rear rim in place.

JohnDThompson 

Most road bikes these days have vertical dropouts, so there's nowhere for the axle to slip. Modern quick-releases (open cam) have less leverage than the older closed-cam devices and should only be used on vertical dropouts.

Open cam:


Closed cam:

jtgotsjets

Continue tightening.

heavier-duty

AEO

use a longer wrench and push down from above.

the nut on the rear is usually 15mm