It seems that somehow, the dropout slot on my XTC (drivetrain side) has worn and causes the wheel to be mis-aligned. Worn only a few mm but the mis-alignment is far enough out to cause the tyre to rub against the inside of the chainstay.

LBS was very helpful in diagnosing the problem and have suggested welding inside the dropout. Anyone have any experience of this? Recommend someone or tell me I need a new frame?

I know someone in Kendal if you can’t find anywhere else …

I would have thought a new frame would be the best outcome. If it’s not welded perfectly then you’ll get disk rubbing issues too. There’s a Giant dealer in Edinburgh, maybe Giant will do you a trade in or give you a deal on a new frame.

If its drive side, would a new hanger cure it…. they are made of soft metal as they are designed to fail. Problem solved for a new hanger at £15.. ? They usually include th edrop out and QR face too..

as rick says, can you not use a replacement hanger?

If there is still plenty of meat on dropouts could you not file out the other dropout to align the wheel.

It’s worn on the frame, inside of the hanger. It is small amount of wear but enough to cause a big problem. I’m wondering about filing down the other side now.
I can’t really afford a new frame right now, as much as I like the idea. Don’t want to be without a bike though.

M friend ran a weld on the inside of an aluminium dropout then worked on the new material. Edinburgh is a pretty big spot with a lot of skills, must be someone in town to do the job…

I would have no issue with building it up with weld and filing to fit. don’t file the other side down.

Another option would be to use “chemical metal” – two part epoxy stuff that is very tough – its only being loaded in compression

Another option would be to use “chemical metal” – two part epoxy stuff that is very tough – its only being loaded in compression

Seconded..

Chemical metal (an album from the early nineties?) having googled a bit, sounds pretty amazing. Have you used it in similar ways? I’m also going to need some tools to fettle it aren’t I?

Welding and grinding or filing back to shape would be ideal, but chemical metal would be a close second for a job like this.
I’ve used Milliput on a motorbike gearbox case to repair a hole. I’ve seen similar stuff used on cracked aluminium sumps.

Sure the frame isn’t bent at the rear stays?

No, LBS carried out pretty rigorous checks with some strange callipers – frame okay, wheel true, not out of dish and finally found the strange wear on the dropout which was discerned to be possibly caused by a loose QR. Don’t remember that though.

I’m not sure I trust myself with chemical metal. Do you mould it?.. file it down after it sets? It’s only a couple of mil it needs to fill.

Roughen the surface a little bit with a coarse file.
Get it as clean as you can, brake cleaner is probably best.
Mix the chemical metal. It comes in two different coloured sticks, just break equal amounts of each off and knead them together like plasticine until it’s all the same colour.
Press and smooth it in to place with a wet finger.
Wait till it’s set and file it down to shape.

Milliput’s only about £2, it’s got to be worth a try.

Thanks MTG. I’ll go around to B&Q and get a file. I think I have some Isopropyl. That good for cleaning a metal surface?

Is that medical alcohol ?
I guess that would do, you just want to degrease it so the stuff sticks.

Well that worked a treat. Thanks folks.

Due to everything having been moved for me 😡 I couldn’t find tools or the isopropyl alcohol. I did however remember the bottle of nasty Absinth that’s sat on top of the cupboard since it was brought back from Prague a few years ago… but then I thought I’d make use of that if I couldn’t fix the bike.

So far so good – wheel is still slightly closer to one chainstay but it’s acceptable.

Feels great to have got back out on it again.

Good stuff. If it fails you can still try welding.

I have the same problem. My non replaceable dropout has worn on the drive side so that side of the wheel is getting pulled forward by pedalling tensions no matter how tight I do up the QR. The wheel’s not way out but it’s effecting brake alignment. The bike’s in the shop at the moment getting the rear triangle checked but I’m pretty sure it’s the dropouts as there’s play there. I thought I’d been doing up my QR quite tight but I suppose it only takes one bit of looseness to cause damage. I’ll try this chemical metal stuff and see if that works.

If it doesn’t does anyone know of anywhere in the Glasgow area that would weld it?

Cheers.

Has the dish on the wheel been checked?

Yeah it’s only like 1mm out.

Kunstler – Member
Well that worked a treat. Thanks folks.

Is your chemical metal stuff still doing it’s job? My lbs are telling me that my dropout can’t be welded and that I need a new rear triangle. I’m going to give this stuff a go and see if it works. What chemical metal did you use?

Well it works for a while but doesn’t seem to stay in if I take the wheel out a few times, although saying that, I haven’t had to re-apply it for about a month. It’s not ideal but it’s all I can do for now. I may not have got the surface clean or whatever, but I haven’t been able to make it stick enough. I’m going to get a new frame some time in the future.

It is called ‘Chemical Metal’ and I bought it in Halfords for about a fiver. I’ve used it four or five times on the drop out now – hardly dented the amount you get in the tubes. Hope you have better luck with it.

There is another option. Get a round headed punch and use it close to the edge on the dropout.

It will slightly deform the metal and bulge it out. You can then dress it down to size.

(Obviously have something solid behind the dropout to support it while you’re banging on the punch, and there are limitations).

I have used this technique to adjust the dropout to allow me to use a magic ratio for a belt drive on a bike with vertical dropouts.

try JB Weld on there instead of the chemical metal.

Thanks. I’m going to try replacing the hanger first to see if that works. I was told by my lbs that the only way to fix it is to replace the whole rear triangle but I’m hoping the slot in the replacement hanger/dropout will be narrow enough to fix it as I suspect it’s that which has slowly worn down rather than the dropout on the frame, although there is some play there. If that doesn’t work then I’ll try that stuff andyl, thanks.

Never had to try and fix anything like that before, I wouldn’t mind having a go at that ❓

What you saying to it kunstler, fancy a visit ❓

I was thinking, have you tried machining the affected area back so it’s flat and even and then simply installing a steel spacer that’s the right diameter and thickness into the machined area ❓

I would have liked to have a look at one of the frames and see if I can fix it, however if I understand the problem correctly, which I might not, there’s a good chance that will fix it.

Good luck 😀

OP my recent work with epoxy shows it to be pretty hard once cured, might be worth a try, or as TJ says that metal stuff (don’t know how adhesive that is though)