Ive bought a 2nd hand pompino f&f, the rear dropouts are squashed looks like the rear wheel has been over tightened, i can’t slide my rear wheel in. Do I just file them down? Anyone had same problem? Tips please. Ta

if it’s what I think you mean then it’s probably the only way to sort it.

Can be bent straight IYKWIM

pics?

Just spread them, it’s a steel frame.

which way are they squashed? the dropouts too close together or the slot is too narrow?

I am thinking he means squashed in terms of thickness so the metal has squeezed into the slot.

But if the slot is just tapered as though the back has been squeezed closed then put a stiff bar in and gently open them out.

I did wonder about them being squeezed together too and was wondering if he was trying to fit a 135mm hub into a 130mm gap or something.

The slot is too narrow, cant slide axel onto dropouts. The space between the dropouts (135mm)
Is fine. No pics I’m afraid, I’m at work at the mo!

Check for cracked paint around the dropout.

I recently bought a road bike that had the same problem with the front fork. Couldn’t get the wheel in, and noticed the dropouts were squashed & there was cracked paint on the curved outside surface. The box had had obviously been dropped & landed on the fork. The plastic spacers was shattered & the bike ended up going back.

If it is only slight, I would try & open it up gradually.

its probably been cold set (gooogle cold set sheldon brown) in for a 120mm track hub. You should be able to gently pry it out again to 135mm as others have said.

yesiamtom – it’s the slot that is too narrow for the axle not the gap between the dropouts?

This is one of those ‘needs pictures’ threads, though.

Update: carefully widened drop outs using a piece of pipe that fitted snug over the top part of drop out. Axle goes in nicely now, I suppose this only worked because frame is steel. Anyway job done.