Does Rear Hub Spacing/Dimension affect Derailleur Action?

[woodbine]

I have an old 18 speed MTB with 6 speed Uniglide hub on the rear and Deore SIS shifters. The axle is threaded with securing nuts, not quick release.

Recently my bike went in to a shop for work inc. overhaul and service of rear hub. When it came back it seemed OK, but after a couple of weeks I noticed that the bearings in the rear hub and tightened of their own accord and the wheel didn't spin completely freely. I hadn't ridden the bike in this time, but had done a few small jobs on it which would not have caused this in any way. Poss the shop hadn't tightened the cone locknuts properly.

Anyway, I took the wheel off and returned it to the shop to correct the bearing tension/adjustment. When I got it back and went to put it in the rear drop-outs, I noticed that the spacing of the cones/locknuts on the axle was slightly wider than it had been before which meant the locknuts didn't quite fit between the drop-outs. I had to put slight outward pressure on the drop-outs to make the axle drop in between the frame drop-outs.

My questions;

Was it the right thing to put slight outward pressure on the drop-outs to widen the gap between them to allow the hub to drop in? Should I have taken the wheel back again and asked them to reduce the distance from the outer face of one locknut to the other locknut? If, because the spacing is now slightly different, and the cassette may sit a few mms in or out so that the distance between it and the derailleur is slightly altered - will this affect shifting up and down the cassette?

Basically, if the locknut were to be positioned slightly further in or out on axle ( see yellow arrow) when the shop adjusted it, this would make the cassette sit slightly closer or further away from the derailleur. Will this affect shifting? Or could this slight possible change to positioning be adjusted out?

(Photo isn't my bike)

 

[Racing roadkill]

Yes. Any non concentricity of the hub to freewheel to skewer etc, will cause the cassette to oscillate, this will make trimming the rear mech difficult. Usually any non concentricity is down to manufacturing faults.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Yes. Any non concentricity of the hub to freewheel to skewer etc, will cause the cassette to oscillate, this will make trimming the rear mech difficult. Usually any non concentricity is down to manufacturing faults.

This is possibly an answer to another thread?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I have an old 18 speed MTB with 6 speed Uniglide hub on the rear and Deore SIS shifters. The axle is threaded with securing nuts, not quick release.

Recently my bike went in to a shop for work inc. overhaul and service of rear hub. When it came back it seemed OK, but after a couple of weeks I noticed that the bearings in the rear hub and tightened of their own accord and the wheel didn't spin completely freely. I hadn't ridden the bike in this time, but had done a few small jobs on it which would not have caused this in any way. Poss the shop hadn't tightened the cone locknuts properly.

Anyway, I took the wheel off and returned it to the shop to correct the bearing tension/adjustment. When I got it back and went to put it in the rear drop-outs, I noticed that the spacing of the cones/locknuts on the axle was slightly wider than it had been before which meant the locknuts didn't quite fit between the drop-outs. I had to put slight outward pressure on the drop-outs to make the axle drop in between the frame drop-outs.

My questions;

Was it the right thing to put slight outward pressure on the drop-outs to widen the gap between them to allow the hub to drop in? Should I have taken the wheel back again and asked them to reduce the distance from the outer face of one locknut to the other locknut? If, because the spacing is now slightly different, and the cassette may sit a few mms in or out so that the distance between it and the derailleur is slightly altered - will this affect shifting up and down the cassette?

Basically, if the locknut were to be positioned slightly further in or out on axle ( see yellow arrow) when the shop adjusted it, this would make the cassette sit slightly closer or further away from the derailleur. Will this affect shifting? Or could this slight possible change to positioning be adjusted out?

(Photo isn't my bike)

The short answer is yes, it does affect the derailer's positioning and could therefore affect the shifting. However, if it does, it does, if it doesn't it doesn't. Have you tried it?
It sounds to me like they used different components second time round, perhaps a different cone, perhaps a different locknut, because the spacing stays the same throughout adjustment.

I suggest you try the wheel and if shifting is affected, take it back once more. If shifting isn't affected, you have to decide whether the extra effort to fit the wheel each time is a hassle or not. Only you can decide that, not us.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

When I got it back and went to put it in the rear drop-outs, I noticed that the spacing of the cones/locknuts on the axle was slightly wider than it had been before which meant the locknuts didn't quite fit between the drop-outs. I had to put slight outward pressure on the drop-outs to make the axle drop in between the frame drop-outs.

Why don't you measure the distance between the dropouts and see whether it is 120mm, 126mm, 130mm or 135mm? From that you should also be able to estimate the hub's distance between the locknuts. If the latter is not very close to one of the above figures then the hub is no longer of a standard width.

As YS suggested above they have altered the stack. If the increase is not symmetric the rim would no longer be centred between the dropouts (without redishing the wheel), so that is also worth checking.

As to the sprung question, it is a question of degree, but in principle alloy frames should not be forced or cold set. Hopefully neither is necessary/done. Most modern rear mechs should have adequate range to cater for a few mm of additional reach without issue, but you might have to adjust the limit screws and cable tension.