Bent mech hanger and possible bent NDS dropout

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  • Just got this frame from ebay, and the mech hanger is absobloodybent.
    Question is - take it to the LBS, or stick a 10mm threaded long thing in there and bend it back.
    The NDS one also looks bent to me, but I might be imagining it.
    eBay seller has been ignoring emails for the past few days, and the pics in the listing don't show it in any detail so I can't tell whether it's been damaged in the post or not.
    To be honest, I'm not that fussed - it was a good price anyway but I'd be happy if he just returned a tenner or so for the LBS to do it, but is it doable myself?
    Looking at the pictures again, it does look like an LBS job, doesn't it? Is a tenner about right for the job?
    http://i.imgur.com/LJJJeQkh.jpg

    More pics

  • you need an alignment tool to bend it back so probably not doable yourself unless you have one

    what is the frame made of? if it is aluminium it will be fairly fucked

  • Steel, 531c innit.
    yeah, no alignment tool so it'd be a guess job. Because it's a bit twisted as well by the look of it I reckon I'd fuck it up, so LBS it is.
    I'm a bit pissed to be honest, I'm hoping it's an instant fix because this was my holiday project for next week.

  • If it were me fixing that Iwouldn't be reaching straight for the hanger alignment tool. I think doing so might bend it too sharply too low down giving a bit of an S shape. I'd get it close as possible with an adjustable spanner then use the hanger tool for the final alignment.

  • Ahh, I see what you're saying. Makes sense. I do have a massive spanner that might do the job.. gonna wait for the seller to respond with what they'd like me to do before I do anything anyway.

  • If you don't have the right tools, take it to the LBS. It's very hard to straighten a gear hanger by eye (only pure-bred geniuses can do it - you know who you are).

    The other thing is that the drop outs will almost certainly be out of alignment and you'd need a shop to do that for you anyway. It's a really quick job in the hands of a half decent mechanic and be the difference between fucked gear changing & imbalanced frame and sweet ride.

    If you were crazy enough to try to straighten it yourself, you can use a standard 10mm wheel axle. Some people actually use a full wheel as the alignment tool, screwing in the end of the axle and then comparing this additional wheel to the wheel that's sitting properly in the frame, and adjusting accordingly.

  • It does look pretty twisted but two pieces of thick ply placed either side in a bench vice should do the trick - Slowly wind the vice to avoid it causing further damage. with this method you can make adjustments by angling/rotating the frame so you can ease it into shape accordingly

  • Fixie's dont need mech hangers so get a saw! Easy. Seriously though I was given a bike that had a bent mech hanger (a car had reversed over bike).I got a bolt that fitted the thread and with a socket on the nut and a 24" knuckle bar gently pulled the hanger in to place. A bit of tweaking was necessary to get the gears running sweet.

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Bent mech hanger and possible bent NDS dropout

Posted by Avatar for dglshrn @dglshrn

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