Mrstott

I have a Miyata 914 (early 90’s I believe) and I’m missing the dropout screws. I would imagine it’s pretty tough to find originals. So what do you guys do in this situation? Hardware store, bike shop, any good resources? I have access to one from another 914 that I can take measurements from. It looks tiny like a 2mm screw or something.

Thoughts?

thinktubes 

https://www.ebay.com/b/dropout-screws/bn_7024737861

tiger1964 

Velo Orange: Dropout Screws

And I did not read carefully, bought six to do three bikes, ended up with six PAIRS!

JohnDThompson 

Virtually all dropout adjuster bolts from the 1960s on are 3mm x 0.5mm thread.

Mrstott

Thank you for all the links and info. I think I found what I need. Much appreciated.

icemilkcoffee 

Am I the only one who routinely takes adjuster screws off and throw them away?

smontanaro 

Lots of options as long as complete originality isn't important. I have a stash, but should I ever need to buy some replacements, I'd give retired framebuilder and blogger Dave Moulton my business:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283715059565

uncleivan 

I bought some from Dave Moulton a while back. As far as originality is concerned, he built the frame.

Ross200

These are excellent!

Rage

Thanks, you guys!

Classtime 

Less critical than proper brake lever hoods but these thumb screw things are nice to have.

Charles Wahl

While I second that emotion to buy from Dave Moulton, I've sourced these from Framebuildersupply.com in Portland, who has quite reasonable prices and shipping (I'm on the other coast). Be aware that they sell two types: the typical machine screw/spring/knurled cap at 2.9 mm OD and 40 mm length (good for long 1010A-style dropouts, but may need to be trimmed for more modern shorter dropouts) and also a plain black stud with 2 mm allen key end that is ~4 mm OD -- not sure what those would work with (aluminum frames?). They can be made even cheaper if you just buy the parts from McMaster-Carr, (3 mm x 0.5 mm pitch screw) though you should be buying enough screws, springs and knurled or acorn nuts (plus other hardware) to justify the shipping cost.

I find that the black plastic ends on the Campagnolo adjusters tend to come off too easily, compared to the steel (or brass?) knurled caps -- I suppose that could be ameliorated with a dab of loctite or epoxy.
But I like the look of the knurled better. Some people seem to reverse the adjuster, so that the knurled cap is inside the dropout, and the slotted (or hex key) head is outside.

I have a pair of dropouts that have a chromed screw threaded through a black nylon crescent that fits in the rear of the dropout slot -- I'm not sure where they came from, but I also have a frame (sourced as a complete bike awhile back, early 70s Raleigh, working on it now) that has 3 mm smooth bore (unthreaded) holes through the Campagnolo Huret dropouts, so maybe that's where they belong. More than one way to skin a cat!

due ruote 

Why do you do that?



I was told by forum member Juvela that the Huret dropouts on my 1973 Stella would take a different size:
”keep in mind that the dropouts have an adjuster screw thread of 3.0 mm X 0.6mm rather than the 3.0mm X 0.5mm employed by the balance of the known universe.”

non-fixie 

Those are Huret butées de centrage:



I am glad those dropouts are unthreaded. I was already thinking about what drill size to use, when this one just fell out after a liberal application of WD40:

non-fixie 

I did too, until I found out that new Campagnolo screws were €25 a pair ...

unworthy1

For the shorty DOs with threading (ie not the Simplex) I usually replace them with hardware-sourced Stainless steel machine screws and if I can find metric stainless nylock nuts I use them on the outside. Those may look "industrial" to some but function over form in this case. For the inboard heads I go with either Allen heads (if have the space) or slotted pan heads if space is limited. Stainless threads still get greased, that makes it "extra rust-proof" (if there is such a thing)

icemilkcoffee 

Because I’ve never had a frame where these adjuster screws were needed. In all the frames I have had, the alignment is perfect when I put the wheel in sans adjuster screws.
Also, when you push the wheel all the way back into the dropout, you have more clamping surface for the QR nut. These horizontal dropouts have a tendency to slip as it is.

Spaghetti Legs 

Surly makes replacement dropout screws for one of their frames and while shifting through my LBS online supplies, comes across some. Went down there and bought local.

Ive also used hardware store stainless M3 bolts but my last build, a single speed, one of them bent, so went with those Surlys.

dedhed

I use SS button heads and acorn nuts from the hardware store

smontanaro 

Doesn't being able to move the axle back and forth help when getting a derailleur to work at or beyond its design limits? Like getting a Nuovo Record derailleur to work with a 28T rear cog?

Charles Wahl

Doh! The Raleigh in my post above is a Competition, with (you guessed it) Huret dropouts. I corrected my error.

norskagent

I think on the CR list there was some discussion about removing or leaving the dropout screws, it was thought the dropouts are less prone to damage from dropping the frame if the screws were left in.

pcb 

+1, I got a few different lengths from McMaster-Carr, usually use the shortest practical size. I use a nut on the outside, a kinda takewaway from all the Fujis I assembled, which came with outer knurled threaded rings to hold/set the length. No springs. The button-heads take a 2.5mm allen wrench, and make it much easier to install them, no tiny screwdriver tip slipping off all the time.

This is from now-Merziac's Bruce Gordon:

merziac

@pcb

This is the tool you seek, grasshopper.

tiger1964 

Pretty sure this is true, excepting the modern carbon-fibre bikes with electrically powered screws, adjustable by buttons on the brifter; those have a larger diameter.