belacqua

I would like to remove the 4mm spacer from the axle of my mid-late 80s Deore XT hub and re-dish in order to put the wheel in my '87 Mongoose ATB, which has 126mm spacing. Do you think this is reasonable?

I can run the wheel as-is, 130mm O.L.D., but I'd rather have the spacing perfect. Plus, I am going to have to re-dish either way to get the rim centered b/w the stays. (Unless removing the spacer fixes the problem, but IIRC it's going to aggravate it by 4mm instead)

I'm not a wheelbuilding expert but have some experience dishing and plenty of experience truing wheels.

I'm about to go out to the garage and tinker with it but I thought I would see if the forum has any thoughts first. Thanks.

Here's the patient.

bikemig 

Steel 126 mm rear dropouts and 130 mm rear wheel? No problem, just push the drop outs a bit and ride. If you want to be a perfectionist, here are the instructions, Bicycle Frame/Hub Spacing.

4 mm? I wouldn't sweat it.

WNG

Bear in mind, removing the spacer requires you also re-center the axle. And verify the added 2mm per side still don't protrude past the dropouts...which would prevent the QR from working properly.

The option is to not re-center and take a hack saw to the NDS' extra length.

belacqua

I was planning to take 4mm off the NDS axle with a cutting wheel, yeah. Do you think it's going to be hard to dish the resulting wheel? I don't have it in front of me but seem to recall that the rim was already visibly closer to the NDS stays with the 130mm O.L.D. wheel installed. (I'm hoping my memory has reversed the image and that removing the spacer will actually move the hub over in the right direction.)

WNG

No, it won't be a problem redishing the wheel.
Tip: Whenever I need to cut threaded parts with a hack saw or rotary tool, I use some old locknut as a cutting guide to get a perpendicular clean cut. Then the nut can help straighten any burrs.
ie. threaded steerer tubes benefit well from this method.

bikemig 

Cutting the axle is probably more work than it's worth. It's neither difficult nor expensive to find the right length axle. There is zero need to do anything to this rear wheel to make it work with your bike. Just pry open the rear triangle and put the wheel in; or you can spread it. Your call but 4 mm ain't much on a steel wheel. Seriously, this is unnecessary work.

eschlwc

my bike shop will cut an axle for free. or they have a bin of used ones for $5.

i like dishing wheels. if you're a perfectionist, it's fun. just go slow, all the way around the rim. maybe start with an 1/8th turn on each nipple, tightening in one direction and loosening in the other. do it again if it's not enough.

and i just use the upside down bike as a stand. use a rubber band and an extra spoke in the frame to check vertical truing while you're at it. or just eyeball it.

belacqua

Ok, I removed the spacer, cut off the excess, and the wheel is perfect now without redishing.It was off center before only because of the spacer, apparently. Serendipity.

belacqua

Yes, yes it is.

bikemig 

lol, it's your bike buddy; enjoy.