toosahn

So while I was test-riding a Bob Jackson today, the rear derailleur wasn't trimmed so as soon as I popped it into the highest gear it popped off the freewheel and into the spokes.

The derailleur is shot and the rear dropout got bent out of shape a bit. Needless to say, I still bought the bike. I've taken a few pictures and I't be interested to know if it's a fixable or would I need to get a new dropout installed into there.

3alarmer 

So I want to make certain I understand......you damaged the bike in this way
while you were test riding it and you used this to "talk down" the price ?

Classic.

You may need help, but not the kind you get here.

toosahn

^^^^Yeah I know how it sounds. I think the fault was partially on me for not running the bike through the gears before I went for the test ride to make sure the derailleur was trimmed correctly (I kinda just assumed it was). To my defense, it was pouring outside and neither of us wanted to be standing out there for long.

blaise_f

You can try to cold set it first. If that doesn't work (and it's still intact) your next choice is torch setting it. That will ruin the paint on the dropout, but should give you a decent idea of the condition of the metal underneath. Your final option is replacing the dropout - any skilled framebuilder can do that for you (and again, the paint will be ruined in that area). You're not going to be safely riding this bike as is anyway, so get to trying. You certainly won't make it any worse, because it's not useable currently. Worst case scenario: you have to replace the dropout.

JohnDThompson 

I don't foresee any major problem with cold-bending it back into alignment. Those Campy dropouts were forged from mild steel precisely so they would be malleable. The weakest part on those dropouts is the hole for the adjuster bolts. I don't see any cracking starting there, so you're in good shape to fix it without problems.

unworthy1

steel forged DOs are pretty malleable, probably can be closed up with no damage, but always a chance it will crack (at the adjuster screw hole). Leave the adjuster screw in place, remove the RD but screw in a spare RD mounting bolt to fill the hanger hole. Put a piece of bar stock in the "triangle hole" and close it up gradually in a big bench vise.

vjp

I've used a C-clamp and pieces of wood to bend one back, worked fine.

toosahn

Thanks for the responses. I'll probably have my local shop do it as they can also align the derailleur hanger at the same time.

satbuilder 

I had one bent the other way on a 753 Team Raleigh about 10 years ago. Frame wasn't packaged properly when shipped and I tried cold setting it. Off to the frame repair shop when I get time.

3alarmer 

khatfull

Chances are your shop won't want to "fix" the dropout...aligning the hangar is another story.

I'd try cold setting it myself, THEN take it to the shop for the alignment.

toosahn

Is this because of liability issues? I have a pretty awesome shop nearby (Montano Velo). They still have all their old tools for working on older frames and their mechanics are very knowledgeable as well.

khatfull

Yeah, that's been my experience of a couple shops here...YMMV?

gomango

Come in with a sob story, chicken wings, and a case of really cold beer.

toytech

I have the dropout and derailleur hanger alignment tools if you want to make an attempt, I am local to you so you can bring it over one eve or weekend if you want.

Ciufalon

As the others have said, it's worth trying to cold set it before proceeding to other options. I had the opposite problem of a rear DO on one of my bikes getting bent almost closed in shipping and my local shop just cold set it back and checked alignment while I waited. Charged me $25 and it has been fine ever since. Mine also had the adjusting screw, which is now a little bit looser than it was preciously, but still no problems.

randyjawa 

Give the repair a try. It is not that difficult. However, it is difficult to know if the repair is safe. Things might look good, but if there are hair line cracks in the forged metal, then the rider could well be in harm's way.

If you do give er a go, you might want to take a close look for hairline cracks. There are products on the market that are inexpensive, easy to use and will do a pretty good job of revealing problems that Wink-in and Blink-in will miss, unassisted. We used to use this sort of thing, when I worked as a tradesman, often times revealing problems that were very hard to pick up with the naked eye.

cudak888 

Can be done, and I've done it before. The only worry is whether the dropout will develop cracks or snap when the lower half is brought back upwards. Sometimes, putting the dropout in a vise is the simplest way to close one of these back up, but the riskiest - and you'll need soft jaws that bite the dropout properly without marring it.

Re-aligning the hanger section is easy - as the other gents here have mentioned above, Park makes a tool specifically for that.

-Kurt

khatfull

Heh, really. I understand though, it's a high risk structural part. I don't know that I would want to fool with it for someone else.

gomango

Tom at Angry Catfish did one for me this summer.

Does very nice work.

khatfull

Better question is: How did YOU bend a dropout?! Must have been all that wattage right??

4Rings6Stars

I had a frame with identical damage on the same Campagnolo dropout. I used a large C clamp to bend it back. I threaded an RD bolt into the hanger to protect it/help keep it round, I filed some wooden blocks to fit the shape of the dropout to protect the frame from the clamp and give the clamp a flat surface to bite--put one on the bottom corner to the left of the hanger and one opposite/diagonal and slowly brought it in. I also had a block inside the dropout to make sure I didn't over correct.

Now all I have to do is bring it to the shop to get the hanger aligned.

23skidoo

Everybody is on the right track here. I had buyer do exactly the same thing while he was test-riding a Centurion Turbo I'd ridden a few times with never a problem and it destroyed the wheel and the RD while opening up the dropout like the pictured Bob Jackson. I took it into my favorite ace mechanic and after some pretty serious head-shaking he got out a set of water pump pliers--channel locks with smooth jaws--and nudged things back into rough alignment in several small increments and then used regular dropout and hanger tools to adjust and align for a fine finish. I've had two or three bikes shipped to me--both bike shop packing jobs--where the doofus removed the rear wheel and left the RD attached so the full weight of the box and everything stacked on top of it could taco the RD and pinch the dropout closed but I've been able to fix those myself with a big screwdriver or a small wrecking bar.

bikingshearer 

If they can't or won't (which I doubt), run it out to Livermore Cyclery (the one in Livermore, not the one in Dublin) and have Steve Howard, the owner, take a look at it. I've known Steve forever, and you will not find a nicer, more honest, straightforward guy. He knows and likes the classic stuff (he will definitely spend a few moments looking over and admiring a Jackson), and he has the tools to do the job and the knowledge to do it right or, if need be, tell you it's a bad idea. He's my go-to guy for any kind of cold-setting work.

And tell hm I said hello.

A third option is Ed Litton out in Point Richmond. He's a frame builder/fixer/painter (in addition building his own stuff, he has done warranty repair work for I don't know how many other builders over the years). He's harder to get a hold of than Steve (or Montano Velo), and My inclination would be to save him for bigger jobs, but he's good to know about. Another good guy and a straight shooter.

toosahn

Update: Took it to Montano Velo and they tried to press it back. The dropout cracked. Going to take it to a local frame-builder to have it tig-welded.