jonmchan

Hi all,

I'm trying to mount a rear rack onto my bike, but the mounting hole on my bike has nearly no clearance to the 7th (last) gear. When I put the whole thing together, the chain got stuck on the nut when I was switching to 7th.





There seems to be only 1/8th-1/4th of an inch of clearance. Has anyone else encountered this issue before? Do they sell extremely thin nuts?

Thanks,
Jonathan

fietsbob

Eyelets are usually threaded .. 5mm
just dont let the bolt screw in too far to the inside, a shorter bolt, and maybe another washer .

JiveTurkey

Yes, there are some thinner nuts. Try the hardware store.

RubeRad

+1 does your rack eyelet down there not have threads inside? Typically you will not need to have a nut, just a bolt with matching threading, at just the right length to not poke through.

I don't know the industry-standard threading off hand, but (a) it will be metric, and (b) it is quite probably the same as whatever bolts are holding your water bottle cages on. Take one of those out and see if it threads into your eyelet. If so, you're golden; ride your bike to your local hardware store, take a water-bottle cage bolt inside and buy a couple matching ones for your rack. Otherwise, ride your bike INTO your local hardware store and find bolts that thread in properly.

If you have non-threaded eyelets, then your frame is weird. You probably are too.

no1mad 

I'd suggest walking it inside the store- if taking the bike in at all.

Depending on the length of the bolt being used, I have heard of people who removed the rear wheel and thread the bolt from the inside- also a handy trick to discourage pranksters from loosening/removing the bolt.

JiveTurkey

I've come across plenty of older frames with non-threaded eyelets.

Good idea. A shallow, button-head bolt will provide more clearance.

RubeRad

But only if the rack stay is also threaded, which I think is quite unlikely. Or, the rack stay is mounted inside the eyelet, then add the height of the bolt head, and you're probably back to clearance issues. But if it fits, I agree, that sounds like a clever way to keep hoodlums from loosening your rack bolts!

JiveTurkey

A nut is used on the outside. No need for a threaded rack eyelet. From inside to out, it'd go: bolt, frame, rack, nut (with washers as needed).

jonmchan

Great idea JiveTurkey. I'll give that a try. My bike unfortunately doesn't have threads in the eyelet.

cyccommute 

You can find some thin hex nuts around. A good hardware store (not Home Depot) may have them. Alternatively, you could use a button head screw like this one from MSCDirect


Your rack may already use them so you'll have an example. A hardware store may not have those but a bike shop probably would. A torx disc brake bolt would probably work as well.

fietsbob

Yea ,^^^ if your frame has no threaded mount, a button head bolt from the inside out.

with the nut on the outside of the rack-strut, to secure it, has worked in many situations..

FBinNY 

If the eyelet is threaded (usually 5x.8mm) use the correct screw threading in from the outside, and saw, or file off anything sticking through.

If the eyelet isn't threaded, the thinnest head is usually on a flathead screw which can be used head in, and a nut used to hold the rack on. If necessary the flat head can be filed yet thinner, after the rack is installed and tight.

xenologer

if the eyelet isn't threaded, tap it

sunburst

I've had to do this more than once. I fit a rack to every bike that has eyelets.

jonmchan

All fixed! Thanks all for your input. The local bike shop gave me a button-head bolt for free, so nice of them.

fietsbob

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