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Is Converting a Huret Dropout by Welding Difficult?

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Is Converting a Huret Dropout by Welding Difficult?

Old 06-25-20, 03:19 PM
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rgvg
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Is Converting a Huret Dropout by Welding Difficult?

I have a Schwinn with a huret dropout and I was wondering if converting it by welding a bit of metal like this https://www.flickr.com/photos/493535...n/photostream/ is difficult?

I don't know how to weld and I wasn't planning on doing it myself. Is this something that somebody who knows how to weld and hasn't done it before can do with a good chance of success?

Or should I leave well enough alone?

Thanks
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Old 06-25-20, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by rgvg
I have a Schwinn with a huret dropout and I was wondering if converting it by welding a bit of metal like this https://www.flickr.com/photos/493535...n/photostream/ is difficult?

I don't know how to weld and I wasn't planning on doing it myself. Is this something that somebody who knows how to weld and hasn't done it before can do with a good chance of success?

Or should I leave well enough alone?

Thanks
Thats brazed, not welded. And Gugie could tell you about difficulty level, but I do t think it’s high. The expense comes from the repaint afterwords.
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Old 06-25-20, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Chr0m0ly
Thats brazed, not welded. And Gugie could tell you about difficulty level, but I do t think it’s high. The expense comes from the repaint afterwords.
Oof, you're in Vancouver B.C., so close, yet so far away from Portland, Oregon where I'm at.

I do it pretty much like Peter Weigle does (that's his picture from Flickr you posted). And yes, shaken, not stirred brazed, not welded.

The reason, for those wondering what the heck we're yakking about, the Huret dropout in the linked picture has a derailleur stop at the 4 o'clock position, whereas the "Campy standard" is 7 o'clock. Braze in a bit of brass, some filing, Bob's your uncle. Many welders know how to braze as well, if you know someone with a careful hand.
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Old 06-25-20, 04:32 PM
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You can add a washer with a tab to take up the space instead of brazing.
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Old 06-25-20, 04:57 PM
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If you'll be using a derailer having sprung upper pivot, there will never be any impact force on the rotation stop from hitting holes in the road (the spring will absorb all of the peak force).

In such a case, I think that a 3/16" steel welding rod could be instantly stuck to the bottom of the hanger and then cut off just a few mm in length to adequately support the tip of the adjustment screw, or perhaps of the derailer's sprung tabbed washer (as on 1980's Huret).

The advantage of such arc welding is that the heated area will be tiny compared to a brazed addition, and the cost much lower.
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Old 06-25-20, 05:03 PM
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Could be tig welded too. Localized heat like arc, but a more precise method. Remove chrome/paint, wrap brazed joints with wet cloth, and Bob's yer uncle.
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Old 06-25-20, 06:21 PM
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Thanks for the replies.

I did see an example of using a washer here https://16incheswestofpeoria.wordpre...sports-tourer/ but even that is beyond my very meagre reach.

I guess I will leave it the way it is for now.
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Old 06-26-20, 07:29 AM
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On my Stella, a PO drilled and tapped the hanger (M4 I think) and inserted a small cap bolt as a stop. I happen to run that bike as a fixed gear, but I would have no problem hanging a derailleur on it.


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Old 06-26-20, 07:36 AM
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Not difficult, imo, if you have the tools and materials for the task. It's a very small area one could silver braze some brass or steel to the spot or blob some brass and sand to finish.
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Old 06-26-20, 08:37 AM
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I just melted a blob of brass onto the dropout and filed it into shape:
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huret-do-modification.jpg (34.5 KB, 44 views)
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