Filing Fork Drops outs.

I have a set of old track forks that must have taken some weird axle diameter so now my problem is i cant put any new wheels in the forks. So will the structural integrity of the forks stay in tact if i file out the drops a tiny bit to fit the new axles?
Thanks

They are probably 8mm forkends. you can file them, do it slowly and carefully nd make sure that each side is even

Yeah. I’ve done it a couple of times. Just make sure you try and ensure an even amount of filing on each drop-out. Just a small difference could mean the wheel doesn’t sit perfectly true.

Cheers.

[center]Dont File Fork.
File your Axle.
Never ever ever ever ever ever mod a frame to suit a part.
File two flat edges opposite each other on the axle, they must be the width of the forkend.
Repeat on the other side.
It will then slot into the fork end.

Your wheelset will not be wrecked and neither will your forks.
My Colnago has 8mm Forkends. I fixed it this way.

This is your tool:

You can use masking tape to mark off the width of the forkend from the spacer.[/center]

You are AMAZING! that is such a good idea. epic. thanks heaps.

What? So now he has a filed axle on his new wheel and a shitty old fork thats untouched?

If the fork don’t fit new wheels, why not file it so it does?

+1

ok so if i did file the forks, what is the best way to keep the filing straight?

measure it up and mark off where you wana file… take your time, check your progress often and don’t get drunk first!!

other wise Rasputin wont be impressed…

File the axle, its much cheaper to replace an axle than a fork.
I have done this before with no issues.
Slow and steady, count the strokes you do to try and file it even

  1. Axles are cheaper then forks.

  2. More error can occur filing a fork out.

The axle isn’t destroyed filing it. Your only doing enough each side to sit snug in the forkend, and if you ever change frame it will still fit tight in the new forks if there made for 10mm dropouts. That way you can still use an 8mm axle in the future, if that ever occurs. I.e. if he sells it.

Its also much easier filing the axle snug then trying to measure how much material you’ve taken out of the fork end.