Tips for getting the wheel back on?

[Owlie]

Clearly, I'm doing it wrong, as every time I've tried putting the wheel back on, it's off-center. It likes to hang up on the brakes (easy), and then on the little cone-shaped nut thing. Even if I remove it, it still hangs up slightly forward of where it should be. Tips for easy wheel maneuvering?
TIA.

[Becky]

Are you shifting to the smallest cog before you remove the rear wheel? I find that shifting up before removing the wheel makes it much easier to know where the chain goes when the wheel is re-installed

[Owlie]

Are you shifting to the smallest cog before you remove the rear wheel? I find that shifting up before removing the wheel makes it much easier to know where the chain goes when the wheel is re-installed

Yes. It's not hanging on the chain/derailleur. Instead, it's almost like the dropouts are catching on the "screw" parts that correspond to the quick release and the cone-nut-thing.

[laura*]

It likes to hang up on the brakes (easy)

Are you releasing the brakes? Many brake mechanisms have a way of temporarily releasing the brake cable's pull allowing the pads to swing out, thus clearing your tire. Mountain canti's and V-brakes will unhook, while road calipers may have a lever to twist.

Instead, it's almost like the dropouts are catching on the "screw" parts that correspond to the quick release and the cone-nut-thing.

Perhaps your frame spacing is slightly too narrow? Some frames need to be gently spread to fit a wheel back in.

Does your quick release have the two springs? (Narrow ends toward the axle ends, wide ends toward the QR mechanism and nut.) These springs push the QR parts away from the frame dropouts.

[Owlie]

Are you releasing the brakes? Many brake mechanisms have a way of temporarily releasing the brake cable's pull allowing the pads to swing out, thus clearing your tire. Mountain canti's and V-brakes will unhook, while road calipers may have a lever to twist.



Perhaps your frame spacing is slightly too narrow? Some frames need to be gently spread to fit a wheel back in.

Does your quick release have the two springs? (Narrow ends toward the axle ends, wide ends toward the QR mechanism and nut.) These springs push the QR parts away from the frame dropouts.

The tires that the bike came with are slightly too wide for the brakes, so it'll hang up even with the brakes open. Easily dealt with--just give it a bit of an extra shove.

The QR does have springs.

The reason I'm guessing that the wheel isn't sitting neatly in the dropouts is because I end up with brake one shoe or the other rubbing. I'm not sure I should need to hold the wheel in place to (try) to prevent this!

[OakLeaf]

Don't rely on your brakes to tell you whether the wheel is centered, since the brake often gets knocked to one side or the other when the wheel is off.

Have the bike upright, balanced on the front wheel. Put the wheel between the chainstays and the tire between the brake pads and get the chain into position. Hold the bike by the seat stays as you pull the wheel back into the dropouts. You should have to gently spread the dropouts by a mm or two. Once the QR is between the dropouts, put the wheel on the ground, grab it directly behind the chainstays and pull it straight back until you can feel it seat on both sides.

After you set the quick-release in the drop-outs, tighten it, then inflate the tire and then eyeball the rim in the chainstays near the bottom bracket. If it's off-center, then repeat the last step until it looks good. NOW check whether your brakes are centered. If they're off, re-center the caliper, spin the wheel, apply the brake, and make sure they're still centered.

Remember that late-model drop-outs have that little tab that means you will have to unscrew the quick-release to get the wheel off, and screw it back down to secure the wheel when you install it. You will have to do this by feel - the QR should be very tight, pretty much as tight as still allows you to throw the lever without totally wrestling with it. It should leave a mark in your hand.

[Owlie]

Oak, I think you should write a book. The wheel was actually centered all along. I just seem to have uncooperative brakes, which is odd as they were recently adjusted.

The brake isn't rubbing anymore, but it's certainly off-center. (I can comfortably get my thumbnail between the rim and the brake on one side, and can barely do so on the other.) If the brake refuses to center, the next step is to loosen the nut, center the brake, then tighten it, yes? The nut in question is the one I'm not sure about. Logic would seem to dictate it's the one on the "back" of the brake, in the center (on that little cross-piece between the seat stays.) Am I correct?

[tzvia]

Owlie-
Are those modern dual pivot brakes (current road bike type?). If so, they may have an adjustment screw. Look for a small allen key screw on the top, usually on the side opposite the cable side. Turning that screw will rock the brakes to one side or the other. If the brakes don't have that fine adjuster, you would need to loosen the back allen key bolt some, move the brake into position, then while pulling the brakes hard, tighten the screw. And yes, it's on the back of the 'brake bridge', that cross bar the brakes are attached to, in the recessed hole. Doing it that way is a fine art as the brake tends to rock out of adjustment as you tighten it. Thankfully my brakes have that little screw on top.

[OakLeaf]

If the brakes were centered before, I'd see if you could coax the caliper a little harder, before readjusting anything.

Here's Shimano's service manual for the R560 brakes, which should be nearly identical to the ones you have. (I <3 Shimano's website.) As tzvia said, fine-tuning with the adjustment screw (step 4 on the manual) is a whole lot less of a pain than re-centering the caliper with the mounting bolt.

[aicabsolut]

If you are having to tug pretty hard to get the tire to clear the brakes, then that is probably why you are knocking them off center.