Fork Geo Is Not Right - Which Kind Of Error Is It?

[zoster]

Hey!

I got this new marino fork, and the thing is my wheel stays sideways, meaning the rim is not centered when i look at the distance between the tire and the fork arms (with quite a good amount, 5 mm or more).

I would like to figure out what's off, and i can't just by looking at it.

Is one dropout higher then the other (resulting in a slanted axle) or are they not centered on the steerer tube (meaning the wheel is still vertical but it is not centered on the fork)?

My wheel is not spoked asymmetrically, because if i flip it, it remains closer to the same fork arm, so it's something to do with the fork. I want to know if i should eat up a bit of the material on one dropout or should i lace it asymmetrically.

My question is if you can think of a way of checking this, other then just staring at it..

Thanks for your interest!

(PS: my fork is being painted atm, so no pics till monday)

[ogre]

try your wheel in another fork?

[Greetings]

If the dropouts are at an angle, surely you'll notice it if you take the wheel off and rest the bike on the fork?

Edited December 4, 2010 by Greetings

[zoster]

If the dropouts are at an angle, surely you'll notice it if you take the wheel off and rest the bike on the fork?

true...

i'll see after i get my fork and frame from the paint shop. thanks!

[Gibbon on an Orange 2]

Flip bike over. Rest rear wheel and bars on flat, level ground. Put spirit level accross dropouts. Look at bubble?

Provided your bars aren't bent you should see if the dropouts are level with each other.

Only other way i could think would be to take your wheel out and drop a plum line down your steerer tube and see if the dropouts are offset at all, though keeping the bike perfectly upright for this could prove tricky.

Hold the bike upright with the front wheel in and measure from the ground to the dropout to see if one's lower than the other and is therefore holding the wheel at an angle?

[eskimo]

If they're new, ask for a replacement set.

Could be the dropouts aren't cut or machined the same size or welded on equally. But then if could be the fork leg too.

[Matt Vandart]

If you flip the wheel around is it offset to the same side?

I rekon one fork leg is squint.

Put some pics up!

[Ben John - Hynes]

if i flip it, it remains closer to the same fork arm, so it's something to do with the fork.

If you flip the wheel around is it offset to the same side?

----------------

If the dropouts are at an angle, surely you'll notice it if you take the wheel off and rest the bike on the fork?

Flip bike over. Rest rear wheel and bars on flat, level ground. Put spirit level accross dropouts. Look at bubble?

Provided your bars aren't bent you should see if the dropouts are level with each other.

Edited December 5, 2010 by Ben John - Hynes