Hey everyone, new to the forum. More of a vintage road/mtb guy but I picked up a 79 Spitfire 5 about a month ago from the original owner. I found that the rear wheel with the Atom drum is very difficult to get in and out of the dropouts. The dropouts measure around 128mm which sounds right (I would expect 126). The rear hub on the other hand measures a huge ~138mm from locknut to locknut. I've looked at the exploded diagrams and it appears to be assembled right, no extra spacers or washers. Anyone know what's going on?
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Schwinn Spitfire 5 dropout/hub spacing
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WillWork4Parts
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
On second look the document I was referencing was for a tandem. Perhaps the cruisers didn't have the extra locknut and washers? Odd as I bought it from the original owner and it's in mostly original condition. I guess the axle could've been swapped after the original bent. Pics from this ad show no extra locknut: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/s2-rear-wheel-with-atom-drum-brake.231643/
Edit: that must be it, the non-drive spokes all have threads showing as well suggesting the wheel was redished to match the new spacing.
Edit: that must be it, the non-drive spokes all have threads showing as well suggesting the wheel was redished to match the new spacing.
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koolbikes
I live for the CABE
That is how they came from the factory with the rear Atom Drum Brake ... the 1978 Schwinn Klunker 5 & 1979 Spitfire 5 used a middleweight frame with a fender mount. You have to spread the stays when mounting to get the rear wheel to mount.
The 1980 Schwinn Cruiser 5 used a frame with a rear brake bridge allowing for wider rear clearance to mount the Atom Brake set-up.
Lots of info here ... Post photos of your bicycle!
Atom Drum brake reassembly | All Things Schwinn
I broke down my Spitfire 5 speed rear Atom brake to clean and service and never took before pics. Can anyone help me find a diagram so I can see what goes where? I know the Schwinn service manuals are posted I didn't know if that information is there. Any help appreciated.
thecabe.com
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Interesting, so it is correct. Man it's so hard to get the wheel in! I might try to take some washers out and respace/redish as long as there's still clearance for the chain and freewheel. I'll definitely share some pictures in that thread once i get it all back together.
WillWork4Parts
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Here is mine I currently have out of an 80 Cruiser wheelset. 3 lock washers on the drive side, 138.5mm O.L.D.
Schwinn Sales West
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
When you start interchanging parts, you're juggling many dimensions all at the same time.
First, you can make the hub "over lock nut" distance almost any width by adding or removing lock/spacer washers. From the point of being practical, the smallest "O.L.D." width, that allows your chosen freewheel to clear is best.
Before you go any further, you need to measure and correct the centerline of your rim to the centerline of the hub width. Your wheel was trued to the original hub width, when you changed the hub width (smaller or wider) you changed the centerline of the rim. It needs to be re-trued.
Now you need to move onto the frame alignment. You cannot just cram a wider "O.L.D." hub into a bicycle frame and "know for sure" the bike is in proper alignment. Because the rightside chain stay is indented (dimpled) for the chainwheel and the left side chain stay is not indented the same way, they will not spread equally. The best method to spread the frame is to use a method that allows you to actually measure the frame "Before, During, and After" you do the alignment check, and correction.
Remove the crank from the bicycle, leave the cups pressed into the frame hanger. Mount the frame by the cups into a very large "secured" vise. Use a small string, like a kite string. Tie the string to one rear fork end (fender eyelet), run the string up to the frame head, and back down to the opposite rear fork end ((fender eyelet). Use any kind of a ruler with a metric scale and measure the distance from the string to the seat tube. Then make the same measurement test on the opposite side of the frame. In a perfect world both measurements should be exactly the same. Don't make any corrections yet.
Measure your new hub "O.L.D." and measure the distance between your fork ends. Again, in a perfect world the measurements should be the same. It's much easier to make all of the measurements in metric to make the addition/subtraction easier. You now have the basic information to know which way your frame is "out of alignment", and more importantly, "which way you need to correct it. All you need is a long 2 by 4, longer the better (more leverage). If the right fork end needs to go "in", place the 2 by 4 on the outside of theright fork end and the left side of the seat tube by the bottom bracket housing and apply a small pressure. Since metal "springs back" you have to go past you point slightly. With the frame still in the vise, and the string still in place, just re-measure and see what your correction did to your overall numbers. You can go both In of Out, on either the right side or the left side with this method. No special tools are needed, just a vise, a 2 by 4, and a ruler. You can set the "O.L.D." accurately, and make sure that the new "O.L.D." is centered within the frame centerline. The 2 by 4 sounds crude, but it's the perfect tool because it does not scratch the original paint, does not dent thin wall tubing, and everyone has access to a 2 by 4. Remember, when making corrections, you're subtracting from one side while adding to the opposite side, so you need to make the correction by "one half" the amount.
Here's the last step. A very important final step. With the frame "still in the vise", and "the string still mounted", you need to SQUARE the FORK ENDS in all planes. You can do this most easily with a pair of fork end tools. Park Tool, or Campagnolo are the tools of choice. The same tool is used as both a alignment check, and a bending/correction tool. With the correct tool, this entire step is maybe "two minutes". Using the proper tool allows you to see which side is off, and in which direction. It allows you to correct the misalignment and to not change your desired "O.L.D." If the fork ends are not aligned square to each other, when you tighten the axle nuts the axle will bow and the cone/bearing adjustment will be off.
There's a little more to stuffing a wider hub into a frame than meets the eye.
John
First, you can make the hub "over lock nut" distance almost any width by adding or removing lock/spacer washers. From the point of being practical, the smallest "O.L.D." width, that allows your chosen freewheel to clear is best.
Before you go any further, you need to measure and correct the centerline of your rim to the centerline of the hub width. Your wheel was trued to the original hub width, when you changed the hub width (smaller or wider) you changed the centerline of the rim. It needs to be re-trued.
Now you need to move onto the frame alignment. You cannot just cram a wider "O.L.D." hub into a bicycle frame and "know for sure" the bike is in proper alignment. Because the rightside chain stay is indented (dimpled) for the chainwheel and the left side chain stay is not indented the same way, they will not spread equally. The best method to spread the frame is to use a method that allows you to actually measure the frame "Before, During, and After" you do the alignment check, and correction.
Remove the crank from the bicycle, leave the cups pressed into the frame hanger. Mount the frame by the cups into a very large "secured" vise. Use a small string, like a kite string. Tie the string to one rear fork end (fender eyelet), run the string up to the frame head, and back down to the opposite rear fork end ((fender eyelet). Use any kind of a ruler with a metric scale and measure the distance from the string to the seat tube. Then make the same measurement test on the opposite side of the frame. In a perfect world both measurements should be exactly the same. Don't make any corrections yet.
Measure your new hub "O.L.D." and measure the distance between your fork ends. Again, in a perfect world the measurements should be the same. It's much easier to make all of the measurements in metric to make the addition/subtraction easier. You now have the basic information to know which way your frame is "out of alignment", and more importantly, "which way you need to correct it. All you need is a long 2 by 4, longer the better (more leverage). If the right fork end needs to go "in", place the 2 by 4 on the outside of theright fork end and the left side of the seat tube by the bottom bracket housing and apply a small pressure. Since metal "springs back" you have to go past you point slightly. With the frame still in the vise, and the string still in place, just re-measure and see what your correction did to your overall numbers. You can go both In of Out, on either the right side or the left side with this method. No special tools are needed, just a vise, a 2 by 4, and a ruler. You can set the "O.L.D." accurately, and make sure that the new "O.L.D." is centered within the frame centerline. The 2 by 4 sounds crude, but it's the perfect tool because it does not scratch the original paint, does not dent thin wall tubing, and everyone has access to a 2 by 4. Remember, when making corrections, you're subtracting from one side while adding to the opposite side, so you need to make the correction by "one half" the amount.
Here's the last step. A very important final step. With the frame "still in the vise", and "the string still mounted", you need to SQUARE the FORK ENDS in all planes. You can do this most easily with a pair of fork end tools. Park Tool, or Campagnolo are the tools of choice. The same tool is used as both a alignment check, and a bending/correction tool. With the correct tool, this entire step is maybe "two minutes". Using the proper tool allows you to see which side is off, and in which direction. It allows you to correct the misalignment and to not change your desired "O.L.D." If the fork ends are not aligned square to each other, when you tighten the axle nuts the axle will bow and the cone/bearing adjustment will be off.
There's a little more to stuffing a wider hub into a frame than meets the eye.
John
Last edited:
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