# bianchi rear dropouts with screw adjusters



## scale (Mar 23, 2008)

I have an older early to mid ninties bianchi road bike. I have tore it down to have it powdercoated. My question is i have those little spring loaded threaded screw in things that go into the rear drop out and they dont appear to come out in any way shape or form. SHould i be concerned about covering these when powder coating or just coat them and watch the powder crack off with use?

Maybe they do come out and i dont know how to get them out perhaps? What are they? About the only thing i can think of is chain tensioners. Any idea what model had these? I have no clue what model this bike is.


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## kensmerlin (Jun 15, 2007)

Those little screws are probably seized. They allow you to position the rear axle precisely. When you tighten the screw, the wheel will be closely positioned behind the seat tube to shorten the wheelbase for quicker handling. It also may offer "some" aerodynamic advantage by having the wheel tight to the seat tube. Unscrewing the screws allow you to have mopre tire clearance.

I'd try to loosen them up with some lubrication.


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## scale (Mar 23, 2008)

the screw in and out just fine with the spring but they dont come all the way out. No t sure why.


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## minstrie (Jun 13, 2005)

scale said:


> the screw in and out just fine with the spring but they dont come all the way out. No t sure why.


Some/most/all of the adjusters have a cap on the outside end of the screw which comes off if you somehow stabilize the screw itself. The inside tip is fixed to the screw. So if you want to remove the adjuster, screw it all the way in, then hold the inside tip with some pliers, then with another set of pliers unscrew the outer cap. Then you can remove the aduster by unscrewing to the inside of the dropout. Be careful to keep everything in line when unscrewing so you don't bend the screw shaft. When replacing the adjuster, you screw it in from the inside out, then screw on the outer cap until tight. Sounds convoluted the way I explained it, it's pretty simple in reality, so send me a PM if this doesn't make sense. If you do take out the adjusters to repaint, stuff the holes with something so the paint doesn't cake in the holes, and if the adjusters don't rethread easily after the repaint, chase the threads before putting the adjusters back in. The screws with break if they don't screw in easily, don't ask me how I know.
Minstrie


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## scale (Mar 23, 2008)

interesting so the screw head and spring are on the inside of hte drop out and the outside (rear of the bike) is just a cap?

I didnt try real hard to remove these. I had my frame powder coated with them in and they just taped them off real well. It turned out great! Ill try and remove them once i start to build up the frame which i havent been able to get around to doing yet. 

Mosty because......now i have to know how they work 

Thanks again


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## minstrie (Jun 13, 2005)

scale said:


> interesting so the screw head and spring are on the inside of hte drop out and the outside (rear of the bike) is just a cap?
> 
> That's the concept, in my experience.


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