mech hanger alignment tool - recommendations?

maddog 2
maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
edited August 2013 in Workshop
I'm going to buy one but was wondering if anyone has used a particular model that they can recommend?

There's a Lifu one here that's fairly cheap
http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a76851 ... tAodN3AAzg

or the Park one for 50ish...
Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,255
    Assuming you are aware that they can only be used on steel hangers, I have the Park one... to be honest given the kind of job this tool has to do, one is like another... it's a thread with a lever and some kind of way to check the vertical alignment against the rim... the latter part is quite primitive on the Park one
    left the forum March 2023
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    why only steel ugo?
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,255
    The aluminium hangers fitted these days are meant to be disposable. Whils you can bend one succesfully, the chances of breaking it are pretty high. Given the cost of one of those vs the cost of the tool, is not worth bothering really...
    Steel hangers are part of the frame, hence a bent one needs to be fixed
    left the forum March 2023
  • lef
    lef Posts: 728
    campag suggest that all mech hangers should be checked for alignment and aligned prior to installing their rear mechs. Ive previously had new mech hangers that were not aligned. If it's badly bent then bin it as it may be sufficiently weakened to risk failure sometime down the line. Also repeated bending it is not going to be good either. If it's only a few mm out should be fine to adjust.

    I use the park tool one and IMO its pretty good.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Cyclus make good quality tools for decent money - much of the Park stuff is over-priced IME, unless you can buy their top-end stuff. As Ugo says, it's a metal bar with a screw on one end - the quality of the job will depend on the operator. Racing CX, mine gets used regularly on ally hangers but more often I remove the hanger, put it in a vice and tweak it with a large, adjustable spanner otherwise you can find yourself 'adjusting' the rear drop-out on the frame itself, which is a problem if the frame is carbon.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I use the cyclus one and straightening alu hangers is possible I had do one recently. If it survives stightening it will be fine. It is really bent however then replace. However all these guages have a bit of play in them. I do tend to find the gauge is useful for checking it is in the ball park the real test is does the shifting work well.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.

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