I love using Paragon Machine Works parts. They are well designed, priced well, and very rarely cause an issue.
One issue comes up with the DR2065 dropout I often. It’s not because of any poor work on PMWs part but it turns into a problem at just the wrong time. It’s an issue that comes up when replacing an old hanger with a new one, in this case a B4038 Shimano hanger with the new SRAM B4091 hanger. Historically, the tiny screws love to round out when you try to remove them. The location is really tough to work with when that happens. Still, we need to remove the screw. This is when my machinist bag of tricks comes in handy.
Here’s how it’s done:
We drill out the small fastener through the dropout on the other side.
Using : Irwin 12″ Aircraft Extension High Speed Steel Fractional Straight Shank Drill Bits
This is a very easy job using a two step process. First, drill deep into the fastener with a 1/8″ bit. Then pop the head with a 3/16″ bit. What is left of the screw is then easily removed and the hanger can be re-used if desired.
A hell of a job made very easy with the right tools. It takes about 2 minutes with little fuss.
Of course, always use Loctite 242 or equivalent when re-assembling the new parts. This keeps the screw in place over time but also protects from corrosion between the two parts.
A very small angle drill and a stub drill could probably squeeze into this space. If you have one around, give it a try. Often, the long drill bit is easier to find in a jam at a local hardware store.
It would be nice to find a tougher fastener for this application, even a Torx screw. Steel fasteners are Rockwell C37. 18-8 fasteners are Rockwell B70. Comparitively, 68.9A to 44.3A. Steel wins.
Sam Whittingham, Naked Bikes – “We no longer use thread locker. Even light thread locker would seize over time and I used to do a lot of these extractions because of that. We have been using grease for the last couple years with no seizing. I was originally worried about the screw coming loose but not a single one has backed off on its own.”
