Replacing rear wheel after patching a flat

[elmore leonard]

(12-03-2015, 07:44 AM)munnikm Wrote:  Hi, I'm having some trouble reattaching my daughter's rear wheel to the frame after fixing her flat. It's a 20" wheel, single speed, with linear pull brakes. I have it reinstalled and with what seems to be a good tension on the chain, but it's rubbing the brakes and it's a real chore to pedal.

I had to go through this just last week when my son did the same with his. It was a learning curve (lots of youtube help) but I got it right on the third try. But he has horizontal forks where the axle goes on, so it seemed to be just a matter of getting it the right distance and holding it while I tightened the nuts.

This bike has the forks which angle down and slightly forward - if the bicycle was upright, I'd say they pointed south-south-east, if that helps. It seems less forgiving, and I'm having a hard time getting aligned so there's good tension, it's not rubbing the brakes, and it sits more or less straight in the frame.

Any tricks I'm missing?

Also, I'm doing this without a repair stand. That may be a large part of the problem right there, but such as it is, I'm doing without, and it's frustrating. Any help and advice would be welcome.

I just turn the bike upside down so it is resting on the seat and the handle bars. Loosen the wheel nuts. Then you have to either release the brakes or let the air out if the tires, in most cases, for the wheel to pass through the brake pad opening to remove it.  To install, place the wheel between the stays and just below the drop outs, put the chain over the rear cog and slide the wheel axel up into the rear drop outs. (if its a front wheel no cog of course). Then position the wheel as far into the dropouts as it will go, while allowing for a little play in the chain. Then tighten the wheel nuts until they just hit the drop outs. Position the wheel dead center between the wheel/seat stay (where the brake pads are attached and tighten each side a bit at a time until the wheel fits right in the middle of the wheel/seat stays (they run from the rear drop out to the seat post) or if it is the front, set in the middle of the front forks. Hope this helps, and is clearer then mud. Elmer.