Changing a back wheel

[IainAdams]

Hello,
My back wheel got damaged recently and so I decided to buy a new one. Following some advice I bought a quick release rear wheel and new cassette to replace my old wheel (non quick release) and old cassette. Now my wheel has arrived but it doesn't fit where my old wheel went. It seems the axle is too large. Can you replace a non-quick release wheel with a quick release wheel? I was told you could. Is there anything I could be doing wrong?
Thanks
Iain

[IainAdams]

There is only a small difference, maybe 5-6 mm in it. Any ideas anyone??

[DaveM]

There is usually no problem going from bolt on to quick release. However, there are different width wheels (hubs). It sounds like you ended up with a slightly wider wheel. If you can flex the rear end of the frame enough that it will slide in, you'll probably be fine. Watch for gears or chain hitting the frame.
If you had to, you may be able to remove a spacer from the rear axle to make it narrower. However, this means also readjusting all the spokes to re-center the wheel and is fairly complex.
If you changed the number of gears in the back and have index shifting, you may also have trouble getting the shifting to work right.
I would try putting the wheel in and seeing how it works before doing anything more drastic. If it is giving you trouble, you might want to try a local bike shop to have them help you get a wheel better suited to your bike.

[IainAdams]

Thanks for the reply. I have managed to squeeze the wheel on. It seems to be okay (touch wood). I'll keep you informed when I test my gears out. Thanks alot
Iain