File... Angle Grinder... Hacksaw???

[steak]

i was wanting to lengthen/shorten (what ever way you look at it) my dropouts on my 4130 frame so that i can run the axle in closer to the seatpost therefore creating a shorter end.
I have room to move with the tyre at the moment (I'd say a good inch maybe)
has anyone ever got the angle grinder/file or something onto their horizontal dropouts so they could run the wheel in even shorter.would this damage the frame in anyway. If so how?

Has anyone ever done this?
how did it go? Pictures?
How did you do it? How did you make sure that you were keeping the dropouts at the same angle (ie one wasnt longer than the other)
I do not have access to a lathe or any of those other crazy machines.

Atm i dont really want to send to grip. Although grip how much do you think that it would cost me to ajust the dropouts by about half an inch.

Thanks

Attach is a picture of the wheel in showing the room i have to move.
If this does not work and i find this after i have adjusted the dropouts i will probably just run tensioners and run the axle bakc where it originally was so that it wont have really affected anything..

http://www.desearch.net/out.php/i27156_DSCF0356.JPG (http://www.desearch.net)

[Mattyp]

whats gonna happen to your brake calliper when u move your wheel forward an inch?

if anything i'd use a file, and go very slowly making sure yur filing square.

[Joel O]

i have no knowledge in this area regarding issues with damaging the frame etc but my only thought is if you do do it make sure you go far enough that you can take a link out and have good chain tension so that you don't waste hours filing it away only to find you have to run it in the same position to get good chain tension. maybe?

[nickz]

You'd screw up your disc brakes if you changed the position of the axle. Best thing to do would be sell the frame and buy one with shorter stays, as there's not much you could do to the frame that wouldn't stuff it up. Alignment would be crucial. Just sell it I reckon if you aren't happy with it, or just adapt to the frame.

[wind ding brutha]

(Please insert your best singing voice please)

These are a few of my favourite things...

[steak]

(Please insert your best singing voice please)

These are a few of my favourite things...

(Please insert angriest voice here)

YOUR A FUCKING IDIOT

[Rik]

Far out steak, who pissed on your weetbix this morning? Don't take out your pissbix-fuelled rage on other forum members please.

[Acidman]

why don't you ask grip for his advice im sure he could do somthin with it that would allow you to still run your brake n stuff. other wise i wouldn't start cutting into ur dropouts because if you fuck up then u will end up with a rear end that may track to the side. this being said my mate turned one of our bmx's drop outs from a 9mm to suit 14mm (or whatever size it was) bolt up by cutting enough of the original drop out out and then welding some more metal on for strength. but thats just my thoughts take it or leave it but i definitly wouldn't be doing it my self.
good luck with it

[anothertom]

we have the same frame and i want to mod it too... i'd ask grip

[sawtell]

i would hack saw/dremel/grind to slits paralel to the dropouts already (jsut continue to top and bottom). then drill at the very end to remove the chunk of metal.
then you might be able to jam it back in there, if you find that somethign has gone wrong...

BTW i have filled out a pair of dropouts, on a bmx... it takes a long time and i only had to file out a milimeter top and bottom, i talking a good 2 hours from memory.