Perhaps unwisely, I'm going up to 135mm so I can use a Deore hub. Although actually, I'll settle for 132.5mm in case I want to go back to a road specific hub.
I've got my 8mm rod, I've got my washers and my extra long nuts and I've tried to wind it open.
Sheesh - it's already gone out to 170mm and still sprung back to not much more than a mil or two wider than it was. I'm worried about doing it some serious damage. Also, I'm worried that with the non-parrallel nature of the dropouts when it's spread this wide, the whole tool is going to cave in, fly out or otherwise find a way of doing me some serious damage. When I was winding it back in again after the last go, it was a bit of luck that Hummers turned up at the SEEKRIT BUNKER because it half slipped out and I couldn't get it back without someone just muscling the chainstays apart for me.
So how far should I take it? 180mm? 190? And what things should I be looking for to tell me to stop?