Aheadset - changing forks?

[Duncan Smith]

Just attempting to swap the forks over on my racer/crosser for some
Kona P2s (1 1/8) threadless (to get the ISO tabs) and I've run into a
bit of a problem...

The forks I'm replacing had an adjuster nut an inch down the steering
tube, however the forks I'm replacing them with have no such nut - so
I can't eliminate the free-play because there's nothing for the cap to
screw into.

I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
forks?

Regards,

Duncan.

 

[Tim Dunne]

"Duncan Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

> I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
> be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
> new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
> forks?

What you need is a 'star fangled nut' - they often come with headset kits or
you can buy separately. They're supposed to be installed using a tool
designed for the purpose, but I just tapped mine down using a short length
of 22mm copper pipe and a small hammer. It should fit such that the 'claws'
dig into the inside of the tube when pulled up by the cap pin.

HTH

Tim

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[Tim Dunne]

"Duncan Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_st-z.html#starnut

Tim
--
Sent from Birmingham, UK... Check out www.nervouscyclist.org
'I find sometimes it's easy to be myself, but sometimes I find it's
better to be somebody else.' - Dave Matthews 'So Much To Say'
My 'reply to' address is valid, mail to the posting address is dumped

 

[Pete Biggs]

Duncan Smith wrote:
> Just attempting to swap the forks over on my racer/crosser for some
> Kona P2s (1 1/8) threadless (to get the ISO tabs) and I've run into a
> bit of a problem...
>
> The forks I'm replacing had an adjuster nut an inch down the steering
> tube, however the forks I'm replacing them with have no such nut - so
> I can't eliminate the free-play because there's nothing for the cap to
> screw into.
>
> I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
> be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
> new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
> forks?

Star nuts are just forced in, and can be forced out. They're horrible as
they damage forks and don't grip well anyway. Get a bung type thing instead
like this:
www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5300005190
(not just for carbon steerers)

~PB

 

[Duncan Smith]

On Mar 8, 1:01 am, "Pete Biggs"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Duncan Smith wrote:
> > Just attempting to swap the forks over on my racer/crosser for some
> > Kona P2s (1 1/8) threadless (to get the ISO tabs) and I've run into a
> > bit of a problem...
>
> > The forks I'm replacing had an adjuster nut an inch down the steering
> > tube, however the forks I'm replacing them with have no such nut - so
> > I can't eliminate the free-play because there's nothing for the cap to
> > screw into.
>
> > I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
> > be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
> > new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
> > forks?
>
> Star nuts are just forced in, and can be forced out. They're horrible as
> they damage forks and don't grip well anyway. Get a bung type thing instead
> like this:
> www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5300005190
> (not just for carbon steerers)
>
> ~PB

Thanks for the timely response guys! I should be able to get that
sorted one way or another...

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Duncan
Smith ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Just attempting to swap the forks over on my racer/crosser for some
> Kona P2s (1 1/8) threadless (to get the ISO tabs) and I've run into a
> bit of a problem...
>
> The forks I'm replacing had an adjuster nut an inch down the steering
> tube, however the forks I'm replacing them with have no such nut - so
> I can't eliminate the free-play because there's nothing for the cap to
> screw into.

That's a 'star fangled nut', normally comes with the headset, if not can be
bought for about £2 from your LBS. Do not use star-fangled nuts on carbon
fibre steerer tubes, there are expansion bungs which serve the same
purpose for them.

> I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
> be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
> new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
> forks?

Once in they are intentionally difficult to get out, although with a long
enough rod you can drive them out of the bottom of the tube; but there's
no point because, as I say, they're cheap.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
; ... of course nothing said here will be taken notice of by
; the W3C. The official place to be ignored is on www-style or
; www-html. -- George Lund

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>,
Duncan Smith
[email protected] says...
> Just attempting to swap the forks over on my racer/crosser for some
> Kona P2s (1 1/8) threadless (to get the ISO tabs) and I've run into a
> bit of a problem...
>
> The forks I'm replacing had an adjuster nut an inch down the steering
> tube, however the forks I'm replacing them with have no such nut - so
> I can't eliminate the free-play because there's nothing for the cap to
> screw into.
>
> I don't have anything long enough to hand, but could the adjuster nut
> be popped out with a long screw driver and hammer and popped into the
> new forks, or are they typically welded in and I simply have the wrong
> forks?
>
They're not intended to be reused - they're about two quid in Halfords
IIRC. To fit it, attach it loosely to the top plug then tap it gently
into place using the bolt head to push it and the plug to guide it (with
the stem in place so you don't push it too far down). At a pinch you
don't really need a star-fangled nut - you can just partially tighten
the stem and tap it down with a soft-faced hammer to take the slack out
of the bearings, then fully tighten the stem.