Installing own fork?

well i would say if you are unsure take it to your LBS.....I had a bike done about 4 weeks ago and
it cost $20.....

$20 well spent i reckon

Webby "eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

hi,

I've got a Barracuda MTB whose fork I'd like to swap. I've got a RockShox Judy TT uncut fork and
was wondering, is it a task that should be left to a shop? It seems easy enough, but knowing
murphy's law, are there any little things that would get in the way?

Basically all it looks like I have to do is cut the fork (just where the stem ends?), and get the
long metal bolt that goes through the centre. Is that right?

Anyone knows approx how much it would cost to get it done at a store?

thanks

--
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anything!

BEFORE you cut make sure you thead on the top headset so that AFTER you cut you can unthread it and
then use it

Mistake 1 is always when they forget this and the thread is F#$@& before it even been used.

Anyway thats what it was like when i did it 15+ yars ago as a kid

oh

go to a shop too if its only $20 ( new sharp hacksaw blade would cost you $6-10)

D

----------------------------------------------------------

Dallas Goldburg Mouse in the House

When in doubt, jiggle the cable.
-----------------------------------------------------------

"Colnagodream" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

well i would say if you are unsure take it to your LBS.....I had a bike

done

Quoted message said:

about 4 weeks ago and it cost $20.....

$20 well spent i reckon

Webby "eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

hi,

I've got a Barracuda MTB whose fork I'd like to swap. I've got a RockShox Judy TT uncut fork and
was wondering, is it a task that should be left to a shop? It seems easy enough, but knowing
murphy's law, are there any little things that would get in the way?

Basically all it looks like I have to do is cut the fork (just where the stem ends?), and get
the long metal bolt that goes through the centre. Is that right?

Anyone knows approx how much it would cost to get it done at a store?

thanks

--
[email hidden] is a valid email address. Don't remove

anything!

eug k:

Quoted message said:

hi,

I've got a Barracuda MTB whose fork I'd like to swap. I've got a RockShox Judy TT uncut fork and
was wondering, is it a task that should be left to a shop? It seems easy enough, but knowing
murphy's law, are there any little things that would get in the way?

Basically all it looks like I have to do is cut the fork (just where the stem ends?), and get the
long metal bolt that goes through the centre. Is that right?

Anyone knows approx how much it would cost to get it done at a store?

thanks

It's more straightforward than you might think. Get a pipe cutter fron your local hardware store
(won't cost much more than about $10), or if you trust your skills to saw the steerer tube square,
use a hacksaw.

Make sure you fit the fork first before cutting anything, ie put it on with the headset and stem
(and any spacers). If you're not using spacers now, I recommend you allow for at least a 10mm spacer
on top of the stem so that if you decide to change stems later on, you can fit a different stem
which may have a larger-sized steerer clamp. With all these in place, mark the fork steerer at the
point from where it sticks out, take it off, then cut it about 3mm BELOW where you marked it. This
is so when you fit it back on after cutting, the steerer tube will be about 3mm below the stem
steerer clamp.

Take care removing the headset crown race from the old fork, and you can use an appropriately-sized
copper or PVC pipe to push it on the new fork crown. You can even use a large shift spanner to
press it down.

If you're using the old headset star-fangled nut, take it off by pushing it down the old fork tube
until it comes out of the bottom of the crown. Buying a new one is better.

Fit the new fork, star-fangled nut, stem and any spacers, and tighten the headset bolt _only until_
no play is evident on the bearings (put the front brakes on and gently push the bike forward and
back, while putting your fingers between the headtube and headset to feel for any play). Do not
overtighten.

The advantage of doing it yourself is the new skill you acquire, and the pride of having done it
yourself. On the other hand, if you can't be bothered, just take it to a bike shop.

Dallas Goldburg' @au said:

BEFORE you cut make sure you thead on the top headset so that AFTER you cut you can unthread it and
then use it

Likely to be threadless style these days - not always, mind you, but threadless is the current
"standard" for mtb forks. Dallas is still right for threaded forks, I just think the Judy TT will be
threadless.

Tony F www.thefathippy.com

well, have the thread cutting tool in place before you cut, assuming that it is a 'die' tool, so
that when you rethread after cutting to the CORRECT length and SQUARE you are able to thread without
making a mess.

the $20.00 LBS sounds good.

tony f" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dallas Goldburg' @au said:

BEFORE you cut make sure you thead on the top headset so that AFTER you

cut

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

you can unthread it and then use it

Likely to be threadless style these days - not always, mind you, but threadless is the current
"standard" for mtb forks. Dallas is still right for threaded forks, I just think the Judy TT will
be threadless.

Tony F www.thefathippy.com

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

eug k:

[....]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've got a Barracuda MTB whose fork I'd like to swap. I've got a RockShox Judy TT uncut fork and
was wondering, is it a task that

[....]

Quoted message said:

It's more straightforward than you might think. Get a pipe cutter fron your local hardware store
(won't cost much more than about $10), or if you trust your skills to saw the steerer tube square,
use a hacksaw.

[...]

Quoted message said:

Take care removing the headset crown race from the old fork, and you can use an
appropriately-sized copper or PVC pipe to push it on the new fork crown. You can even use a large
shift spanner to press it down.

[...]

Quoted message said:

The advantage of doing it yourself is the new skill you acquire, and the pride of having done it
yourself. On the other hand, if you can't be bothered, just take it to a bike shop.

Thanks heaps for taking the time to type all that.. I was gonna go do it today, then suddenly
decided to just send it in as a pipe cutter isn't that cheap here. 🙂

The local bike store says that it'll cost $20-$30 depending on what needs to be done. Seeing that
it'll probably cost around the same price to do it myself and that I won't be cutting pipes anytime
soon, i decided to send it in. I'll miss the pride of saying i did it myself, but oh well!

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tony f said:

Dallas Goldburg' @au said:

BEFORE you cut make sure you thead on the top headset so that AFTER you cut you can unthread it
and then use it

Likely to be threadless style these days - not always, mind you, but threadless is the current
"standard" for mtb forks. Dallas is still right for threaded forks, I just think the Judy TT will
be threadless.

Yup, it's threadless. The LBS says it'll cost between 20-30 dollars, depending on what needs to be
done. thanks webby!

--
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"Andy G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

well, have the thread cutting tool in place before you cut, assuming that it is a 'die' tool, so
that when you rethread after cutting to the CORRECT length and SQUARE you are able to thread
without making a mess.

With a threadless (AKA Aheadset, though that's a trademark of (IIRC) Tioga) steerer there is no need
for threading the steerer. In fact, cutting a thread into a threadless steerer can be very
dangerous, since the material may be weakened by doing so. Preload is applied via a star nut in the
steerer and a bolt through the top cap, and the stem simply clamps the steerer. Done right it's as
secure as a traditional threaded system, and while it lacks the ease of height adjustability it has
the big advantage of only requiring a 5mm allen key for maintenance.

Dave - who likes threadless steerers.

--
Dave Hughes [email hidden] Like most computer techie people, I'll happily spend 6 hours
trying to figure out how to do a 3 hour job in 10 minutes. --Rev. James Cort

Just picked the bike up yesterday (at last). Cost was $69 - installtion was $50, then there was the
star nut and two spacers. Quite a bit more than expected, but oh well.

thanks all!

eug k said:

hi,

I've got a Barracuda MTB whose fork I'd like to swap. I've got a RockShox Judy TT uncut fork and
was wondering, is it a task that should be left to a shop? It seems easy enough, but knowing
murphy's law, are there any little things that would get in the way?

Basically all it looks like I have to do is cut the fork (just where the stem ends?), and get the
long metal bolt that goes through the centre. Is that right?

Anyone knows approx how much it would cost to get it done at a store?

thanks

--
[email hidden] is a valid email address. Don't remove anything!

--
[email hidden] is a valid email address. Don't remove anything!

"eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just picked the bike up yesterday (at last). Cost was $69 -

installtion

Quoted message said:

was $50, then there was the star nut and two spacers. Quite a bit more

than

Quoted message said:

expected, but oh well.

$50 installation and $19 for some metal!! Damn, anyone else want a fork installed? I'll do it for
$30 :-P Are they titanium spacers or something?

hippy who paid his (admittedly friendly) LBS $0 for a fork swap including starnut and spacers

hippy said:

"eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just picked the bike up yesterday (at last). Cost was $69 -

installtion

Quoted message said:

was $50, then there was the star nut and two spacers. Quite a bit more

than

Quoted message said:

expected, but oh well.

$50 installation and $19 for some metal!! Damn, anyone else want a fork installed? I'll do it for
$30 :-P Are they titanium spacers or something?

apparently it was more work than expected.. his original quote was $20-30. rah! I could probably
have bought a pipe cutter for $40. 😉

Quoted message said:

who paid his (admittedly friendly) LBS $0 for a fork swap including starnut and spacers

i need a friendly LBS...

--
[email hidden] is a valid email address. Don't remove anything!

eug k said:

hippy said:

"eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just picked the bike up yesterday (at last). Cost was $69 -

installtion

Quoted message said:

was $50, then there was the star nut and two spacers. Quite a bit more

than

Quoted message said:

expected, but oh well.

$50 installation and $19 for some metal!! Damn, anyone else want a fork installed? I'll do it
for $30 :-P Are they titanium spacers or something?

apparently it was more work than expected.. his original quote was $20-30. rah! I could probably
have bought a pipe cutter for $40. 😉

Piece of paper and a hacksaw. Wrap the paper around the steerer with the edge where you want to cut
and tape it up. Saw through the steerer next to the paper edge, get a flush 90 degree cut everytime.
No need to buy a pipe cutter.

Gary K:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

apparently it was more work than expected.. his original quote was $20-30. rah! I could probably
have bought a pipe cutter for $40. 😉

Piece of paper and a hacksaw. Wrap the paper around the steerer with the edge where you want to
cut and tape it up. Saw through the steerer next to the paper edge, get a flush 90 degree cut
everytime. No need to buy a pipe cutter.

Only with a very steady hand can you do this. The paper gets cut more easily than the steerer tube,
and it's quite easy to cut through it on one stroke.

If you really don't want a pipe cutter, you can use a vise edge as a guide after clamping the
steerer tube on it, or slide a short, square-cut PVC pipe (which is just slightly larger then the
steerer tube) over the steerer tube and use that as a guide. I think a cheap pipe cutter is easier,
and can be used on many other jobs.

eug k:

Quoted message said:

hippy said:

"eug k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just picked the bike up yesterday (at last). Cost was $69 -

installtion

Quoted message said:

was $50, then there was the star nut and two spacers. Quite a bit more

than

Quoted message said:

expected, but oh well.

$50 installation and $19 for some metal!! Damn, anyone else want a fork installed? I'll do it
for $30 :-P Are they titanium spacers or something?

apparently it was more work than expected.. his original quote was $20-30. rah! I could probably
have bought a pipe cutter for $40. 😉

To me, "more work than expected" translates to "I stuffed up and had to correct it" or "business was
slow so I'll charge you more to make up for it"...

For $69 I would have expected a new headset thrown in. Go somewhere else next time.

The cut doesn't need to be perfect, except for the zen of it. No one but you will know once the
cap is on...

Glen F:

Quoted message said:

The cut doesn't need to be perfect, except for the zen of it. No one but you will know once the
cap is on...

Edges that are a little rough are functionally fine, but if the steerer tube cut is not square, the
cap will exert uneven pressure on the headset bearings.

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

Gary K:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

apparently it was more work than expected.. his original quote was $20-30. rah! I could
probably have bought a pipe cutter for $40. 😉

Piece of paper and a hacksaw. Wrap the paper around the steerer with the edge where you want to
cut and tape it up. Saw through the steerer next to the paper edge, get a flush 90 degree cut
everytime. No need to buy a pipe cutter.

Only with a very steady hand can you do this. The paper gets cut more easily than the steerer
tube, and it's quite easy to cut through it on one stroke.

If you really don't want a pipe cutter, you can use a vise edge as a guide after clamping the
steerer tube on it, or slide a short, square-cut PVC pipe (which is just slightly larger then the
steerer tube) over the steerer tube and use that as a guide. I think a cheap pipe cutter is
easier, and can be used on many other jobs.

Yes, it helps to be steady, but the point is, the paper's edge is a good guide to follow.

Quoted message said:

but if the steerer tube cut is not square, the cap will exert uneven pressure on the headset
bearings.

Rubbish - as long as the cap clears the fork tube (cut some more off!), the star nut will pull any
headset preload applied exactly centrally. [Says he who has bodgied up at least one that way...]

"Jose Rizal" <_@_._> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Edges that are a little rough are functionally fine, but if the steerer tube cut is not square,
the cap will exert uneven pressure on the headset bearings.

Cut, then file to get it close to square. I've set up my own fork like this more than once, with no
problems resulting. You don't need to be a perfectionist with a simple fork steerer tube.

Cheers Peter