Installing own fork?

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

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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.

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 22:35:53 +1000, "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:

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 22:35:53 +1000, "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:

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 22:35:53 +1000, "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!

--
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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...

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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.

Glen F:

Quoted message said:

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...]

The operative phrase there is "clears the fork tube". Cutting squarely
prevents "cutting some more off" which is just doing the job twice,
"bodgily", and all unnecessarily. Why stick to your rough method when
it's quite easy to do it properly and elegantly the first time?

Peter Signorini:

Quoted message said:

"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.

Sure, but on the other hand it's not all that hard to do it right the
first time by an inexperienced non-mechanic. It certainly does not
warrant a $69 fee, as OP experienced.

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

eug k:

[.....]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

$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.

shucks, those guys are usually alright. But yeah, it did seem a bit
dodgy, if I knew it was gonna be 70 bucks I would have probably done
it myself. Over the phone he said $20-30, although i wouldn't expect
him to give an accurate quote without seeing the stuff.

it's the uni bike store at the U of Qld if anyone's wondering.

thanks for all the responses everyone. I'll look for a pvc pipe, a
file, or a piece of paper next time. 🙂

how do you install the star nut btw?

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eug k:

Quoted message said:

how do you install the star nut btw?

If you don't have the proper tool, it's easily done by screwing in the
bolt to the star nut, and using a mallet or similar to tap the star nut
into position. Make sure the bolt is concentric with the steerer by
turning the steerer tube around and ensuring the bolt is straight.

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

eug k:

Quoted message said:

how do you install the star nut btw?

If you don't have the proper tool, it's easily done by screwing in the
bolt to the star nut, and using a mallet or similar to tap the star nut
into position. Make sure the bolt is concentric with the steerer by
turning the steerer tube around and ensuring the bolt is straight.

bah, is that all? i thought it involved black magic or something, to get
it to stay in place. Or at the very least, a weld or glue. 🙂

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