Star fangled nuts

JimboM

I've got a set of Rockshox Tora's and a FSA Orbit Z headset on order but I forgot to ask about the star nut. Does anyone know if either of these items normally come with a star fangled nut or do I need to add one of these to my order ?

Cheers

Jim

wordnumb

Depends where you ordered from. Lots of places do include or prefit a sfn.

Northwind

I don't know the Orbit Z but both my Orbits came with nuts.

JimboM

Thanks guys, think I'll assume one's included - won't be able to fit the forks until next weekend anyway so should give me time to get one if needed

Cheers

Jim

sailor74

i always drill out the star nuts and replace them with hope dead doctors

supersonic

Why?

sailor74

9 times out of 10 the star nut isnt in straight which means that the headset cant be loaded evenly which causes premature wear, where the star nut is even further out and I have seen this twice recently on new bikes, it becomes impossible to remove the play from the headset.

The head doctor fits square every time and its re-useable.

26 to Life

But...the star nut is only an anchor for the top cap which loads the stem, which should square up when you do the pinch bolts up. There shouldn't be any transmission of force from the star nut to the bearings when your stem is done up.

Is it fangled, or flanged?

nicklouse

flanged.

JimboM

26 to Life wrote:

Is it fangled, or flanged?

I went with 'fangled' as that's what the Park website called it although flanged would describe it better.

Whatever it's called the forks arrived today and the nut was included with them.

Chunkers1980

Geees Nick something you don't know.... Perhaps it was a typo It's defo FAngled.

26 to Life

I also thought it was flanged. Fangled doesn't sound like an engineering word to me.

wordnumb

I thought it was Star Spangled?

supersonic

Fangled isn't really a word - I think the term was originally flanged, then has transmogrified into fangled over the years.

ramemtbers

i wouldnt bother with one. i always use hope head docters or a headlock. sfn do my head in as i have said before on here. (in another thread)

supersonic

They are the simplest and most reliable method. They do not keep the adjustment, the stem does that when tightened!

ramemtbers

yeah. i still prefer headlocks and head docters though. they also dont score the inside of you steerer if the steerer is alloy.

biff55

hope head doctors - for those who havent the bottle to hammer a bolt in squarely
product marketing has done its job well with this item - prey on the fear of wrecking your
forks

ramemtbers

i have hammered star fangled nuts in before. it just get irritating though having them break as i have found out or having them pull up.

nicklouse

if they are pulling up you are over loading your bearings.

biff55

there is absolutely no way they can be pulled up the tube if fitted properly
the top cap bolt shouldnt exert anywhere near enough force to loosen it as it isnt load / weight bearing.
just my 2p anyway.

Steve_b77

I certainly prefer the hope head doctors to the old star nut.

I've got them in both my MTB forks and in my road bike I have another version but very similar - probably 'cos they're a carbon steerer though

ramemtbers

yeah you may say that. but it would pull up not because of over tightening. so i bought a gusset headlock.

nicklouse

ramemtbers wrote:

yeah you may say that. but it would pull up not because of over tightening. so i bought a gusset headlock.

heavy and less adjustable.

Yes i have one as well on the mad bike.

ramemtbers

explain what is meant by mad bike. its not a saracen phse mad team bike is it. (trials bike)

supersonic

You aren't fitting them correctly. A fitting tool amd SFN is cheaper than a hed doctor.

ramemtbers

hmm. rather have an anodised bit of lovelyness.

biff55

re supersonic ; "fitting tool" ???
a bit hi-tec isnt it ? wots wrong with big hammer and an old coach bolt.
pah , im off to re-sole my hob-nail boots

ramemtbers

nahh. i use a big hammer and a wrench extensioner. well i shoud rephrase used to use....

scars

biff55 wrote:

there is absolutely no way they can be pulled up the tube if fitted properly
the top cap bolt shouldnt exert anywhere near enough force to loosen it as it isnt load / weight bearing.
just my 2p anyway.

From memory the nut will actually pull through the flange before the flange slips... Learnt the hard way on that one on a set of manitou minutes