Carbon steerer&starnut

Airwave
Airwave Posts: 483
edited March 2010 in Workshop
After looking at the Cannondale website&checking the manual for their forks with carbon steerers.I've taken a couple of spacers out to get the bars lower&then cut the steerer down to a couple of mm below the top of the stem.Job done.But then i noticed there's a star nut for preloading the bearings.On the Cannondale website it says a star nut should not be used for carbon steeres&instead it should use an expander plug for preloading the bearings.Has anyone else got a star nut in their carbon steerers&does it matter.
TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/

Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    i've always assumed it was dangerous to hammer a star nut into a carbon steerer cos it would score the inside and potentially weaken it. Hence the invention of the expanding steerer bung type thing.

    But I've got an alloy steerer!
  • Airwave
    Airwave Posts: 483
    After doing a bit more searching on other forums it would appear the Cannondale six 13 does use a star fangeld nut for preloading the bearings.So the fork must be designed by them to use one.Just a bit nervous of it scoring the inside of the steerer.Had a really good look inside the steerer& the suface of the carbon looks undamaged with no scores or marks.
    TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/
  • slow_step
    slow_step Posts: 18
    had the same issue on my cannondale synapse, I took the plunge and hammered the star fangled nut further down the steerer tube. Not had any problems with it and have covered quite a few miles on the bike since.

    I do however regularly check the steerer tube so I suppose I have lost a bit of piece of mind.
  • Steveorow
    Steveorow Posts: 162
    Yep star nut on my synapse as well . Just screwed the top cap in slightly and hammered ithe star nut down a little using a rubber mallet . Not had any trouble at all in 2 years
  • Airwave
    Airwave Posts: 483
    Thanks Steveorow,i'll sleep a little easier :lol:
    TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    Starnuts?

    I've heard of clagnuts...
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,828
    Cannondale forks seem to be the exception to the rule - they DO use starnuts, others require carbon-specific expander plugs. I'm sure that the expanders can be used on 'dales but starnuts not on other makes carbon steeerers.
    If in doubt then I'd recommend getting a bike shop to assist - would only take then 2 minutes to do it.

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