spacers stuck to fork, please help? - images

gabriel959

Hi,

got a fairly old Giant SCR frame which I am trying to renovate but after taking it all apart it seems like the spacers have got stuck to the fork - does anyone know what to do to get the spacers and cone unstuck? I have put WD40, GT85, used a hammer (gently!), etc...



Thanks in advance

SCR Pedro

What hammer technique did you try already?
You could put a block of wood over the top of the tube, then hit downwards on it with a hammer, so that the fork falls through the head tube. Given that there's no sideways movement, I don't think the risk is too high.

defycomp2

A good dose of Halfords Penetrating spray, leave a few seconds then a hard wack with a rubber mallet on the steerer tube but remembering to catch the fork if it drops out.

fudgey

Well supported frame, block of wood and a 2lb lump hammer.
Place the block of wood (2x4) should be adequate, and strike with the hammer.
Repeat until forks can be removed.

jermas

Large grips (plumbers pliers) and turn each spacer individually, starting from the top. If the spacers get marked, replacements are cheap.

term1te

I'd go for the spacers one at a time with an old knife or chisle gently taped between them to prise them off. Then lots of grease during re-assembly.

fudgey

if you dont want to keep the spacers then you could cut them off easily with a hacksaw as they are only alluminium.
just go careful not to cut into the steerer tube.

ugo.santalucia

Just hammer the top of the steerer harder... you can't really do much damage... other than it falls on the floor when they come unstuck

sungod

jermas wrote:

Large grips (plumbers pliers) and turn each spacer individually, starting from the top. If the spacers get marked, replacements are cheap.

^^^this

if they're stuck due to corrosion, oil probably won't help, you can try acf-50/similar, but going after each ring in turn with grips is simpler

if everything is alloy, you can also apply heat shock to the spacers - the thermal conductivity of the corrosion will be less than the spacers, they'll tend to expand faster than the steerer, this might help loosen them

dgunthor

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Just hammer the top of the steerer harder... you can't really do much damage... other than it falls on the floor when they come unstuck

+1

ic.

dgunthor wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Just hammer the top of the steerer harder... you can't really do much damage... other than it falls on the floor when they come unstuck

+1

Just do this.

napoleond

You have removed/loosened the headset spacer from inside the fork haven't you?!?

svetty

IC. wrote:

dgunthor wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Just hammer the top of the steerer harder... you can't really do much damage... other than it falls on the floor when they come unstuck

+1

Just do this.

Another vote for the 'just whack it' approach - just make sure the frame is supported and that there is something to cushion the forks as they drop.

Heating the spacers with a hair-dryer beforehand is a reasonable thing to do........

ugo.santalucia

NapoleonD wrote:

You have removed/loosened the headset spacer from inside the fork haven't you?!?

Wot?

AK_jnr

Yeah give it a whack as mentioned. Or chisel between the spaces themselves.

arthur_scrimshaw

I had this where the large spacer which sits directly on the headset corroded to the steerer. I tried all methods and was concerned at the amount of stress I was putting on the main tube. I ended up using a dremel with a cutter blade to slice down the outside of the spacer (only aluminum) without touching the steerer then inserted a f/o flatbladed screwdriver into the slot. Came off a treat but the spacer was obviously toast.

napoleond

ugo.santalucia wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

You have removed/loosened the headset spacer from inside the fork haven't you?!?

Wot?

I meant expander.....

arthur_scrimshaw

NapoleonD wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

You have removed/loosened the headset spacer from inside the fork haven't you?!?

Wot?

I meant expander.....

Well it's an aluminum or steel steerer by the look of it so would have a star fangled nut? Even if it was an expander I don't see what taking it out would do, no way it would swell the steerer tube?

napoleond

Sorry for my suggestion.

arthur_scrimshaw

Sorry if that came over a bit blunt Nap.

mrdsgs

try a can of coke, ... seriously, galvanic corrosion, steel steerer and aluminium spacers. ideally soak the area in coke for an hour , then use the above whack the steerer or twist the spacers with mole grips approach,I would probably put top spacer in a vice with the fork inverted and use the fork legs to twist by hand.

slowbike

DefyComp2 wrote:

A good dose of Halfords Penetrating spray, leave a few seconds then a hard wack with a rubber mallet on the steerer tube but remembering to catch the fork if it drops out.

easy way to catch the forks is to put a strap or rope between the forks and tie off with a bit of slack on the frame so when you knock the steerer down it can't come out of the frame and therefore will not drop to the ground.

Either that or get a mate to hold the forks whilst you wack him on the head with the hammer :twisted:

darkhairedlord

cut them off with a dremel or multi-cutter.
Or, put the stem back on, hang some worn out parts from the shed on it and punt it out on fleabay after the tour has been on the telly.

gabriel959

Thanks for all the suggestions, I have already tried hammering it really really hard and nothing, buying a can of coke tomorrow, and if that doesn't work I can try with a friends blowtorch. I haven't got grips or a vice unfortunately, although they sound like a good idea. And I can always buy a cheap hacksaw from screwfix...

SME

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

.... was concerned at the amount of stress I was putting on the main tube. I ended up using a dremel with a cutter blade to slice down the outside of the spacer (only aluminum) without touching the steerer then inserted a f/o flatbladed screwdriver into the slot. Came off a treat but the spacer was obviously toast.

+1
Used this exact method before too.