[demo 9]

The steerer on my fox 831, seems to be a 1 18th, plus a little bit more. The original stem i had was a deity(which ive always known fit loose)*to the point you have to buy a new 1 every so often* Today i got a BRAND NEW transition stem, it wont fit, i dremoled the inside a tiny bit, and still not a flying chance in hell it will fit(i cant hammer it on)

What is my solution to this, i dont have calipers to try to measure it, and i dont want to buy more stems if they wont fit.

 

[shiggy]

The steerer on my fox 831, seems to be a 1 18th, plus a little bit more. The original stem i had was a deity(which ive always known fit loose)*to the point you have to buy a new 1 every so often* Today i got a BRAND NEW transition stem, it wont fit, i dremoled the inside a tiny bit, and still not a flying chance in hell it will fit(i cant hammer it on)

What is my solution to this, i dont have calipers to try to measure it, and i dont want to buy more stems if they wont fit.

Have you installed the fork? The steer tube fit in the headset?
If so, it is not the fork that is off.

 

[demo 9]

Have you installed the fork? The steer tube fit in the headset?
If so, it is not the fork that is off.

i installed the fork, it does make it through the headset, but its snug, this hardly matters though, because the headset is so tiny(thickness) that there is almost no surface area on it, so it slides down easier than the big metal block that a stem is.

 

[crohnsy]

This thread is win.

So you cant measure both.....


You have some options;

1) try stem on different steerer tube. You have a couple bikes I'm sure you have another steerer tube to try it on.

2) try another stem on it. Again, you have a couple bikes so you probably have another stem you can try

 

[jonKranked]

soooooo you spend all this money on bikes, yet can't drop $20 on a set of calipers? (sorry, I really had to here)

ask around if your friends have calipers.

have you tried contacting fox?

 

[BikeFan84]

^ I don't know where you are located but shiz you can get some calipers at a harbor freight for 6$ they work just fine and are damn close to as accurate as my 100.00 set.

as far as tolerances go, I would say that the fox fork is near spot on, and the stem probably has a little crappier tolerance. You could always spread the stem with a screwdriver wrapped in electrical tape.

BTW is the 831 going on the Killswitch>?

 

[demo 9]

^ I don't know where you are located but shiz you can get some calipers at a harbor freight for 6$ they work just fine and are damn close to as accurate as my 100.00 set.

as far as tolerances go, I would say that the fox fork is near spot on, and the stem probably has a little crappier tolerance. You could always spread the stem with a screwdriver wrapped in electrical tape.

BTW is the 831 going on the Killswitch>?

yes it is, superco is on hold.

Some results are in, the transition stem wont fit on anything, i dont have any other single crown stems to try on the 831, but id like to assume that its probably fine. Any ideas on what to do with this stem, i only payed 25 for it, but id rather save it than throw it out.

 

[IH8Rice]

Any ideas on what to do with this stem, i only payed 25 for it, but id rather save it than throw it out.

throw it away. who would want a dremmeled out stem?

 

[demo 9]

throw it away. who would want a dremmeled out stem?

well, if i could figure out how to make it work, id use it, or put it on a complete, my guess is that the stem didnt sit in the CNC machine long enough, if there is a way to add the extra .1 inches, it will work fine, no reason to waste money and toss it, although if i have to,thats that

 

[jonKranked]

well, if i could figure out how to make it work, id use it, or put it on a complete, my guess is that the stem didnt sit in the CNC machine long enough, if there is a way to add the extra .1 inches, it will work fine, no reason to waste money and toss it, although if i have to,thats that

it's a machining mill making a stem, not an oven baking a pie.


ask around if any of your friends in college have access to their machine shops. They could almost certainly mill out the material to make it fit.

 

[demo 9]

idk what makes stems-leave me alone, i just wana ride :

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

it's a machining mill making a stem, not an oven baking a pie.

The stem was running late for a doctor's appt.

 

[HAB]

it's a machining mill making a stem, not an oven baking a pie.

His concept of how a mill works sounds about on par with Jeremy Clarkson's idea of a turbocharger.


"A turbo, exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, with a supercharger, air goes in,witchcraft happens and you go faster."

 

[oldfart]

One option would be to install the stem bolts from the wrong side and put a coin or something similar in the slot so that when you tighten the stem bolts against the coin, it will expand the stem opening. You have to question how good the stem is if it is off by that much though. And I don't know how much you want to expand a stem before its strength is compromised.

If it was me I would not use the stem. I would buy something new that fir properly. I snapped a steer tube off once and I do not compromise on those components.

 

[w00dy]

One option would be to install the stem bolts from the wrong side and put a coin or something similar in the slot so that when you tighten the stem bolts against the coin, it will expand the stem opening.

This was going to be my exact suggestion. Stretch the focker a little. You're not going to make it less marketable. Also, the proper way to open something like that up would be a reamer. It's more expensive than a new stem to buy one, but now you know what to ask for at the machine shop, a good reaming.

 

[Beef Supreme]

it's a machining mill making a stem, not an oven baking a pie..

Damn, that's funny. It's probably not going to grow up to the proper size either.

To the OP -- Cut your losses on this one. There is something wrong with that stem and it really is not worth it to try and fix it. Also, how did you cut the steerer tube. A pipe cutter can bulge a tube and cause a similar problem.

 

[OGRipper]

Also, how did you cut the steerer tube. A pipe cutter can bulge a tube and cause a similar problem.

Yeah, this is what I was thinking. With a pipe cutter the steer tube can definitely get flared out a bit, enough to cause a stem problem even if the headset goes on fine. I prefer to use a hacksaw with a guide, followed by little filing around the edges.

 

[demo 9]

It was cut with a sawzall, must be the stem, forgot up update back, but i got another deity stem that fit fine, and am currently running a truvativ which fits ok, yet to find a fork i can get the transition stem to fit on, how do i stretch it with the bolts backwards

 

[jonKranked]

It was cut with a sawzall

oh lawdy!

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

oh lawdy!

That's what I said.

At first I thought "I'm sure he meant hacksaw"......but I forgot who we were dealing with.

 

[jonKranked]

hey i at least give him credit for trying to be efficient. also +1 for another use for a sawz-all.

 

[IH8Rice]

whats wrong with a sawzall? its just a motorized hacksaw. not what id recommend, but it works

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

whats wrong with a sawzall? its just a motorized hacksaw. not what id recommend, but it works

Do you use an impact gun to install your rotor bolts? It's just a motorized torx wrench.

 

[IH8Rice]

Do you use an impact gun to install your rotor bolts? It's just a motorized torx wrench.

not to break em loose, but to spin them out ill use a cordless drill.

unless youre a total hack, a sawzall with a fine tooth blade is fine to cut a steerer tube. its better than a pipe cutter

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Note to self: Never let IH8Rice work on my bikes.

 

[IH8Rice]

Note to self: Never let IH8Rice work on my bikes.

dont worry, ill keep the 1/2" breaker bar and hammer away from your bike

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

But then how would you tighten the stem around my carbon bar?

 

[-BB-]

This was going to be my exact suggestion. Stretch the focker a little. You're not going to make it less marketable. Also, the proper way to open something like that up would be a reamer. It's more expensive than a new stem to buy one, but now you know what to ask for at the machine shop, a good reaming.

Double Ditto... Stretch that puppy out a bit.

 

[-BB-]

It was cut with a sawzall, must be the stem, forgot up update back, but i got another deity stem that fit fine, and am currently running a truvativ which fits ok, yet to find a fork i can get the transition stem to fit on, how do i stretch it with the bolts backwards

The bolt usually goes in from one side and then THREADS into the opposite side to pinch it onto the steerer.

Take the bolts out all the way, insert a penny into the "pinch slot", then take the bolts and screw them in from the OPPOSITE side of how you normally would. When the bolts bottom out on the penny, as you start to turn it a little more it will press harder on the penny and also have an opposite force on the side where you now have the screws. As it opens up, put it onto your steerer... position correctly... Take the screws back out... remove the penny(s) and then re-install the bolts the way you normally would.

 

[demo 9]

^ genius

Yes a sawzall works, use a guide though, its the same thing as a saw, but takes about 5 seconds

On another note, whats wrong with a pipe cutter?

 

[jonKranked]

On another note, whats wrong with a pipe cutter?

the way it applies pressure to the tubing while cutting will cause the material to bulge at the end, resulting in an oversized diameter for the last ~1~2mm at the end of whatever tube you're trying to cut. using a pipe cutter is generally a no-no when working on bikes (steerers, handlerbars, seat posts)

 

[demo 9]

^ that only matters if you dont sand down the edge correct, whenever i cut anything, ill stick it on the grinding wheel for a few seconds to make the end i just cut "round" Anybody else do that?

 

[jonKranked]

^ that only matters if you dont sand down the edge correct, whenever i cut anything, ill stick it on the grinding wheel for a few seconds to make the end i just cut "round" Anybody else do that?

not everyone realizes that or has access to a bench grinder. speaking of bench grinders. I miss mine. Stupid condo regulations.


I take it you've never worked at a bike shop? you'd be amazed at some of the stupid ways people try to fix their own bikes. I can't tell you how many times I heard "my brakes were squeaking, so I oiled them, now they don't work"

 

[demo 9]

Worked 2 years in a shop, a rich stuck up north jersey shop. Eventually quit, it was nice having access to alot of fancy tools, but having worked there, i found that i dont need that 8000 dollar headset press, nor the 2000 star nut insert-er. Amazing how much stupid stuff a shop will buy to do such stupid things, half the tools on the wall never got used in the 2 years i was there. Where i live, there are no home mechanics, everybody has the money to spend on getting the bike fixed with no remorse for paying 200 to get brake pads installed.

 

[jonKranked]

Gotcha. I used to wrench in college, suburban area, college students, etc. Tons of dumb people. I had a guy come in once with a bike he pulled out of his neighbors trash that he wanted to "fix up"

A good headset press only costs what, hundred bucks? Yea, cheaper options will work, but not as well.


And I agree that some of the specialty tools ARE stupid expensive, but when you need them, you can't frankenstein something together to work - headset & bb facing, BB tapping tools, etc. They're basically the ONLY tool suitable for the job.

 

[demo 9]

^ agree with that, ever have a brake-less BMX bike come in for a "full service" We have some real winners in north jersey

 

[shiggy]

It was cut with a sawzall, must be the stem, forgot up update back, but i got another deity stem that fit fine, and am currently running a truvativ which fits ok, yet to find a fork i can get the transition stem to fit on, how do i stretch it with the bolts backwards

Do you now realize it is a stem issue, not a problem with the fork?

 

[demo 9]

yes fully aware

 

[w00dy]

^ that only matters if you dont sand down the edge correct, whenever i cut anything, ill stick it on the grinding wheel for a few seconds to make the end i just cut "round" Anybody else do that?

Pipe cutter gives a nice even cut. Can't stand having it cut at an angle. I just always have a file in my toolbox. No problem.