[downhillzeypher]

So I'm about to buy this used super t... guy says it's in good condition blah blah blah, and we're supposed to meet up next week so I can check out his fork. Only thing is, after I check the stations ans steerer, what else to I do to make sure it works? I don't know too much about how bikes go so I can't bust it open or anything.

 

[MikeD]

Rule #1:

If there's poop on it, it's probably been abused.

 

[oly]

Besides looking for obvious damage/abuse.... Make sure the knobs work and do something. Press on the fork...... then screw the rebound in or out.... try to feel a difference. also make sure the steer tube isnt too short. Do you have a setup in mind? make sure you account for headtube, Headset stack, and stem... with some spacers..... If the fork looks mint chances are its good. If its hashed chances are the internals also took a beating. At least you can see this in person. Ive known a few to buy online and get a poorly represented item......


Good luck.

 

[downhillzeypher]

Besides looking for obvious damage/abuse.... Make sure the knobs work and do something. Press on the fork...... then screw the rebound in or out.... try to feel a difference. also make sure the steer tube isnt too short. Do you have a setup in mind? make sure you account for headtube, Headset stack, and stem... with some spacers..... If the fork looks mint chances are its good. If its hashed chances are the internals also took a beating. At least you can see this in person. Ive known a few to buy online and get a poorly represented item......


Good luck.

What do you mean by accounting for headtube, headset stack, and stem? Like make sure it fits? Much thanks for the quick reply oly.

Mike: Yeah I wasn't sure, good thing you cleared it up.

 

[MikeD]

Check the crowns for stripped threads; likewise on the crown bolt heads. Check the QR20 to make sure it operates properly and isn't stripped. Check for bushing play...ie, the lowers don't wiggle or clunk against the stanchions. Check the seals to see if they're dry-rotting.

Oly means to make sure that once the fork is mounted on your bike, there must be enough steertube to fit any necessary spacers (including, possibly, one under the crown, if the crown doesn't clear the headset), your headset stack, the upper crown, and the stem.

 

[OGRipper]

Yeah and check around online to make sure it's AT LEAST $200 or $300 less than what a new one would cost, because otherwise it's not worth buying used and you won't be able to sell it for close to what you're about to pay. Forks get abused and a lot of riders don't maintain them, or if they do, they don't do it right. (I'm honestly not sure which is worse!) You should also ask what kind of riding the seller does, how it was maintained, do they have the original manuals, that kind of thing. None of that stuff is really critical but will give you an idea of how properly the fork was handled. If it's someone you know, that's one thing, but otherwise be careful. You can find new Super T's pretty cheap these days...anyway good luck.

 

[downhillzeypher]

Thanks for all your responses.

Well he wants $400 for an 03, but he says the stations have some blemishes from a really strong degreaser he used. I'm gonna try and get him down to $350 when I see him.

 

[kidwoo]

......thousands of dollars of cocaine you dummy!!!! Am I the only one whose seen easy rider!!!!???????

 

[InsaneP2Rider]

it's good to see the fork in person. i bought an used '02 super T a while back and i thought that i was going to be in mint condition, because of what he said and of the bunch of pictures that he took... Turns out that there were some sanded down scratches on the back of the fork legs, blown seals and no axel clamps. bigtime bummer...but i'm not going to complain (too much) because i got it for a pretty good price, but i wished that he wouldn't have told me that there were no scraches and that the seals have never leaked a drop

but i'm just VERY glad that i didn't settle for a junior T...i'm very happy with the super T

 

[Jm_]

Oil, springs, dampers and spacers...

 

[oly]

Sounds like your getting good advice.

To elaborate on the steer tube thing.... Just be sure the person didnt hack it way down. Worst case scenario was the fork had been used on a small frame, with a zero stack headset and no spacers, with a short stem. Now you buy the fork and put it on your large frame with a longer headtube, you use a standard 30mm stack headset, and like a few spacers and use a taller stem. Without knowing the basic need of your setup youll quickly learn it wont work. Now what i described is extreme, but just go into it knowing what your minimum steer tube needs to be. Im sure if you post details about the HT lenght of you frame, what stem and headse is going to be used someone can give you an idea of what you'll need.

 

[Kevin]

Chek if the topcrown and lower legs dont have any cracks even in if they're very small.
You also say the stanchtions have some blemishes, this is usually not a good thing so chek on another super T how smooth it go's in. The blemmishes might affect the smoothness of the fork's.
Also chek for scratches on the stanchtions because thet will mess up the forks smoothness pretty bad too.
On my old super T the first thing that was broken where the very poor quality bolts that keep the QR toghether. You might want to chek in what state they are.
Other then that chek all of the above and take your time for it while your there.

 

[DLo]

Ask for all original paperwork if he still has it. IE the manual, receipts.. especially if he had it rebuilt recently. It's good to have it just as proof that he did it. Pretty much everything has been listed above. What I missed when over looking my fork was the screws. There was one bolt head in the brake arch that completely broke off. Hope you get a good deal.

Btw, if you're going to try and strike a deal. Bring cash. Bring whatever he's asking for/however much you want to spend max. Only pull out what you are aiming for at the lowest, and wave that green in front of the seller's face. It's hard to resist monies when ya got a big flock of valuable papers gleaming inches from your eyes. If he doesn't spring for it, then just pull out the backup.

 

[downhillzeypher]

just pull out the backup.

My 10 gauge?

Thanks for all your guy's great advice. I think the guy said the steerer was 6 or 7 inches, but he's running a integrated stem (I'm not too sure how a integrated stem works so if anyone could elaborate, it would be much appreciated!).

The fork is going to go on a large 04 bighhit- 140mm headtube, Truvativ Holzfeller stem 5 degree x 40mm, Cr-Mo, 1 1/8" headset <-- (all this came off the specialized web site )

 

[The Kadvang]

My 10 gauge?

Thanks for all your guy's great advice. I think the guy said the steerer was 6 or 7 inches, but he's running a integrated stem (I'm not too sure how a integrated stem works so if anyone could elaborate, it would be much appreciated!).

The fork is going to go on a large 04 bighhit- 140mm headtube, Truvativ Holzfeller stem 5 degree x 40mm, Cr-Mo, 1 1/8" headset <-- (all this came off the specialized web site )

An integrated stem bolts directly onto the top crown of the fork instead of clamping to the steerer tube. This allows the steerer to be cut shorter, for one thing.

 

[Wumpus]

My 10 gauge?

Thanks for all your guy's great advice. I think the guy said the steerer was 6 or 7 inches, but he's running a integrated stem (I'm not too sure how a integrated stem works so if anyone could elaborate, it would be much appreciated!).

The fork is going to go on a large 04 bighhit- 140mm headtube, Truvativ Holzfeller stem 5 degree x 40mm, Cr-Mo, 1 1/8" headset <-- (all this came off the specialized web site )

HT 140 mm = 5.5"
Stem 50mm = 2"
Headset 20 to 30mm = .75 to 1"

Total 8.25 to 8.5"