um help!!!!!

[chris_wuz_here]

hey im 13 and i think i broke my stem on my 2004 f3 haro or my fork ithink its my fork because the top of that big long bolt thing that like tightens the thats in the top of the stem broke off wen i was ridin and it seems loose and i dont no wat to do

[hypersnazz]

Step 1: Take it apart, lose all the bearings and forget how it goes back together.
Step 2: Buy a new bike.

Or you could read up on how to properly dismantle a stem and headset here (http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQindex.shtml#headset).

I'm guessing by your vague description of the problem you're dealing with a threaded (http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headset.shtml) headset. That'd be a good place to start, come back when you have specific questions not answered there.

Edit: good thing you felt we all needed to know what you ride in another, unrelated post, even though that information somehow didn't seem relevant to this one. Start with the info on dismantling a threadless (http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headthreadless.shtml) headset first.

[bmichaelx]

...I'm guessing by your vague description of the problem you're dealing with a threaded headset...

It would help a lot if you read his WHOLE thread. He said "on my haro F3", Which would tell any person with a tiny shread of knowledge about Haro's that it is not a threaded headset.

Why did you give him links to show him how to take apart a threaded and threadless headset(in your "Edit)???

[hypersnazz]

It would help a lot if you read his WHOLE thread. He said "on my haro F3", Which would tell any person with a tiny shread of knowledge about Haro's that it is not a threaded headset.

Why did you give him links to show him how to take apart a threaded and threadless headset(in your "Edit)???

Because my brain automatically shuts out craptastic typing. Chances are his headset's just loose and he needs to loosen the stem bolts, tighten the compression bolt and retighten the stem. Chances are also good that when he does this he's going to smash the bearings in his F3's unsealed headset, which any person with a little *more* than a tiny shred of knowledge about Haros would know is standard equipment. So rather than explain the process in detail so he doesn't f*ck it up, I sent him to a site that goes through it step by step in far more detail than I have the patience to describe right now.

[bmichaelx]

Because my brain automatically shuts out craptastic typing.

If you can't read his thread then why reply to it? Also he said his "big long bolt thing that like tightens the thats in the top of the stem" broke off. Does you compression bolt break off whenever your headsets loose?

[FireTeamCharlie]

What i'd do is take the stem off, clean off the forks and put it back together.

[hypersnazz]

If you can't read his thread then why reply to it? Also he said his "big long bolt thing that like tightens the thats in the top of the stem" broke off. Does you compression bolt break off whenever your headsets loose?

Removing (or breaking) the compression bolt has zero effect on the bike if the stem is properly tightened. If it's not, the stem wiggles loose. It's not very likely he's actually broken a machined aluminum stem. It *is* likely he'll do more damage to the headset without reading up on how to work on stems and headsets. Instead of entering into a pissing contest with me (which you'll lose), go ahead and diagnose the problem yourself from that mangled heap of what could be English and get back to us with some educated findings.

[Brian]

It would help a lot if you read his WHOLE thread. He said "on my haro F3", Which would tell any person with a tiny shread of knowledge about Haro's that it is not a threaded headset.


Also he said his "big long bolt thing that like tightens the thats in the top of the stem" broke off.


Sorry, most people that have been around bikes for more than a few years would have seen the part about a long bolt, and thought of the expander bolt in a quill type stem right away. I had to read it a few times to try and make any sense out of it. I'll repeat the advice I gave earlier this week -

Take it to someone that knows what they're doing, and watch closely.

[BMXTRIX]

hey im 13 and i think i broke my stem on my 2004 f3 haro or my fork ithink its my fork because the top of that big long bolt thing that like tightens the thats in the top of the stem broke off wen i was ridin and it seems loose and i dont no wat to do
It sounds like what broke off was your compression bolt for the headset. This is not related to your stem specifically and you likely haven't caused your bike any serious damage, but perhaps some minor damage.

You will want to get some hex wrenches to do some work on your bike for this and a few wrenches.

Take a look at the 'repairing threadless headset' from the link above, pay special attention to the 'star nut' photos as this most definitely applies to your bike.

The rules for adjusting a headset:

1. Loosen the rear bolts on your stem that clamp it onto the fork. This allows your stem to go up and down easily.
2. Tighten and loosen the bolt on top of the forks. This is the compression bolt.
3. NEVER over tighten the bolt on top of the forks! It causes the star nut to strip, the bolt to break, or other problems.
4. Bike shops have replacement headset parts available and aren't crazy expensive.
5. When you loosen your stem, tighten down the top bolt JUST enough so that the bars/fork does not shake around, then tighten your stem back down. Do NOT crank down on the bolt on top of the forks!!! DO crank down hard on the bolts on the stem that hold it to the fork.