Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Stem trouble

I went to transfer over the stem from my leader to my steamroller. i put the stem on and tightend down the stemcap screw, thats as far as i got before i realized my bars wont fit because the clamp size is different on this stem. So i tryed unscrewing the stem cap bolt and it just keeps spinning i think i might have stripped but it but i didnt even put it tight, how would i go about removing it?

hacksaw

I dont care about wrecking the stem as long as I can get my old stem back on.

dude it's really hard to say without having it in front of me to look at.

If I make a video and post it to youtube will that help? Ill go do that now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAOJpG_YFCU

star nut slipping? Just whack at the stem gently and see if you can pop it lose? Worth a try.

No need to wreck your stem. Try drilling out the bolt in the topcap. Even if you have to trash the bolt and cap you can likely replace them at little/no cost at a friendly LBS. If your star nut is stripped you can push it further down into the steerer and replace it with a new one.

All this assuming a threadless setup, of course. Let us know how it works out.

Edit: Just watched your video. Try loosening the stem so that it's easily moved. Then, as you turn that bolt in the top cap pull up on the stem to put some pressure on the top cap and bolt. You may be able to get the bolt to engage enough of the starnut thread so that it can be backed out. Otherwise drill away.

Good luck. You should be back on the road soon enough.

Alright thanks for the advice guys im gonna give it to a go in a few minutes.

If anything, You can drop the wheel, And grab a tool to hold the starnut in place from the bottom assuming you have a hollow steerer, and then get someone to apply pressure on the stem and remove the bolt, If all goes wrong, drill out the bolt and slip the cap off like said above, From there life has carried on.

^ Steerers are hollow, silly.

Fork crown is what you're thinking of.

And grab a tool to hold the starnut in place from the bottom

and do you have a name for this magical tool?

:lol:

Someone "liked" the video.

I'm pretty sure he's messing with us, I'm just too bored to care

Thanks for the advice guys just gonna drop the bike off at work before work tomorrow. All the suggestions were appreciated.

just gonna drop the bike off at work before work tomorrow.
http://www.sofabot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ConfusedCat.jpg

Lols. I'll be going to bed before i go to bed tonight.

Flat Head screwdriver to coax out the bolt. With tape, so you don't scratch the cap.

It helps to be wearing under-armour shirt so you get maximum torque from muscles and dexterity for screwdriver place holding.

It helps to be wearing under-armour shirt so you get maximum torque from muscles

heeeeeeere we go...

It helps to be wearing under-armour shirt so you get maximum torque from muscles and dexterity for screwdriver place holding.

hahaha

I paid my sister to drop it off at the shop while I was at work the guy said if im talking to ppl online that're fgss mechanic that there mostly hack and slash mechanics and but doesn't want to affend anyone lol....Or run hack and slash shops i forget what it was exactly. He also said the bolt was stuck on the headset starcap or something and there was really nothing i could have done to get it loose or some bs. He ran my sister threw the steps to fix it but it was a lot so she didn't remember them to tell me.

hahaha such a good underarmor joke, how do you come up with this stuff?
Flat Head screwdriver to coax out the bolt. With tape, so you don't scratch the cap.

It helps to be wearing under-armour shirt so you get maximum torque from muscles and dexterity for screwdriver place holding.

Steve - did you or did you not go to bike mechanic school?

I paid my sister to drop it off at the shop while I was at work the guy said if im talking to ppl online that're fgss mechanic that there mostly hack and slash mechanics and but doesn't want to affend anyone lol....Or run hack and slash shops i forget what it was exactly. He also said the bolt was stuck on the headset starcap or something and there was really nothing i could have done to get it loose or some bs. He ran my sister threw the steps to fix it but it was a lot so she didn't remember them to tell me.

dont worry. you could never insult anyones mechanical proficiency.

All the jokes aside, I think I would just use a Dremel cutting disk and cut down the top cap, which will allow you to get leverage on the bolt to pry it out. You can then use a long steel drift to hammer the bad star nut down into the steerer tube, so you can install a new good one. You can buy a new top cap, bolt and star nut combo for about $10.

If I had to guess, I'd say the threaded insert in the middle of the starnut is not grabbing the star part thats grabbing the inside of the fork. I've seen that happen before.

If I had to guess, I'd say the threaded insert in the middle of the starnut is not grabbing the star part thats grabbing the inside of the fork. I've seen that happen before.

Oh, undoubtedly, so once he can get sufficient leverage on the bolt, it will either jam the insert against the star so it won't turn with the bolt, or the bolt will simply rip the insert out of the star. Either way, the starnut is toast. Those star nuts are not meant to be tightened very much, just enough to set the headset adjustment. Sometimes people mistakenly overtighten them after the stem bolts are tightened, thinking this is necessary to secure the fork and they get damaged like this. Also, if the star nut is secured in the steerer tube by threading the cap bolt into it and hitting it with a hammer to drive it in, it can be damaged. Best way is to use a proper setting tool.

I've seen a lot of people kill star nuts by trying to tighten their headset with the stem clamped down too. It can be a pain to get out but it can be done.

Special ed classes, passed with a D. Explains a lot doesn't it?
Steve - did you or did you not go to bike mechanic school?