Bicycle Mechanics - Front cable hanger install for canti brakes

I bought a front cable hanger that bolts to the fork (http://www.tektro.com/_english/01_products/01_prodetail.php?pid=159&sortname=Accessories&sort=1&fid=5). My fork has a hole there, but 1) it's not threaded and 2) the nuts provided with the hanger are too big to fit into the back of the hole.

Can I just buy a longer bolt and put a nut/washer on the end or is this a bad idea? It's a 2007 fuji cross pro, so carbon fiber fork with alloy crown/steerer.

My current stem-mounted cable hanger doesn't have an adjustment screw and I need one somewhere to swap wheels. I just removed the cross top levers... which won't fit on the new handlebars. So it's either the longer bolt or buy a new stem-mount cable hanger. :mad: or a new front brake?

I would think a fork of that age would be drilled for the recessed nut. I'd look closely to see how far off it is. May just need to have the hole at the rear of the fork cleaned out a bit to make room for the nut.

Look at the shape of the hole in the back. If it has a shallow counterbore for the head of a recessed nut, then the back hole should be 8mm in diameter, and probably just needs to be cleaned out. In that case, either a longer screw or nut will work.

If the back hole isn't counterbored, and is closer to 6mm which makes sense for a fork with canti bosses, then buy a longer bolt.

If you decide to get a longer bolt and nut you would do well to also get an "elastic stop nut" which will resist loosening due to vibration, etc.

Thanks, it's a 6mm hole and not counterbored. I'll get a nylon lock nut or put some loctite on it.

Post a picture when you're done! We love that stuff.

new hardware arrived and thus a new discovery... there is a threaded insert within the crown, but it spins within its mount pretty easily. The original bolt just barely reaches it so it bottomed out in the hanger quickly and just spun... The hanger will just barely stay upright on its own with the threaded insert. Any side pressure and it tilts over (this is without housing/cable attached), probably not good for a brake fitting?

I'm deciding between a 50mm bolt with a half-height jam nut, or a 55mm with the nylock nut (thankfully ordered both)... will probably go with the latter. Should have it installed tonight.

Yes, you do need the mounting bolt for that hanger to be extremely tight in that design. The hanger will actually experience compressive cantilever forces. The clamping-pressure & friction from the mounting bolt is all that prevents the hanger from spinning. A better design would be to have a plate or finger extending under the hanger that wraps around the bottom of the fork to prevent it from spinning in case the mounting-bolt wasn't tight enough.

The best design would place the hanger in pure tension, such that you won't even need a mounting bolt, much less a tight one. Such as one that actually "hangs" from the stem or upper headset cup.

Personally, I would just enlarge the hole on the back of the fork to 8mm. Take all of 30-seconds and no additional hardware needed.

Forks with Canti studs generally aren't hollowed out for the recessed nut.

I have the same hanger (but branded as Forte) on my touring bike. I origionally installed it with a longer bolt and Nyloc nut (I also needed a 2nd serrated washer to clear my headset) but When It came time to install fenders I drilled out the back of my fork and installed a Sheldon fender nut.