malpag3

According to everyone I am doing this correctly, but my fork will not come out for the life of me!

First, I disconnect relevant cables.

Second, I pound the thing wiht my sledge...kidding. I remove the three screws holding the stem to my steerer tube/column thing.

Third, I remove the stem.

Fourth, apparently the fork is supposed to fall right out. I have taken a mallet to the fork up and down and it will not budge!

Ideas? There is a wedge in between the headset and the fork steerer column that I think is the culprit.

Photos if necessary.

Biking_Lawyer

I am assuming you removed your star-fangled nut?

malpag3

Honest to God, I didn't! No one ever told me that much. I removed the cap (which screws into the star fangled nut), and the other two screws.

I'm essentially just repacking the headset with loose bearings, so is that still necessary?

Sturmcrow

You DO NOT need to remove the star fangled nut! You're right about that wedge being the culprit. You could say that you've gotten the ultimate wedgie, perhaps? I'd recommend using your mallet on the top of the steerer, then pounding gently from the bottom of the steerer. Perhaps even tap from the side of the steerer to knock that wedge free. You could always try a little light oil if those don't work.

malpag3

Do you know my affinity for puns, or what!?

What would you suggest for light oil? Olive, vegetable? Kidding, but my T9 chain lube?

Biking_Lawyer

I apparently misunderstood your inquiry---I shall now go and beat my head with a board

malpag3

Hehe, hey, advice is advice. No worries. It was corrected.

I'm going home to mallet with a vengeance today.

malpag3

Well, after doing a considerable amount of whackin' (i'm intending the pun here), I got the fork out (and it keeps going with the pun!)!!

No, but seriously, it flew out after a lot of effort.

Cleaned, carefully inspected the races for brinnelling, but I didn't find a lot of it. Instead I found tons of dirt and gunk in there. Repacked it with loose bearings. How can you tell if it's too loose or too tight? I essentially had a half a bearing space between each of them, and left about a two bearing space at the end. Sound right?

Good times.

JiveTurkey

Threadless headset adjustment: Tight enough so there's no play when you hold the front brake and rock the bike back and forth. But not so tight that the fork can't spin easily.

Number of bearing balls: Put in as many as will fit.

operator

I'm going to offer the reverse: loose enough that there's no play.

malpag3

I mean, it is exactly how my mechanic told me to make it, but I'm not sure how! How do you adjust the play? Is it by tightening the top bolt of the star-fangled nut?

Kotts

Essentially, yes.

1) Reassemble everything loosely, install top cap and spin down "finger tight".
2) Check for play.
3) Too loose? Tighten about 1 flat on the allen wrench (1/6 turn).
4) Repeat (2)-(3) until no longer too loose.
5) Tighten stem clamp bolts.