Makeitso

Hi all, I just got a rigid carbon mountain fork at Nashbar and am wondering what I need to do to get the v-brake posts out. I am going to be using disc brakes and won't need them.

I have searched several places and found some information. It is said that heating the posts to relax the thread lock is needed sometimes. I have found nothing about trying this on a carbon fork.

I would like to know if heating the posts would damage the fork in any way. I have tried removing them and can't get them loose. I don't want to strip out the flats to the point they will be unusable.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get this done over the weekend.

Thanks in advance

dsbrantjr

"I am trying to get this done over the weekend."
What's your rush? The bike will be rideable with the posts in place. If it were me I would get the correct removal information from Nashbar before I went and did something which would damage the fork and/or viod the warranty.

FastJake

AFAIK, either they unscrew or they are not removable. Honestly I would just leave them be if you can't unscrew them, they only add a few grams and it's not worth ruining your fork to take them out.

Sirrus Rider

Use them to mount a front mini-rack..

FBinNY 

Stupid question.

If you knew you didn't want brake bosses, and were immediately going to try to remove them (if possible), why did you buy a fork with bosses**********

Burton

If there's flats on the posts then blue Loctite or an equivalent was used to mount them and doesn't require heat to release it. A wrench across the flats should do it.

If there are no flats the bosses were integrated into the fork and you're out of luck.

If they do come out, a plastic plug is acailable, and if they don't, a plastic sleeve will protect them from corossion.

Makeitso

Yea, I think I'll wait and talk to Nashbar tech support and see what they say. Guess I'll have to ride with them on to start out with. Thanks for the input, just confirms what I was thinking.

A front mini rack? Hmm.

And for the stupid question answer, When I got this fork I was planning on using them. Have you ever heard of someone changing their mind? I am using it on a different bike now than the plan started out with. Maybe you should think before you talk. I am not going to throw it away and buy a new one without posts.

JanMM

With conversion to disc brakes, I struggled mightily to remove posts from a RANS aluminum fork. No flats - used ViceGrips and much effort. Impressed by the effectiveness of the threadlocker.
Replaced with boss plugs like these: https://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi...d=729930317885

Decided to leave the rear posts in place for the time being.

FBinNY 

You don't know me or anyone else an explanation, and don't need to be offended. The question was rhetorical, and presented as a "stupid question". I asked it because you started the post "I just got...." which I inferred to mean a very recent purchase. So often on this forum we get questions from folks asking how to modify newly acquired items that weren't what they really wanted, but bought because they were cheaper, cooler or whatever, figuring they'd modify them later.

In your case, If it were still unused, I might have seen is I could exchange it for what I wanted paying the shipping and restock fee if any. But be that as it may, you can remove removable studs, leaving just the base pad. If they're not removable, you can saw them off and file them flush to the base, then touch up with paint or insert a plug. The result is identical to removing a boss, except that it isn't reversible.

Makeitso

I explained because I was offended by your stupid post comment. What did you think I'd be, happy? Not a great way to start off a conversation by saying a persons question is stupid.

fietsbob

[dousing Flame]
I vote for taking advantage of them being there as a mounting point for a front rack
to support small light bags and/or headlights..

hardware stores have plastic pieces called Thread protectors,
or a stack of O rings held on by a bolt,
that cover the bare metal .. for aesthetics

fr333zin

@Makeitso - The way I read it, FBinNY was saying his was the stupid question, not yours. BTW, not a good idea to use heat on carbon.

FBinNY 

The opening "stupid question" was there to set a tone, and prevent offense, but apparently that didn't take.

Anyway, there's no reason to get worked up over the bosses. Lots of people are riding with unused bosses on forks and stays after conversion to discs. Some brand new bikes come with both canti boss and disc mounts because the company doesn't want to make 2 versions of the frame.

Rather than be offended for no reason, stop and consider your options.

1- if unused, exchange the fork for one you'll be happy with. Or sell this one and buy another. You'll eat a loss, but be happier in the end.

2- if you cannot exchangeor sell it, learn to live with the fork as is, and/or find a way to make use of the bosses, like for a light or front rack mount.

3- remove the boss down to the base either by unscrewing (if possible) or permanently by hacksaw and file.

Or you can feel free to vent your frustration at me. I have thick skin and can take it, if that helps.

reddog3

I'd just mount a brake bridge/fork brace to those posts so it'd look like I knew whatwas doin'.

pityr

Like mentioned, Heat + carbon = very bad. So would soaking it with any sort of chemical loosening agent like PB Blaster. You might be able to get away with a little tiny drop on the metal part itself but you would want to keep the chemical away from the carbon.

Makeitso

It's all good, no problem.

Makeitso

Here is what I did to get the posts out.

I called Nashbar for their advice on how to do this.
I put an adjustable wrench as tight as I could get it on the flats of the posts, heated up the tip of the post with a butane torch as I applied pressure to the wrench until the post came loose.
After I took the post out I touched the fork and it wasn't even warm to the touch. The post was slightly warm on the fork end and hot to the touch on the end I heated.

Burton

So if the post end was only slightly warm to the touch heating it was probably incidental to removing the post. Any threadlocking compound I'm familiar with that needs heat to release it needs in the range of 400 degrees. But glad to hear you were sucessful!

himespau 

Did nashbar suggest that or did you just sort of figure it out on your own?

Makeitso

I sort of figured it out on my own. Nashbar said don't put heat directly to the carbon fork so I didn't. I tried to remove it without the heat and all that was going to happen was stripping off the flats. The thread lock stuff looked green. There was some of the compound on the end of one of the posts.

Posts out, no damage = me happy.