RunForTheHills

I ordered a Park FFG-2 tool for fork alignment. The box appeared new and unopened, but when I opened it, the tools are covered in a layer of dirt and debris and the molded handles on the T are very loose and easily slide off and twist around. Is that normal for this tool?

Zef

Shouldn't you pose that question to whomever you made the purchase from?.....new stuff should not come covered in dirt and debris.

-j

HillRider

It sounds like only the box was new. I agree, go back to the seller for an explanation and/or refund.

RunForTheHills

I bought it through Amazon. I did send a message to the seller. I wanted to use the tool this weekend, but I will return it if necessary. I can clean the dirt off, but is it normal for the handles to be loose? It seems like it would make it more difficult to use the tool.

FBinNY 

I used to sell a fair number of these. The tool, as supplied from Park used to come in a large poly bag, and often the knob would be loose in the bag. (things might have changed in the last few years).

Also, the thread tended to be sloppy, but that didn't affect function, since once you set the pointer, you didn't move it during the comparison test.

fietsbob

G'fu tool number, gets the 2 T handled ones to get the dropouts parallel ..

https://www.parktool.com/product/fram...auge-set-ffg-2

Clean it up and a little oil on treads . have someone show you how to use them .. I cannot do that from Here.

next one to get is the DAG - 2
https://www.parktool.com/product/dera...nt-gauge-dag-2

RunForTheHills

There is no poly bag. The two T handles were packed in a cardboard box (from Park with the name of the tool on the outside) with a piece of cardboard separating them. I am not sure what you mean by pointer. I think you just line up the ends so they are parallel and in line with each other.

Thanks. I don't know anyone local that has used them, but I think I can figure it out. I am only spreading the frame from 120 to 126, so I don't think it will be that far out of alignment. The threads seem to have grease (with debris clinging to it). So you think if the molded plastic handles on the T's are loose, that is normal?

The DAG-2 looks like a good tool to have, but the bike I am working on right now is an old Raleigh International. It uses a bolt on derailleur without a hanger. The derailleur that is on it is a Sun Tour V GT Luxe. I ordered new wheels with a 7 speed cassette hub. I think the Sun Tour derailleur will work.

FBinNY 

Sorry, it's been a while. I confused an FFG-2 with a ***-2. disregard my post.

fietsbob

Just may have been old stock . I expect the price was less thats why you went there.

RunForTheHills

I should have described the tool better and not assumed everyone remembers part numbers.

RunForTheHills

I just buy a lot of stuff from Amazon and usually have good luck. I don't think the price was very different from other sources. Does anyone else who owns this tool have loose handles or are they fixed solidly (like I was expecting)?

fietsbob

Got some Glue?

Zef

Are you planning on using the FFG-2 to spread/cold set the frame? If not then good....if so, thats not what they are designed for and can overly stress the dropouts in the process.

-j

RunForTheHills

I am planning to use a 2X4 to spread/cold set the frame using Sheldon Brown's instructions. However, spreading the frame causes the forks to go out of alignment. I bought the tool to re-align the forks after spreading the frame.

Zef

good plan.

-j

cny-bikeman

Thus some of the confusion - whether front or rear they're called dropouts. Rear triangle is what the rear dropouts are attached to, fork for the front dropouts.

RunForTheHills

I am fairly new to this, so I may not use the right terms. The Sheldon Brown article refers to it as a forkend alignment and Park calls the tool a frame and fork end alignment gauge.

Adjusting bicycle forkends to be parallel

cny-bikeman

Yes, that's true - fork end makes it more clear.

RunForTheHills

This is what I am talking about. The rubberized handles are very loose and practically fall off of it.

JohnDThompson 

Mine didn't come with any rubberized covers, but then again I bought them back in the 70s, so maybe things have changed.

halfwheel

This is exactly the reason why I won't buy tools from Amazon. I've been burned more than once--paying the new price and receive a tool that's obviously been used, sometimes improperly, and dirty. They have the option for buying used. If I wanted used, I would've selected used and paid less.

RunForTheHills

I am not getting burned. The vendor responded to me early this morning (before I even woke up). They contacted Park and are replacing the tool. I don't think the tool was used, but it may have been old stock as someone mentioned earlier in the thread. It could have sat in a distributor's warehouse in hot and/or humid conditions. The box looked new and unopened from the outside. The vendor couldn't have known the condition of the tool.

RunForTheHills

Here is an update. The vendor sent me a replacement FFG-2 and included a BO-2 tool for free with the
replacement. I hadn't thought I needed a BO-2 tool, but in retrospect it is a tool I would use a few
times during the week and quite a bit on the weekend. I decided to post a review of the tool for
others who may not have considered purchasing one.



As you may know beers manufactured in the US do not require a specialized tool to remove the bottle cap. The cap can be unscrewed by hand. However, the rest of the world has not adopted this American innovation and a bottle opener is required to remove the cap. Although it is possible to remove it with a flat headed screwdriver, that is more time consuming than using a specialized tool. In order to test the tool, I picked up this British made ale at my LBS (local beverage store).



You can see from this picture that the build quality of the tool is superior to this Lucky Lager
branded tool of unknown vintage. The Lucky Lager bottle opener has developed some rust over the
years, but the Park tool is constructed from stainless steel, so that shouldn't be an issue with the
Park.



The tool has a wrap around design that guides it onto the bottle cap. The Lucky Lager tool is a
little more difficult to line up before levering off the cap. It seems like a little thing, but it is
an important feature if you consume six or more beers in a single sitting. At the end of a long beer
drinking session your hand eye coordination can diminish. The tool has a comfortable blue plastic
coated handle and is built with typical Park quality. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the BO-2 to
anyone that regularly opens non-American made beers. I also found the British make fine ale even if their packaging is inferior.

reddog3

I don't know where you buy your beer, but up here in Oregon there are many (local) brews without twist-off caps. Generally speaking... if you can twist off the cap it ain't worth drinking. I'm sure some are exported to California.

HillRider

Generally speaking, that's wrong.