Indy_Rider

My new fork should arrive today, so does anyone have any advice for installing it? I want to make sure I do it right so any advice would be helpful since this is the first time installing a new one.

misteralz

Need more information...

LowCel 

First, measure two or three times before cutting the steerer. Either use a pipe cutter to cut it (providing it's not carbon) or take it to your lbs and use their park cutting guide. Next, install the star nut. This can be done using a screw and a hammer but it is much easier to use a tool designed for it. Last find a pipe a little larger than the steerer tube to install the crown race onto the fork.

If you have never done this before it may be worth spending about $10 at your lbs and ask them if you can watch so you will know what you are doing next time. It's not a hard job but having the right tools certainly does make it easier.

trekkie820

I used a hacksaw to cut the tube, measured three times before hand. It doesn't HAVE to be a straight, perfect cut, as long as you have the headset spacers above (slightly) the end of the steerer. This is ideal, because it allows for some adjustment room. I used a cloth tipped screwdriver and hammer to "press" the crown race on (really I just taped a sock to the end of the screw driver and tapped it on gently). It has been solid and trouble free.

nodnerb

Exactly. The straighter the better jsut for the sake of doing it right. But the stem *HAS* to be somewhat above the steerer for you to be able to adjust out the play in the headset. Ideally, you want the smallest gap you can have between the steerer and the stem and still adjust out the play.

misteralz

The best method I've found for steerer length is to put the setup together minus one spacer and then marking the excess steerer above the top of the stem.
Take forks back out, cut at mark, re-assemble with missing spacer replaced - et voila - perfect steerer length!

TwinCam

I always have the steerer cut an inch long and just take up the slack woth spacers on top. Never know if the fork might end up on another frame, mine or otherwise.

misteralz

Good point - I cut my RockShox for my old Dawes frame and bought a Zaskar the next weekend. Needless to say the steerer's too short! The stem grips the very top of the steerer, so I've cut a section of old steerer and made up the gap, then installed an Azonic Headlock upside-down to sleeve a sleeve as it were! Works really well.