Stuck headseat cap
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Stuck headseat cap
Well I tried removing some spacers under my stem to see if I liked it lower. Removed a couple, put the stem back on, the steerer tube poked out a bit so I put a spacer on top, then the headset cap and tightened the cap. now I can't losen it. The bolt turns counter clockwise, but won't come out.
Ideas? If tools are needed, I'll wait till I get paid and go to a LBS. Hopefully I can fix it at home.
Ideas? If tools are needed, I'll wait till I get paid and go to a LBS. Hopefully I can fix it at home.
Last edited by hj.paul7; 05-19-12 at 07:33 PM.
#2
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If the bolt is still spinning, But not threading you may have pulled the star nut out, or stripped the bolt. in other words. Kilo tt.
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maybe the bolt is stuck in the starnut and the starnut is spinning?
if thats the case and the starnut is loose within the steerer tube...maybe (gently) try to pry the top cap upwards with a thin flathead screwdriver? that might pull the loose starnut and bolt up and out...
but dont get mad at me if it dosn't work or ****s something up lol
but yes maybe also the threads are stripped on the starnut....maybe you tightened the headset cap bolt way too tight?
if thats the case and the starnut is loose within the steerer tube...maybe (gently) try to pry the top cap upwards with a thin flathead screwdriver? that might pull the loose starnut and bolt up and out...
but dont get mad at me if it dosn't work or ****s something up lol
but yes maybe also the threads are stripped on the starnut....maybe you tightened the headset cap bolt way too tight?
#6
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By using really long pliers.
Obviously you can't pull the nut until you unscrew the cap bolt. So you need to jam something into the bottom of the fork which will engage the star nut and keep it from spinning. If that does not work I'd try to pry the cap off, probably ruining the cap and a spacer. Either that or drill a bunch of holes in the cap until you turn it into a donut. From there you can insert a rod and bang the f'ed star nut out the bottom.
Obviously you can't pull the nut until you unscrew the cap bolt. So you need to jam something into the bottom of the fork which will engage the star nut and keep it from spinning. If that does not work I'd try to pry the cap off, probably ruining the cap and a spacer. Either that or drill a bunch of holes in the cap until you turn it into a donut. From there you can insert a rod and bang the f'ed star nut out the bottom.
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maybe the bolt is stuck in the starnut and the starnut is spinning?
if thats the case and the starnut is loose within the steerer tube...maybe (gently) try to pry the top cap upwards with a thin flathead screwdriver? that might pull the loose starnut and bolt up and out...
but dont get mad at me if it dosn't work or ****s something up lol
but yes maybe also the threads are stripped on the starnut....maybe you tightened the headset cap bolt way too tight?
if thats the case and the starnut is loose within the steerer tube...maybe (gently) try to pry the top cap upwards with a thin flathead screwdriver? that might pull the loose starnut and bolt up and out...
but dont get mad at me if it dosn't work or ****s something up lol
but yes maybe also the threads are stripped on the starnut....maybe you tightened the headset cap bolt way too tight?
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It sounds like the threaded portion of the star nut has broken loose from the actual star nut prongs. Just drill out the top cap bolt head. Once you get the head drilled through, you can take the top cap off and figure out what's going on in there. From there, you could hammer the star nut out the bottom(or just down further so you can install a new star nut) and be good to go.
Does your fork have a big hole at the bottom of the steer tube? If so, perhaps a nice long rod/screwdriver up from the bottom, and some hits with a hammer might pop the star nut up enough to get something in there to pry the top cap off.
Or I suppose you could just crank down the top cap bolt until it pops the threaded portion loose, but I don't know how doing that might affect the headset bearings.
Does your fork have a big hole at the bottom of the steer tube? If so, perhaps a nice long rod/screwdriver up from the bottom, and some hits with a hammer might pop the star nut up enough to get something in there to pry the top cap off.
Or I suppose you could just crank down the top cap bolt until it pops the threaded portion loose, but I don't know how doing that might affect the headset bearings.
#10
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You could just let the lbs do it. if anything they'll hammer it out in 3 seconds.
#11
Your cog is slipping.
It sounds like your star nut is slipping inside your steerer (which I've had happen to me before) but it's usually more of a problem when tightening the bolt rather than removing it.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
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It sounds like your star nut is slipping inside your steerer (which I've had happen to me before) but it's usually more of a problem when tightening the bolt rather than removing it.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
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It sounds like your star nut is slipping inside your steerer (which I've had happen to me before) but it's usually more of a problem when tightening the bolt rather than removing it.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
Try this: remove your front wheel and use something long and thin (like a wooden dowel) to push on the bottom of the bolt - which should be sticking through the bottom of the star nut just a little - while you loosen it from the top. You should be able to loosen it just enough to be able to grab it with your fingers and remove it. If the bottom of the bolt is flush with the bottom of the star nut, use something even thinner that will allow you to push it up inside as you loosen it from the top, like a long BBQ skewer.
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