Originally Posted by ClarkinHawaii

I had one hell of a time installing a star nut in a cheapo aluminum fork a few months ago. Went in crooked and I couldn't straighten it out--fortunately it was straight enough that the bolt screwed in ok and it ended up doing its job in the end, but it was a nightmare. End of steer tube kinda mangled.

Now I need to install one in a very expensive carbon fork--everybody tells you how to hammer on the thing with a socket or whatever, but nobody says how you're supposed to hold the fork while you're doing this. I don't have a vise or a tame gorilla to hold the carbon fork steady whilst I do the deed.

The "head lock" sounds good to me. I don't care about the weight of that extra long bolt. Problem is that the fork steerer will be used uncut, and they don't supply the interior bolts in head locks long enough. Is the interior bolt of a common enough threading that I could find a foot-long one at home depot? I plan on slapping on a locking spacer and removing the interior bolt anyway, not leaving it permanently attached.

If there is not some way that I can do the star nut myself, unassisted, I'll have to jury-rig a head lock.

What do you suggest? Thanks

Edit: Inspiration has struck--Why not use a very long bolt run from the head cap down through the crown and out the hole at the bottom of the fork's cleft, where it will be screwed into one of those expansion bolts like you use behind drywall. Do the preload, put on the locking spacer and remove the "head lock". Sound feasible?