Strange Front Fork on my new BS500 * Please Help
02-18-17, 08:58 AM
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Strange Front Fork on my new BS500 * Please Help
Hello Guys and Gals, I think I found the problem why my front fork is not the standard 100mm OLD. I just rebuilt the front hub, grease and new bearings. Went to install on the fork, it won't fit. I measured the OLD of the hub , lock nut to lock nut, it's 100mm !!! The forks OLD is 89mm !! Could the fork have been squashed during shipping ? I don't think so, as the front was turned 90 degrees to it's normal position. The box not damaged in any way. The box would have taken a hit from the ends to do this and it's not.
SO, now to spread the fork back to 100mm. Cold spread , any issues before I start ? Thank you soo much, KB
SO, now to spread the fork back to 100mm. Cold spread , any issues before I start ? Thank you soo much, KB
02-18-17, 09:06 AM
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What material is the fork ? Steel can usual be fixed by bending. Other materials less likely.
Who packed & shipped it ?
The difficulty in fixing a steel fork is identifying which blade is bent. Just 1 ? Both ?, 1 more than the other ? In/out ? ...forwards/backwards ?... dropout damage ?
And then correcting accurately.
Depending on the bike and your level of OCD, you need to decide where on the scale of perfection your "good enough" point is.
Who packed & shipped it ?
The difficulty in fixing a steel fork is identifying which blade is bent. Just 1 ? Both ?, 1 more than the other ? In/out ? ...forwards/backwards ?... dropout damage ?
And then correcting accurately.
Depending on the bike and your level of OCD, you need to decide where on the scale of perfection your "good enough" point is.
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Last edited by Homebrew01; 02-18-17 at 09:12 AM.
02-18-17, 09:43 AM
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Hello Guys and Gals, I think I found the problem why my front fork is not the standard 100mm OLD. I just rebuilt the front hub, grease and new bearings. Went to install on the fork, it won't fit. I measured the OLD of the hub , lock nut to lock nut, it's 100mm !!! The forks OLD is 89mm !! Could the fork have been squashed during shipping ? I don't think so, as the front was turned 90 degrees to it's normal position. The box not damaged in any way. The box would have taken a hit from the ends to do this and it's not.
SO, now to spread the fork back to 100mm. Cold spread , any issues before I start ? Thank you soo much, KB
SO, now to spread the fork back to 100mm. Cold spread , any issues before I start ? Thank you soo much, KB
I do think the fork got bent somehow. How isn't relevant now
I'd take a large piece of paper, big enough so that the full fork will fit on it. Using a straight edge run a long straight line down the center of the paper. Lay the fork on the paper so that the aforementioned line is centered on the steerer tube section, as that portion would not have gotten bent. Then you can measure with a small ruler the distance from that line to the inside of each dropout. Most likely one of those got bent inward more than the other if it got stepped on or crushed in shipping. If they are both equally pulled inward (approx. 45mm on each side) then it got squeezed in from an improperly set skewer (without the wheel inserted)! That paper guide will also be useful for bending it back to a 100mm (50mm each side of the drawn line) fork dropout spacing.
Good Luck - Don
02-18-17, 09:51 AM
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Hi KB,
I do think the fork got bent somehow. How isn't relevant now I'd take a large piece of paper, big enough so that the full fork will fit on it. Using a straight edge run a long straight line down the center of the paper. Lay the fork on the paper so that the aforementioned line is centered on the steerer tube section, as that portion would not have gotten bent. Then you can measure with a small ruler the distance from that line to the inside of each dropout. Most likely one of those got bent inward more than the other if it got stepped on or crushed in shipping. If they are both equally pulled inward (approx. 45mm on each side) then it got squeezed in from an improperly set skewer (without the wheel inserted)!
That paper guide will also be useful for bending it back to a 100mm (50mm each side of the drawn line) fork dropout spacing.
Good Luck - Don
I do think the fork got bent somehow. How isn't relevant now
I'd take a large piece of paper, big enough so that the full fork will fit on it. Using a straight edge run a long straight line down the center of the paper. Lay the fork on the paper so that the aforementioned line is centered on the steerer tube section, as that portion would not have gotten bent. Then you can measure with a small ruler the distance from that line to the inside of each dropout. Most likely one of those got bent inward more than the other if it got stepped on or crushed in shipping. If they are both equally pulled inward (approx. 45mm on each side) then it got squeezed in from an improperly set skewer (without the wheel inserted)! That paper guide will also be useful for bending it back to a 100mm (50mm each side of the drawn line) fork dropout spacing.
Good Luck - Don
02-18-17, 10:13 AM
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What material is the fork ? Steel can usual be fixed by bending. Other materials less likely.
Who packed & shipped it ?
The difficulty in fixing a steel fork is identifying which blade is bent. Just 1 ? Both ?, 1 more than the other ? In/out ? ...forwards/backwards ?... dropout damage ?
And then correcting accurately.
Depending on the bike and your level of OCD, you need to decide where on the scale of perfection your "good enough" point is.
Who packed & shipped it ?
The difficulty in fixing a steel fork is identifying which blade is bent. Just 1 ? Both ?, 1 more than the other ? In/out ? ...forwards/backwards ?... dropout damage ?
And then correcting accurately.
Depending on the bike and your level of OCD, you need to decide where on the scale of perfection your "good enough" point is.
02-18-17, 10:19 AM
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Hi KB,
I do think the fork got bent somehow. How isn't relevant now I'd take a large piece of paper, big enough so that the full fork will fit on it. Using a straight edge run a long straight line down the center of the paper. Lay the fork on the paper so that the aforementioned line is centered on the steerer tube section, as that portion would not have gotten bent. Then you can measure with a small ruler the distance from that line to the inside of each dropout. Most likely one of those got bent inward more than the other if it got stepped on or crushed in shipping. If they are both equally pulled inward (approx. 45mm on each side) then it got squeezed in from an improperly set skewer (without the wheel inserted)!
That paper guide will also be useful for bending it back to a 100mm (50mm each side of the drawn line) fork dropout spacing.
Good Luck - Don
I do think the fork got bent somehow. How isn't relevant now
I'd take a large piece of paper, big enough so that the full fork will fit on it. Using a straight edge run a long straight line down the center of the paper. Lay the fork on the paper so that the aforementioned line is centered on the steerer tube section, as that portion would not have gotten bent. Then you can measure with a small ruler the distance from that line to the inside of each dropout. Most likely one of those got bent inward more than the other if it got stepped on or crushed in shipping. If they are both equally pulled inward (approx. 45mm on each side) then it got squeezed in from an improperly set skewer (without the wheel inserted)! That paper guide will also be useful for bending it back to a 100mm (50mm each side of the drawn line) fork dropout spacing.
Good Luck - Don
02-18-17, 11:28 AM
#7
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Looks like my hope to install 700C wheels is back on. 
KB
KB
Last edited by kcblair; 02-18-17 at 02:17 PM.
02-18-17, 02:09 PM
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While it can give good control of the amount of spread, it doesn't offer any control over which part it is that moves.
To maintain or achieve alignment I prefer to use methods that brace against an independent part rather than each other.
02-18-17, 05:21 PM
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What kind of bike? 90mm OLD front forks were not unusual for older British 3-speeds BITD.
02-18-17, 06:05 PM
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When I first removed the bike and placed on the maintenance stand, I tried to check the fit of some 700C wheels, and then noticed the difference. I thought it odd, til I put the original wheel on. I took some measurements, and the fork appeared to be evenly pressed inwards. So I employed the "cold setting" technique , and now all is good., back to 100mm OLD. KB
02-18-17, 06:09 PM
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02-18-17, 06:26 PM
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02-18-17, 07:26 PM
#13
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Excellent KB. Now lets hope you have some decent riding weather soon. BTW, here in Chicago it hit 70 today. Sadly, me and the family had an event to attend in Chicago and I was not able to ride the bike today. However, I'll be riding tomorrow and will be using my BS 500
Yes, lucked out on this one. The wheel sits fairly centered in the fork. Once I get the brakes in, I'll have a better feel for how much fine tuning , to do, centering the wheel. Nothing I can't live without.
Enjoy your ride. KB.
