Please help - Which nut is this in the steerer tube?
04-25-18, 02:22 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
3 Posts
Please help - Which nut is this in the steerer tube?
Hi All,
I have an older Look carbon fork (steerer is also carbon), I believe either HSC 1 or 2, that is too tall. I want to cut it down, but I am not familiar with the nut that is in place (please see photo). Can I simply hammer this nut down??
Thank you in advance,
Stanley
thumbnail-1.jpeg
I have an older Look carbon fork (steerer is also carbon), I believe either HSC 1 or 2, that is too tall. I want to cut it down, but I am not familiar with the nut that is in place (please see photo). Can I simply hammer this nut down??
Thank you in advance,
Stanley
thumbnail-1.jpeg
04-25-18, 02:30 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,783
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
9 Posts
Don't hammer it. It's an expansion plug, which is removable & replaceable. See THIS PAGE on Park Tool's web site for more info.
The expansion plug gives the top cap bolt something to anchor to, so that you can remove headset play when installing your threadless stem. If positioned at the same height as the stem, it also helps protect a fork's carbon steerer tube from crushing or cracking when you tighten the stem clamp bolts.
The expansion plug gives the top cap bolt something to anchor to, so that you can remove headset play when installing your threadless stem. If positioned at the same height as the stem, it also helps protect a fork's carbon steerer tube from crushing or cracking when you tighten the stem clamp bolts.
04-25-18, 02:38 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
3 Posts
Thanks for the quick reply and link. Please excuse my ignorance, but there doesn't seem to be any expansion bolt that I can unscrew or any other means of removing this piece?
04-25-18, 02:55 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,053
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4194 Post(s)
Liked 3,837 Times
in
2,295 Posts
Was there an upper part(s) of the pressure plug that was removed before the photo was taken? It looks like what is shown is the lower cone and the "brake shoes" (as in what a drum brake would have, which is what pressure plug mimics). If so then the lower cone needs a tap from a punch and hammer to break it loose from the "shoes". With the poor photo it's hard to say if the brown stuff is corrosion, dirt or dried on food/drink gunk
Andy
Andy
04-25-18, 03:08 PM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
3 Posts
Sorry for the poor pic, I took another one. The setup is "as is" and there were no other pieces above it. The top cap screw was screwed into the hole pictured. Thanks.
04-25-18, 04:17 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,783
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
9 Posts
Can you remove the front wheel and look at the plug from the underside to see if there's a hex opening on that end?
04-25-18, 04:59 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 786
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 384 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
6 Posts
Got some lovely anti-seize on there.
If there was nothing else but the adjuster bolt on that, then the center piece must be expanding when the adjuster screw is tightened. Don't "hammer" it, but I'd thread the bolt back in, and try to tap it gently downward and see if it releases the expansion. Might just fall out (or down) when it's loosened.
If there was nothing else but the adjuster bolt on that, then the center piece must be expanding when the adjuster screw is tightened. Don't "hammer" it, but I'd thread the bolt back in, and try to tap it gently downward and see if it releases the expansion. Might just fall out (or down) when it's loosened.
04-25-18, 06:00 PM
#10
don't try this at home.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,933
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Liked 509 Times
in
349 Posts
Take another photo straight down. How many edge slots? 1 or 2? Most plugs are divided into 4 quadrants or in thirds. two pieces are less common, one piece is very unusual.
Hmmm. It might be this one, found via google image search:
That's very odd, with a spring to tension it. Strange. It appears to only have one slot.
Like the previous comments, a drop of oil in the center part to lube the interface between the outside collar and the center "wedge". Then insert the center bolt and lightly tap it down, the center "wedge" part should pop loose.
Then throw it out and get a normal one.
Perhaps missing the top washer and spring:
Hmmm. It might be this one, found via google image search:
That's very odd, with a spring to tension it. Strange. It appears to only have one slot.
Like the previous comments, a drop of oil in the center part to lube the interface between the outside collar and the center "wedge". Then insert the center bolt and lightly tap it down, the center "wedge" part should pop loose.
Then throw it out and get a normal one.
Perhaps missing the top washer and spring:
Last edited by rm -rf; 04-25-18 at 06:07 PM.
04-25-18, 06:13 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,352
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,942 Times
in
1,905 Posts
Iirc thats how mine is on the trek. Deadblow the center section with a drift rod & it should pop down & out.
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
04-25-18, 10:28 PM
#12
Senior member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 8,115
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 942 Post(s)
Liked 656 Times
in
370 Posts
Was there an upper part(s) of the pressure plug that was removed before the photo was taken? It looks like what is shown is the lower cone and the "brake shoes" (as in what a drum brake would have, which is what pressure plug mimics). If so then the lower cone needs a tap from a punch and hammer to break it loose from the "shoes". With the poor photo it's hard to say if the brown stuff is corrosion, dirt or dried on food/drink gunk Andy
Andy
04-26-18, 08:11 PM
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
3 Posts
Unfortunately there are no openings on the underside of the fork.
Thank you all for your input - I'll try lubrication followed by gentle tapping down with the screw in place.
Thank you all for your input - I'll try lubrication followed by gentle tapping down with the screw in place.
