Fork cutting/threading question
 

So i ride a 52cm and i just bought some 1" threaded colnago forks that i want to put on it. However they're from a 55-56cm Olympic. My question is: Is it a total hassle/bankbreaker to have them cut and/or threaded further down the steerer so that they'll fit my bike. I'd really only need about 2 cm cut and 2-3cm threading done. It would not be over chrome either. Please help, cuz my forks are bent and stripped. yikes!:(

p.s.
I'm in SF so if anybody knows a good place to do this, please tell.

Any decent shop should be able to handle this.

It's not a particularly hard job, it just takes the right tools.

+1. Do it. Your fork is suitable and the distance you want to extend the threads is reasonable. BTW, ask the LBS if they can do it. If they say; "Sure, no problem, we've done it before" you should be ok. If they are hesitant, go elsewhere. You want a shop that's experienced doing this sort of work.

I once read; "If you ride a 52 cm frame, the world is yours." Apparently there are a lot of forks that were cut just a little too short for larger frames. Not everyone subscribes to the "measure twice, cut once" concept. :)

awesome. i'm pretty of new to the world of bike parts, with regard to compatibility and sizing, so this is encouraging. thx.

Interesting. I've heard that getting a fork cut and threaded is not a simple job and liable to be screwed up. Let us know how it goes.

Extending existing threads is pretty straightforward if the shop is experienced, the threading die is sharp and they use plenty of cutting oil. The difficulty is in starting threads from scratch or threading a fork with a chromed steerer.

I just had the threads extended on my bike for $12. You can cut it to legnth yourself with a hacksaw, Just thread the locknut on the tube and use it as a guide to cut. Then, unthread th locknut completely, and it cleans up the threads you just cut.

Measure twice, cut once.

I had the threads extended on my Cinelli fork about 4cm for $10. The cutting, I did it myself.

i've been to 4 shops today. 2 of them were very wary about the job. they both suggeting cutting a section out and re-welding it to the size i want. seemed weird given all the feed back i've received on bike forums. I told one dude that a lot of people on BF said it should be a $10 job and he got all offended. he said 40 to 50 and recommended the cut-and-weld job. what does anyone think?

Different shop....

Not surprising. A couple of shops I visited refused to take the job before I found one that did.

You need to go to an old timey LBS that has a Campy tool kit or equivalent. Just call around and ask the mechanic "Do you have a Campy tool kit." If they say yes, take it to them, if they say no, or "what is that", run away.

Their suggestion makes no sense. Unless they align the cuts and weld perfectly, they will ruin the fork. They just don't have the tool and want to make some bucks off you anyway.

I think that's one of the most frightening things I have ever heard.

Tools required:

Hacksaw or large tubing cutter

Threading die; here's Park's: http://www.parktool.com/products/det...9&item=FTS%2D1

I've done dozens of these and they just aren't that difficult. I would definitely avoid the "cut & weld" crowd, although I'd love to watch them remove a stuck seatpost! :eek:

Who would have thought, based on the Park tool site, I looked at my favorite site
for oddball tap/dies www.victornet.com and they list a 1"x24tpi round die for $27.60
and the corresponding holder for about $10. That should provide a base line to
compare Park with, providing you can find a source. Probably someone from the
builders forum will have 50 possible sources. They also have the 1 1/8" tap but miss
the 1 1/4 by 1tpi. ($40 for these taps with 13 for the holder.)

okay, one more thing. i talked to a guy yesterday who said he'd do it and it would work but it "wouldn't look pretty," meaning that it would sort of tear up the steerer a little. i think that's what he meant. Granted the steerer is not super soft steel, its been hardened, but jeez.

Threads are very pretty and very clean, it cannot tear it up if its done right.

If he's talking about cutting and welding, then yes, it could be ugly, but DON'T DO IT.

thats the thing, he's talking about threads (I ditched the cut and weld crowd as soon as i heard back from all of you). he said he's got one of the sharpest cutters around too. wtf!?

Ask if he has a scrap piece of steering tube he can demonstrate on.

Why is yours hardened?

Hardening does nothing for strength of a steering tube. It just makes it
wear longer in friction situations, of which there are none in the
steering tube. Even it was 'hardened' it would likely be well under
Rc40, more likely in the Rc25-30 range, all of which are machinable.

Right. Well, it is not the kind of thing you do yourself if you are not set up to do it. That I can tell you for sure. It isn't really a complicated job as long as you have the right tools - and the tools are special; especially the thread cutting tool. The tools will cost you between $35.00 and $50.00 and you are likely to use it only once or twice in a lifetime, even if you do a lot of wrench work. So, your best bet is to bring it in to a shop and have them do it for you while you eat a Baby Ruth candy bar and read magazines.

So, call around to the shops. Tell them exactly what you have so they can match the threads correctly.

As mentioned above, extending existing threads isn't difficult with the proper tools and knowledge. I would NEVER go to the "cut and weld" shop for any work of any kind again. Those guys are dangerous.

the thing about "hardened steerer" is something the cut and weld guy told me. so i guess i should really trust anything he says. i finally did find someone with 50 years experience so i'm going to go with him. Thank you to everyone who responded. You guys have been way more helpful than anyone i've talked to facetoface. Bikeforums kicks ass!