Star nut in steel threaded steerer?
 

Will a star nut work in a 1 1/8 steel threaded steerer? Will it hold? I want to use the fork as a threadless fork with a threadless stem.


I just put a nice-DB CROMO- light-851 grams- threaded 1 1/8 fork on my Jamis Dragon-mainly used to ride up and down levee.
The steerer is waaaaay too long,so I can't load the bearing in the usual way(yes I knew this when I bought it-I wanted it long for more upright riding position).
I've put on a bastardized headset with a threadless type stem.I preload it by just screwing down the top "nut" of the threaded headset- using the stem as a spacer-works ok.
But I would like to try a star nut in it ans preload it that way.

Will a standard star nut -for a 1 1/8 steerer-work??
The steel steer has an ID of .995"- on my aluminum steerer tube fork it is about .975".
I think those start nuts are about 1"??
Are there special star nuts for this application?
The current setup- using the top nut to preload with a stem as spacer- works ok-but??
The fork is nice-and cheap $25-so it is worth the effort. 851 grams is light for a steel mtb fork.Nice feel also.Some (the cheapest)carbon forks are 800 grams-and $100).
Don't want- and can't afford- a decent(one that is unlikely the fail) carbon fork.

SO WILL IT WORK-THE STAR NUT? OR IS IT TOO SMALL.
OR JUST TRY IT AND SEE?
OR ARE THERE SPECIAL NUTS FOR THIS APPLICATION?
I don't have a star nut at hand- but plenty of used headsets/parts.
Thanks
Charlie

Try it. Either it will hold well enough to set pre load on the bearings or it won't. My guess is you'll be fine.

Pre load is not much force, pulling against the star nut.
you will have everything that grips around the steerer loose,
... you should know.

the top of the headset is not threaded,
so at least that part has to come from a not threaded headset..

I'd be worried that the threads removed too much metal to get a good clamping from the threadless stem without flexing it too much. But since it's apparently working then there's nothing at all wrong with your plan. Although it won't work any better than what you have now. The only thing is that it would close off the hole that you're looking at while riding.

The main advantage is more-longer-stem selection.
You really can't find 140-150 mm(reach) quill stems
The stem clamps on the threaded stem very firmly. Doesn't really crush the threads much either( probably crushes them fairly uniformly, but not deeply).The stem is a tight fit on the threaded steerer-actually I sorta' thread-twist- it on.
It is a very nice for for $25- nice ride.
I'll invest $4 in a star nut and try it.
Thanks
Charlie

Yeah, a star nut should work in there. Should make setting bearing preload easier. I'm actually about to attempt the same thing with a threaded fork that's way too long. Just don't clamp the stem on the threaded portion and you'll be good.

note 2 different way threads are made, cut, removes metal,
the steerer is a cut thread.
spokes OTOH, are a rolled thread,the metal is pushed up, by pressing in a valley..
to be a bigger thread peak, than the wire it's rolled into.

thats why the stem should not be clamped to the threaded part,
the cut thread is a line to break along..

Huh? I have a 150. They were pretty darn common in the early 90s. There are a handful on eBay.

This is a very, very bad idea.

Get a threadless fork and headset.

Operator-ET AL
It is clamped 3/4 off 1/4 on the threads.
You think it could shear off the steerer?
At the threads?Below the threads also??
Hmmm pretty tough thick steel- via eyeball it seems unlikely, but since I don't have X-ray vision-something to rethink about.I've never seen tough steel like that fail-I don't do real MTB riding- just ride up and down the levee-no bumps.
I'm oldish-so no hard riding-
Still I don't want to kiss the levee or pavement.

I looked for 1 1/8" 150mm reach quill stems last week-I'll look again.
I have an adj one that is about 120mm reach at full 90 degrees.

Maybe I'll just put in the adj quill and see how it feels.
I will continue to use the top nut to preload the bearings.
Thanks for the ADVICE-let you know how it goes.
Charlie

I did just you are proposing for about 4 months until I got a new fork. Mostly trail riding. Worked, but not optimal.

sleeve the inside of the steerer tube? 1" Od. inside 1" Id fork will do the trick..

I found the BBB BHP 21 to be an excellent piece,
Its both a Quill and functionally a star nut.

because the bolt that pulls up the quill wedge is internally threaded at the top.

Bike Mine is the US distributor for the NL based company.

i used it as a stem raiser , but if desired
it can go inside a long enough steerer, entirely.

Charlie, the fact that the stem is a firm twist&push onto the steer tube and that you're only partly on the threaded area says that you're fine. Just go ahead and put the star nut in and cut down the steer tube so it's about 1/8 inch under the top of the stem to let the top cap seat on the stem for adjusting the headset preload.

Lester- just checked-you are right- I should have been more specific- I need lots of rise or effective rise, but also a fair amount of reach.Most of those 150mm have no rise or very little-and the actual quill height is short-maybe 100mm or so-I need as much height as possible-frame is kinda tiny
Seatpost is at full height-so I need to get the bars up-I'm old- I don't really like to bend over.


BCRider-got it-thanks.
Thanks to all.
I'll probably try both-quill and threadless with star.
I have lots of old used parts- headsets ,some stems,etc- but short of $$ now.
Charlie