Sloppy steerer keyway?
05-09-13, 12:45 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Sloppy Cinelli steerer keyway?
I have a vintage Cinelli fork with a steerer keyway that is to small at the start (it fades out) so that the toothed washer needs to be forced. Is this some kind of feature or gimmic? Or just a misstake in the workshop? I've checked some other steerers and the locking washer goes right on with no extra force needed.
Last edited by 1987; 05-09-13 at 01:35 PM.
05-09-13, 02:32 PM
#2
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Bikes: 1986 Alan Record Carbonio, 1985 Vitus Plus Carbone 7, 1984 Peugeot PSV, 1972 Line Seeker, 1986(est.) Medici Aerodynamic (Project), 1985(est.) Peugeot PY10FC
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I don't bother with those keyways on my bikes as they can just end up seizing your headset parts to your steerer tube if the washer tabs that fit in those keyways eventually eats into the threads after loosening and tightening the locknut and top race from the steerer tube a few times. I usually just Dremel off the tab on the washer and use two headset wrenches to keep the washer and lower race from turning when I tighten up the top lock nut against the top race. Never had a problem doing that on pretty much all my bikes.
The tabbed washer is easy to replace if you ever want to, but messing up the threads on a steerer tube will be harder to correct. Just make sure you check the tightness of the locknut/top race assembly periodiaclly and things would be OK without that washer tab.
BTW, for the same reasons, I do the same for "D" shaped washer/steerer tube combination. I also Dremel off the flat on the washer so it ends up as just a plain washer with a circular hole.
Just my suggestion....
Chombi
The tabbed washer is easy to replace if you ever want to, but messing up the threads on a steerer tube will be harder to correct. Just make sure you check the tightness of the locknut/top race assembly periodiaclly and things would be OK without that washer tab.
BTW, for the same reasons, I do the same for "D" shaped washer/steerer tube combination. I also Dremel off the flat on the washer so it ends up as just a plain washer with a circular hole.
Just my suggestion....
Chombi
05-09-13, 03:01 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I don't bother with those keyways on my bikes as they can just end up seizing your headset parts to your steerer tube if the washer tabs that fit in those keyways eventually eats into the threads after loosening and tightening the locknut and top race from the steerer tube a few times. I usually just Dremel off the tab on the washer and use two headset wrenches to keep the washer and lower race from turning when I tighten up the top lock nut against the top race. Never had a problem doing that on pretty much all my bikes.
The tabbed washer is easy to replace if you ever want to, but messing up the threads on a steerer tube will be harder to correct. Just make sure you check the tightness of the locknut/top race assembly periodiaclly and things would be OK without that washer tab.
BTW, for the same reasons, I do the same for "D" shaped washer/steerer tube combination. I also Dremel off the flat on the washer so it ends up as just a plain washer with a circular hole.
Just my suggestion....
Chombi
The tabbed washer is easy to replace if you ever want to, but messing up the threads on a steerer tube will be harder to correct. Just make sure you check the tightness of the locknut/top race assembly periodiaclly and things would be OK without that washer tab.
BTW, for the same reasons, I do the same for "D" shaped washer/steerer tube combination. I also Dremel off the flat on the washer so it ends up as just a plain washer with a circular hole.
Just my suggestion....
Chombi
Though I am tempted to correct the keyway.
This guy did a pretty good job just freehanding with a Dremel.
Capricorn teasers by kstoerz, on Flickr
05-11-13, 08:56 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for your input. But I just couldn't grind of the washer tab on my vintage bike. I rather improve it, correct some misstakes that where made when making it.
First I started with a flat curved file. Difficult. Then I tried the Dremel method at low speed and it was quite easy and the short radius of the grinder wheel worked better than a file. With the small grinder wheel I could make spot corrections.
I colored the keyway with a blue sharpie and tried on the tabbed washer before each pass. And then grinded of at the high marks.
Very very lightly on each pass. Probably just some hundreds of a millimeter in total when done. Almost no visable grind paticles on the underlay.
Feels great not having any worries with that previous forced tabbed washer when removing the fork in the future.
First I started with a flat curved file. Difficult. Then I tried the Dremel method at low speed and it was quite easy and the short radius of the grinder wheel worked better than a file. With the small grinder wheel I could make spot corrections.
I colored the keyway with a blue sharpie and tried on the tabbed washer before each pass. And then grinded of at the high marks.
Very very lightly on each pass. Probably just some hundreds of a millimeter in total when done. Almost no visable grind paticles on the underlay.
Feels great not having any worries with that previous forced tabbed washer when removing the fork in the future.
