Michael Angelo 

Hey Guys,

The LBS I go to sold me an older version of a Park Fork Alignment gauge (under $50.00) it's much heavier and more robust the the later version. The older one is a FCG-1 , the later one is a FT-4.
The one cool thing I like about the earlier tool is the fork blocks are removable.












The bigger knob on the FCG-4 doesn't look original, but I think it works much better.

jiangshi

I probably would have bought them, too. Mostly because I'm a sucker for tools.

I try really hard to avoid bent forks. Usually there is more to fixing than just a tweaked blade, but those are cool.

thinktubes 

This might not be the right forum for you...

jiangshi

Bulbous, also tapered

wesmamyke

Interesting, I have never seen one of those earlier ones. Did they ever make different sized blocks for them?

zukahn1 

These are some pretty cool alignment tools. As they are for older high end steel frames which many shops consider obsolete it is not surpising you got a good deal. As point modern hardened alloy or alliuminium and carbon frames can't really be alliegned and no one wants to bother with cheaper steel frames.

Blue Belly

Love tools! Nice grab

TRIGUYSOCAL

Are you interested in selling the FT-4? I’ve got a set of vintage forks that are bent. $200 I can offer - shipped to CA. Thanks!!
Are you interested in selling the FT-4? I’ve got a set of vintage forks that are bent. $200 I can offer - shipped to CA. Thanks!!

Michael Angelo 

I would if I still had it. Sold it off a bit after I posted the picture.

Amesja

I picked up an FT-4 on Ebay last year. It cost me a fair shade over $50! I'd jump at the deal for either of them for that price, or even double it.

Mine has already paid for itself. I'd never sell it. If it is ever on the market again that'll be because I'm dead, or it was stolen.

Park should make some more of these unobtanium tools. The fact that they refuse to, at any price, shows me what kind of company they really are.

Michael Angelo 

I find I like the earlier model much better, also you can swap the inserts so you can use it on 1 1/8" steer tube forks. It's also double the weight.

mechanicmatt

how do these work?

Amesja

If I had to guess I would assume the FT-4 was the original design and the FCG-1 the updated version rather than the other way around.

My reasoning would be:

• 1-1/8" forks might have been introduced after the FT-4 was originally designed, so the FCG-1 was an improvement so that either could be used with the proper blocks.
• FCG-1 seems to comply better with the more current ParkTool Bacronym designation system.
• The Logo on the FT-4 seems more "dated" than the FCG-1
• The FCG-1 just seems more meaty, sleeker, and just more elegantly-designed than the FT-4 regardless of the removable block system. Strength is important because If the gauge bends or deforms it's going to not work correctly and result in improper fork alignment every time.

When I got my used FT-4 I checked it on a NOS, out of the box 1" Surly Crosscheck fork. It showed it being out of alignment. I started poopin' bricks that my gauge was bad/damaged. I got out every other fork in my shop and slapped them into the thing one by one just to make sure. They all showed 100% true. Whattayaknow? That NOS fork was not straight from QBP. Or maybe it was damaged in transit. It was just a tiny bit off, but it was off...



The first job was to fix that Surly fork. But it's done many forks since then. I've learned to trust it. It's amazing how many steel forks come a little bit tweaked. I've been throwing every fork I get into that thing to check them, even non-steel ones to "see." I also check frame alignment on every steel frame With a F AG-2 and coax it back with a FFS-2 and re-check again with the F AG-2 plus an FFG-2 & DAG-2 until it is perfect. I'm a little disgusted by how far many "so-called" high-end frames are off.

noglider 

Good acquisition. It reminded me I want one, too, so I'm going to put out feelers for one. Last time I had to straighten a fork, my LBS let me use theirs, which was above and beyond. I no longer live near that shop.

Amesja

I searched for mine for a few long months and got outbid a few times on ebay on both FT-4's and FCG-1's which went up way more than I was ready to pay. It was pretty frustrating because it would sometimes be weeks between the time when any were listed at all. I finally picked up mine for $150+ which was a lot less than all the other sales I had seen up until that point. But it was in the middle of winter and was a bad listing with a fuzzy photo and the guy had the listing title messed up a little so I wasn't even sure if he actually had what he was selling, or if it was just some photo he had taken off the internet and the tool was some other Park tool. He didn't sound very knowledgeable in the ebay listing. But I had contacted him to ask and he said it was the actual photo of the item and he just had a cruddy camera. I guess all that scared off enough other bidders that the thing didn't go up over $200 like they usually do.