Hi everyone,

I ordered a new headset for the caad 9 frameset I'm building up and I have a quick question about the star nut currently inside the steerer tube. The headset I'm putting on there has a shorter top cap so the steerer tube will need to be cut down some. The problem is I don't know how to get this one out. It almost looks like there is some kind of glue or possibly a plastic sleeve between the star nut and the inside walls of the steerer tube. I remember my LBS saying something about gluing in a star nut this one time I was there. Is that how these things go in? How do I get this one out if it's glued in?

I also read a warning somewhere online about using this one particular star nut in a carbon steerer tube. It looked just like every other star nut I've seen so I don't know what the deal was with that.

Just looking for some advice here. I'd really appreciate it.

Similar to what 3T recommends on their forks, an aluminum sleeve is epoxied inside the carbon steerer with the star nut already in place. Depending on how much of the steerer you plan on cutting, you can tap the star nut down as long as it doesn't go past the aluminum insert.

I'd strongly suggest using a proper compression plug designed for carbon steerer tubes. They are widely available. That way you can cut the steerer to length and not have any concerns about bonding a sleeve.

Frankly, it seems like a cumbersome workaround when there is no need.

[QUOTE=ilovecycling;13334882]Hi everyone,

I ordered a new headset for the caad 9 frameset I'm building up and I have a quick question about the star nut currently inside the steerer tube. The headset I'm putting on there has a shorter top cap so the steerer tube will need to be cut down some. The problem is I don't know how to get this one out. It almost looks like there is some kind of glue or possibly a plastic sleeve between the star nut and the inside walls of the steerer tube. I remember my LBS saying something about gluing in a star nut this one time I was there. Is that how these things go in? How do I get this one out if it's glued in?
I also read a warning somewhere online about using this one particular star nut in a carbon steerer tube. It looked just like every other star nut I've seen so I don't know what the deal was with that.
QUOTE]

Headset stack height - if the headset is considerbly lower when all is said and done, are you OK with the new stem/bar height (not that it would be significant...)
until you are - you could put a spacer above the stem and ride for a while, until cutting.

Starnutz - generally depreciated for carbon steerers, compression nutz being preferred.
actaully I like compression nutz for alu also, since all they do is help position the stem before tightening stem bolts...

starnutz already installed - don;t screw with it... it's in there and as long as it hasn;t badly notched the steerer, you might as well use it for the cap

OR drive it down further, well below where the stem covers the steerer, down by al least an inch below stem.

extract? haven;t seen that successfully done

problem with starnutz is, when the stem bolts are properly tightened they will slightly compress the steerer, the starnut edgesthen can cut into the steerer, hastening failure of the carbon tube...
segway to the Paris-Roubaix clip where Hincapie ends up sitting up with the handlbars in his hands, resulting in eventaul broken collarbone - nasty...

not sayin that his bike had a starnut installed, but the end result might be the same, same...

most races - tough on rider

Paris- Roubaix - hell of the north for both rider and bike...

Thanks for the response!

I had no idea the light gray colored sleeve was aluminum. Sure doesn't look like it to the naked eye.

Since I can't tell how deep the sleeve is, I don't want to risk tapping down the star nut because it could potentially go too far and drop loose into the steerer tube. I imagine that once it falls down you can't get it out...

Can I just bend the star nut prongs inwards with some needle nose pliers and pull the star nut out completely? This would be ideal since the new headset comes with a star nut anyhow. I know it doesn't matter, but I want to get this one out since it's starting to rust.

Bob-

Are you suggesting that I remove this star nut AND the sleeve that's already installed? If so, how can I go about doing this?

I'll gladly pick up a new compression plug. My main concern is getting this one out.

I definitely want to cut the steerer down. The headset I bought is the Cane Creek IS42 with the short 9mm top cap. I plan on putting a 5mm spacer above that and a 5mm spacer above the stem. I do not want any more steerer tube than necessary.

2 sets of flanges
top flange - well ok
botton flange - this is the fun part
definitely a test of patience... but I guess
report back with video...

why, install another starnut after taking one out ??? (scooby-doo face)

rust? I don't see no rust - I see patina...

you could swab the patina with naval jelly and then swab with alky-hole to clean and then swap some nail polish on it
or
just install the stem and go ride...


oh, i forgetz, this is the 41...

Damn..I didn't realize star nuts have two layers of those barbs. That would make getting it out very difficult.

The OP is going about this the hard way;
If the headset has a shorter stack height, then just add a spacer to make the up the difference.
Spacers are dirt cheap: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=10596

I could leave the same star nut in there, but I will need to tap it down. I don't want to risk tapping it down too far because the stupid thing will fall down to the bottom of the steerer and then I'll never get it out. It will forever rattle and make noise. I don't want to risk that. I'd rather find a way to get it out so I can see how deep the aluminum sleeve extends. If the sleeve is long enough I can use another star nut after I cut the steerer down. If it's not long enough I'll have to use a carbon safe compression plug, assuming I can get it past whatever is left of the aluminum sleeve.

Maybe I'm not being clear enough. I purposely bought a headset with a short top cap so I can reduce the stack height to a minimum. I will be using a 5mm spacer above the top cap and above the stem. No more spacers will be used because I am trying to keep the stack height to a minimum.

Why is it so important to keep it so short?
Spacers above the stem don't hurt anything.

I'm saying that you are not supposed to use a star nut on carbon. If there is an alloy sleeve bonded inside you should be ok. Looking at your photo it doesn't look like there is an alloy sleeve in there. It looks like raw carbon. Alloy is shiny and carbon is flat grey.

You first need to determine which you are dealing with.

The next question is about how much you are going to cut the steerer. If it so much that you can't tap the star nut deeper into the fork (and have it still be biting alloy and not carbon) then your only option is to cut the steerer to length and then go with a compression plug. If you are only swapping headsets and even stems the difference will only be a few mm. For this you should be able to tap the star nut deeper into the fork and trim what needs to be trimmed.

Do you have access to a star nut setting tool (every shop should have one)? It is important that the start nut is tapped down evenly so the threads are perpendicular to the axis around which the headset turns. If this is off it could result in a 'sticky' headset. This makes adjustment more difficult and reduces bearing life.

I've never seen a starnut in a steerer loose enough to just 'tap' down. All require some sizable amount of force to move down the tube...
falling to the bottom and rattlin - not on the 3rd rock.
you could go too far for the bolt length, but Don;t DO That!

First, thanks for the help here. I really do appreciate it.

I understand that I can't use the star nut on a carbon steerer unless it has an alloy sleeve. I'm almost positive that it's not a carbon surface. I think it's an aluminum sleeve that's in there right now. Why would they use a light gray carbon on the inside of the tube and regular black carbon everywhere else? This and the fact that there was already a star nut installed leads me to believe it has an aluminum sleeve in there right now.

I don't have a star nut setting tool, but I could take it to the LBS for that.

I guess I was thinking that if the star nut is inside the aluminum sleeve (assuming this is an aluminum sleeve here) and the sleeve is glued into the larger diameter carbon steerer, then knocking the star nut too far down would cause it to drop free into the carbon steerer tube. This seems totally possible to me.

Okay, so it is in fact an aluminum sleeve that I'm working with here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-533806.html

I guess it's a Cannondale thing. If Cannondale made the Slice forks with the aluminum sleeve pre-installed I'm assuming they also took into consideration people like me who would cut the steerer down a lot. Therefore I'm sure the aluminum lining goes down far enough to where I shouldn't have any problems tapping the star nut down further. I will probably just take it to the LBS and have them do this once my headset and stem get here and I know how much I will be cutting off.

alu sleeve would go the entire length of the steerer - why get complicated and have sleeve for just part of the steerer? alu is base of the construct - much easier to wrap carbon around an alu tube, then cut to spec... and install to fork crown.
one fork - many sizes... why produce different forks for a 50 & a 58?
one fork, cut to spec for frame size...

If you're certain it has an alloy sleeve then great - that makes it all much easier.


FYI - Carbon is grey. The black weaves you see on frames is a cosmetic finish.

Okay, so now I feel like an idiot. Looks like I won't need to cut down the steerer or mess with the star nut at all.

I received the frameset last week and up until just now I never actually put a stem on there to see how much steerer would be left. When I received the frame the steerer had apparently already been cut, but it came with a tall top cap, a 20mm spacer, and a few 5mm spacers all stacked up with the compression bolt on top to keep the fork from falling out the bottom. I assumed the previous owner had it set up for a taller stack height due to the tall top cap, but I was wrong.

Turns out the previous owner had it cut for just the ~15mm top cap and a stem. The stem is about 1mm above the top of the steerer when that 15mm top cap is installed. With the new headset I ordered and the 9mm top cap I will have enough room for just the top cap, stem, a 5mm spacer on top, and then the compression bolt. It's perfect right where it is and I don't have to do any cutting.

Sorry for wasting your time guys. I still appreciate you guys trying to help.

aren't you NOT supposed to use a star nut with carbon steerers?

with the stem torqued, it will be biting into the carbon like little knives. hell, even knocking it through the bottom will scratch the hell out of the inside of the steerer.

Might want to try reading the rest of the posts. Cannondale uses an aluminum sleeve/lining inside the steerer. That's why they can get away with using a star nut.

i'm aware. my Funda has the same thing. I see now that his fork has the sleeve.