The steerer tube on my Wolf CL fork is quite corroded. After some fandangling, I was able to get the spacers off (but not the dust cap). I’d like to remove the entire fork and clean up the rust. My question is: is there anything else that needs to be removed before I take a rubber mallet to the steerer tube?
Cheers,
Darren
Dust cap? I guess you mean the top cap of the headset?
I’m no expert, but I’ve removed plenty of forks. Can’t see why you can’t give it some taps with the rubber mallet. Your bottom bearing of the headset will probably drop out with the fork. Pay attention to the order in which things fall out so you get them back in correctly. It’ll probably be good if that bearing does drop out so you can clean it up and clean up the head tube of the frame. Generally, there’s just the one bearing at the bottom. There’s also a retainer ring that should be jammed on to the crown of the fork at the bottom of the steer tube. Don’t mess with that. Clean it, but don’t remove it. It should be on there pretty good.
Note also how the top part of the headset comes apart. It’ll have the top bearing and might also have a thin gasket or two between the bearing and the cap.
Be somewhat gentle. Don’t force things. If a number of gentle taps don’t free things up, you’d best let a shop handle it.
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The steerer tube on my Wolf CL fork is quite corroded. After some fandangling, I was able to get the spacers off (but not the dust cap). I’d like to remove the entire fork and clean up the rust. My question is: is there anything else that needs to be removed before I take a rubber mallet to the steerer tube?
Cheers,
Darren
I’m not sure how you got the spacers off without getting the topcap off. Can you post a pic?
As was said, there shouldnt be any reason to take a mallet to a steering tube.
“I was able to get the spacers off (but not the dust cap).”
Assuming that what you are refereeing to is the top cap of the threadless fork, did you complete back off the cap bolt in the middle of the cap?
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I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago. They put a 2x4 across and hit it with a mallet. It was a lot more than a nice easy tap but it came out. You won’t have much rust inside if any it is probably that you have some rust where it goes into the headset.
I had the exact same issue as well - spacer and stem came off easy, dust cap was tight. Gentle taps with a rubber mallet and then “spin” it off. Fine steel wool on the tube to clean up the surface rust/oxidation and good as new.
Hi guys, thanks for the tips. Here’s the status, the fork is loosened, but I can’t for the life of me get that dust cap to budge. (that FSA thingy is called a dust cap? sorry for the newbishness). Tried WD40, icing the steerer tube… no luck. It would appear I just need to get that cap off and the fork should just drop out? Anymore tips?
Cheers,
Darren
If pic doesn’t show, here’s link:
http://s659.photobucket.com/albums/uu311/skeezix001/?action=view¤t=IMG_2746.jpg
Hi guys, thanks for the tips. Here’s the status, the fork is loosened, but I can’t for the life of me get that dust cap to budge. (that FSA thingy is called a dust cap? sorry for the newbishness). Tried WD40, icing the steerer tube… no luck. It would appear I just need to get that cap off and the fork should just drop out? Anymore tips?
Cheers,
Darren
If pic doesn’t show, here’s link:
http://s659.photobucket.com/...current=IMG_2746.jpg
Those fit tightly, probably cant come off because of the oxidation on your steering tube. I’d try lightly sanding your steering tube, spraying some lube on there and it’ll probably slide off.
