Fork Issues

[Night Watch]

I've got a couple questions that maybe you guys can help me with. I'm taking apart a cruiser I picked up, and I was having issues removing the fork from the frame. It looks like the part of the threads on the neck of it are stripped. It was a pain in the butt unscrewing the washer and top piece. After getting it apart you can see the problem. Is there anything I can do to fix this, muscle through it on the put together or just replace the fork altogether?

My next question is, The silver piece at the base of the fork is a bearing cup I think... right? That should be loose or is it threaded on or just crusted on due to time? I'm going to have the frame powder coated but I want to make sure I have everything off beforehand. Any suggestions on loosening this piece from the fork?

 

[elvis51]

solution to first problem, big wrench and thread that sucker down on it and use your muscles. 2nd solution, try taking a flat head screwdriver and prying up on alternating sides of that piece until it starts moving to where maybe you can get a big wrench in there and wiggle it out. ive never seen one thats threaded on though... hope this helps! best of luck to you

Easy E

 

[Saverio]

I had an old bike with the fork crown race stuck on.
Turn the fork upside down, get a flat head screw driver, and start tapping it off with a hammer. Depending on how long it's been stuck on there, you may have to "tap" kind of... hard.

You'll see it as it starts to come loose.

 

[Night Watch]

Thanks for the input guys. I figured I couldn't muscle the parts back on, that's how I got them off lol. As for the second part, i'll give it a go with the flathead. This bike was painted at least a couple times I think. As i've been taking it apart i'm finding paint here there and everywhere. Looks like whoever had it last just went to town painting it without taking it apart.

 

[deorman]

Check with any older bike shops nearby, they might have the die. If not, use a small triangular file to cut away some of the blockage. :|

 

[Saverio]

That's the same thing that happened with mine. Layers and layers of paint, right over the hardware.

 

[jackdaw]

Bike shop should have a die to recut the threads, and tap tap tap the race til it comes off. PB Blaster and heat and repeat WILL work. Alot of force is seldom necessary. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Darth_Firebolt]

if you have enough threads, you can put a washer under your top cap to keep it away from the messed up threads.

 

[gcrank1]

See if you can find a bike shop with that die first!
FWIW, A triangle file is kinda wide and the corners kinda rounded, so it works to an extent, but there are better files; ie, a thread file: steeper side angle and sharper entry that emulates a typical 60deg. thread. I got a small one at a hobby shop. It is somewhat tedious, but we got time, right. I use a magnifier too as I like to see what Im doing.
Worst case is to cut a steerstem off a donor fork (cheap or free) and this one off 'somewhere in the middle'. Calc how much length you want if it is different from stock, and weld the new length on. There are already posts about this kind of this, so you are not alone.

 

[Wildcat]

If those threads are too far gone, maybe a new fork is needed. These are the cheapest I could find:

http://www.niagaracycle.com/index.php?c ... d=&sort=3a