Bent steerer tube-- advice?

[Bicycle808]

I have a Worksman LGB I'm building, and come to ind out that the steerer tube is bent a hair... barely noticeable to the eye off the bike, but you can see it and you can see a gap between the crown race and the lower bearing. I'm tempted to just get a replacement fork b/c I'm about to send the whole project in to be powdered and I don't wanna bother if I can't get it right. But, I'm peaved b/c I just got the fork-ends modded for a "normal" (ie, not knock-out) front drum hub.

What's the best way to get this thing straightened right? Or should i just get a new fork, since it's just like $80?

 

[B607]

I'd heat, bend, beat, pry, lever, stretch, twist, or anything else I could do to fix it before I spent $80 for a new one. Then again, maybe $80 to you is like $8 to me. Gary

 

[Bicycle808]

$80? I'm not a wealthy person, but my time is valuable to me (usually multitasking when i post on RRB)... As I see it, it doesn't take much time for me to make $80, so i don't wanna spend much time on a fork that could be replaced for $80, especially when I don't feel very confident that I'll be able to fix it adequately....

It's not that I'm the type to just toss around money; I just tried to do a quick approximate cost-analysis and decide whether it'd cost me more than $80 in time to attempt fixing this...

 

[Wildcat]

I'd get new forks or used ones in good shape. You never know if it develops a crack where the bend was hidden inside the frame.

 

[gcrank1]

Take it to your LBS to see if they have the skills/tools to fix it? Maybe they wont touch it because of what Wildcat says.
Id throw it in my press, block it up and apply some pressure. You might be able to do the same in the garage with blocks on the floor and standing on it. These are fairly soft steel and WM arent iffy imported steel.
Whats to lose by trying?

 

[Bicycle808]

I guess my irrational fear is, I "fix" the steerer tube, send everything off to powder, build the bike, and then a few months down the road, it re-bends/cracks/whatever, and then I gotta buy a new fork and then get THAT powdered to match, etc....

This truck is kind of my baby; I've been putting a lot of planning/thought/money into this thing... so i don't wanna half-azz it.

 

[gcrank1]

You have already made your decision, so do it

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Check with Ind-Chuckz. He sells a lot of Worksman parts.

 

[Bicycle808]

I've taken another look at the situation, and what I plan to do now is have the closest old-bikes specialist shop take a look. I figure, they've done it before, so if it can be done, they'd be the ones to do it right.

It just sucks b/c it sets me back a wee bit more on finally finishing this critter. Bean a long time coming.

 

[XC204]

This method is as easy as it gets and works well on small bends.
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/more-fork-fixin.74751/#post-726522

 

[Bicycle808]

Well, I took it in to VIA in south Phila... the wrench promised to have it all fixed up for $20.... by Thursday. I'm happy.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Sounds like the perfect result!

Luke.

 

[Bicycle808]

Thanks, Luke. I like to do as much as i can myself, but i think i'm over my head with this one, in terms of doing it right. =D