How to save stripped stem and bars knurling

[Indyjps]

Using this stem as an example. in this case it was some weird kid size undersized, I had to grind to fit standard bars, in the process I took out any knurling.

If you have stripped stem, or stripped bars this ghetto trick works, I've used it on BMX, the current BMX I ride and jump has a set of bars with this trick.

Take a sharp punch and put a series of punches in the stem, you're not tryin to kill it, just make a divot, this drives the matrial around the divot up, creating a grab point.

When I do bars, I use a combination of punch and a 1/4 inch chisel, small taps to push the surrounding metal up and recreate a grab point for stripped knurling. you can do the stem and bars with them still on the bike if you have a helper holding. prevents having to remove grips and brakes.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Good tip!
Done that before on industrial washing machine shafts after the bearing spun on the shaft, works really well!

Luke.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

That reminds me back in the day when I was knee high to a grasshopper we used to cut strips of allunimum from old cans and wrap the bars then squeeze them back In the stem
And tighten it down , work Purdy good ina pinch..

 

[horsefarmer]

There is a passage in the book "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance", where a guy riding a BMW has the handlebars moving around on a cross country trip and his buddy (the author) fixes the problem with a shim cut from a beer can found along the road.
The BMW owner is offended by the fix to his expensive new bike but the author does not agree - the shim is not a piece of roadside trash anymore but has become part of the BMW and solved the problem.

 

[Jay Moore]

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/ape-hangers-on-electra-townie.93571/#post-932892 been doing the can hack for years