REMOVING THE FORK FROM THE BICYCLE FRAME Here you have a step by step guide on how to remove the fork. You can't repaint a bike properly without doing that. At the same time you will be able to clean out all the parts and you can regrease the bearings. While you are cleaning them, if any ball bearing fall out of the bearing crown, it will need to be replaced. Just bring this with you at your local bike shop so you can get the proper size. You can also clean and polish the chrome parts and store them until reassembly. One way to remove rust from chrome is to use a fine steel wool with lemon furniture polish. The polish will lubricate the surface and keep the scratches to a minimum. A note on removing the bearing cups from the frame, don't wack them too hard and go around to distribute the energy. They will come out slowly. Bearing cups come out when they want to, you can't rush this.
Next article, we'll be removing and disassembling the one piece crank bottom bracket.
48 comments:
Could the same process be used on a threadless headset? I've been meaning to repaing my modern mountain bike and don't necessarily want to ruin the headset.
BTW, i've been trying NOT to read your blogs too often, because i know it will make me obsessed about bikes (again). Keep up the good work.
I haven't had the chance to play with threadless headsets until this past week end. From what I understand, the main thing that keeps everything together is the gooseneck. What I recommend is to look for more info on the web about this. I'm sure it's out there. I'm also sorry to say that this blog will be harder NOT to read in the very near future. I have lots more stuff coming up. Keep obsessing about bikes. :) And thank you for your encouragement. Very much appreciated.
i was wonderin if the same thing works on bmx's beacuase ive tampared with my bike a bit trying to understand the whole front section but ive only gone as far as gettin the bolt that holds the stem on off and ive taken my gyro off as i wanted but i wantde to fiugure out how to take off forks but im scared that if i do something wrong my bikes gonna die.so please contact and tell me what to do thanks!
Send me a picture of your fork at xddorox@gmail.com and I can properly advise you on how to remove it.
Gerry
thanks for your mega sweet site, i've been refering to it often and it's gotten me outta some tight spots. just wondering with the headset information, i removed a threaded fork today using your info and i'm not sure if my forks we're broken or slightly different to yours but when i removed the gooseneck i had to hit it from the opposite direction to your instructions and i also had to hit it an awful lot as well. just wondering if you knew why.
Goosenecks are in three parts. The main body, the long bolt that attaches to a wedged nut at the bottom. In older bikes, the wedged nut is in fact a coned nut that spreads the gooseneck tube into the header tube of the fork instead of wedging everything in. In both cases, that nut can get jammed in there. If you wack at the bolt like crazy and it doesn't move, the nut is jammed. Remove the gooseneck and bolt, go under the fork and screw the bolt in the nut and wack it from underneath to remove it. Let me know how you did.
Gerry
Thanks for the detailed instructions, but I'm wondering what about putting the fork back into the frame with the stem? The last time I tried to put it back on (after painting) it bent my fork. Any advice? Thanks.
I'm a bit baffled by your comment katie! When you put the fork back on, you insert the fork in the frame, bolt on the top bearing cone(making sure that the bearings are in place top and bottom), install washer and lock nut. Only after that do you insert the stem inside the fork steerer tube and tighten the bolt on top of the stem. Hope this helps.
Gerry
could you take the fork off one bike that has no suspension and put a fork on it that has suspension?
how do you remove the chain off of a de-ralier bike?
You can switch a suspension fork for non-suspension and vice versa. The main element is the size of the headtube. It has to be the same or close. For chain removal, go to my main site and go to the article links at How to fix bikes,I even have a video.
Gerry
The link doesn't seem to work, just copy and paste the address: http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com
I'm trying to remove the fork from this great 1971 Schwinn I picked up last weekend to repaint the frame. The problem is that it just won't go. I unscrewed the top bolt and gave it a tap, but nothing came off. I can unscrew the main bolt and bearing cones just fine, but they just give me a little wiggle room. What can I do or who can I ask?
Vasa, it sounds like the stem of the handlebar is stuck in there. Remove that long bolt in the stem, put a wheel in the fork that you don't mind bending or destroying and yank those handlebars out of there with force. Use your legs to grab the front wheel while trying to remove the handlebars. That's how I've done it numerous times. Anybody else out there have a better trick for our friend?
Gerry .:)
Hi gerry, i know my question isn't really in the subject but , i have a mountain bike, and i would like to change my front fork! do you have any advice! once again thanks for your site!
It is a relevant question. Make sure you have the same type of fork, ie threadless or threaded. Also make sure that the fork stem is long enough(That's the tube of the fork that goes in the frame) Apart from that, you should be good.
Gerry :)
hey gerry, your blogs are very helpful to me, but i have a question.
i am fixing up an old 1950's montgomery ward hawthorn, and i cant seem to get the forks off. i got the handlebars off but in step 3 it says remove the main bolt holding on the fork...
but there isn't one. i dont see any bolt at all.
thanks for your help!!
-Jenny
Jenny, send me an email with a picture of your mysterious fork set-up at xddorox (at) gmail.com and I will try to help you out.
Gerry
At what point in the process of putting the fork BACK on to the frame does the washer with the little 'tit' (on the inside of the washer), which goes in the grove on the threaded pipe?
Just before the last part which would be the big locking nut.
Gerry :)
if the stem gets jammed in there a good trick ive found is to have someone strong hold onto the handlebars. then whack the top of the bike frame (headtube??) with a rubber mallet. My stem was rusted in the gooseneck and thats how i got it out.
hi i have an old bmx its about 7 or 8 year old and i am having troble removing my forks could you give me any advice on how to remove it and would it be possible to fit a new modern fork to it??
When I turn the handlebars, they turn but the wheel does not. I have tightened the hex bolt that drives straight down into the forks but they still move with a little persistance. Is it possible that the wedge at the bottom of this bolt is worn? What else can I look into? Thank you.
It seems that stem screws with an hex type set up don't allow for enough torque when tightening and I have found myself inches away from a trip to the emergency room because of it( I was miraculously saved by my mad riding skills, ie dumb luck). I suggest replacing your stem screw with one that has a "bolt" type top. You can torque away like crazy with a ratchet wrench and it should hold.
Gerry :)
MPaul in Seattle -
Trying to lengthen the front fork
of a Huffy kids Pulsator. Penetrating Oil did get the top
bolt out. But no movement. Then
the next step is BRUTE FORCE ie
banging w/ bolt from underside or
banging on frame w/ rubber mallet,
or combination ??
MPaul, if brute force won't work, you might have to get out the hacksaw and sacrifice the stem by cutting off the neck. Good luck.
Gerry
i followed all the steps, but i can't get the goose neck out. i did bang it with a hammer and tried prying it off. i'm stuck.
Cyn, unfortunately it might be rusted solid in there. I have no miracle solution for this. If you have a replacement part and don't mind destroying the original, a real big frakking hammer and a hacksaw might be your only solution.
Gerry
im trying to take my forks off my gt bmx bike. i have taken the handle bars off and half of the gyro and thats it im stuck i dont know how to remove the forks. any idea how to remove the forks could you plz reply
I suspect that you have a threadless fork. Go check out howtofixbikes.ca, I have a BMX rebuild in the articles on the right sidebar.
Gerry :)
Thanks for the tip on banging the bolt in the headset, that was just the trick I needed to separate the forks!
Glad I could be of service.
Gerry :)
i'm having trouble with step 3, i can't budge that nut at all, lefty loosy, right?
Yes.
Gerry
That really helped me out 2 days ago because I couldn't figure out how to remove the stem/fork out of the main frame. I just needed to tap on the bolt! Thanks a lot!
Hi! i have a very old "fleet" bicycle i am restoring..i am trying to remove the fork..i followed the recommendations from your site...but it didn't seem to work. i hit the bolt a couple times and then it slid all the way through and wont thread anymore..i hope i didnt destroy the threads in there...any recommendations??? thanks alot!
You didn't break anything. The plug that bolts to it and tightens up the stem inside the fork tube just fell to the bottom. If it's stuck down there, just turn the bike over, screw that long bolt in in the hole under the fork and tap it with a hammer. It should come out. If the plug is loose inside and the stem is not moving, shoot it with Loose Nut or Jigaloo and let it sit for a while before you try prying it out.
Gerry :)
my handlebars curl down and i'm not exactly how to remove them? I have unscrewed everything and taken out the stem thing which was about 8in long. i can move the fork around but am not sure how to remove it. what do i do next?
hi, i dont know much about bikes but i have a bmx bike and the goose neck wont come off. i took the handle bars off and tryed everything i can think of. can you help me out? thanks
To comment #1, look at picture "step 3" for your answer.
to comment #2, a BMX could have a threadless fork and that requires a different approach. I can't really say without the bike in front of me.
Gerry
I am a little fuzzy on step 1. You say unscrew the bolt on the top of the gooseneck. My question is how far? My bolt unscrews easily and appears about 3/4 of an inch of the threads were actually into the nut. So when I want to do the "tap" trick, should the bolt be most of the way in? As in, unscrewed just a few turns? Or do I unscrew it until I feel it leave the threaded hole inside? I am confused...what else is new, haha. 75 Schwinn Continental by the way. Any help would be appreciated. thanks. great blog.
The screw should still be threaded in a bit so when you tap it, it will force the locking wedge that it is attach too to loosen up.
Gerry :)
sorry to be so dumb, but why wouldn't that drive the locking wedge even further down into the fork making it more stuck?
nevermind, haha. i went ahead and tried it. WHACK (after liquid wrench) and it worked. Then the stem was rusted in but after much gorilla-ing, it slid out. thanks for the help.
You are pro,
thanks you vvery much,
handlebar steers smoothly and vertical tube is tight, I am happy, before I spend much time understanding this mechanism, haha
Glad I could help. :)
I cleaned & refurbed a one piece crankcase and this seems similar except that alot more has to removed (brake,fender & handlebars vs. pedals). Can I leave the cables onto the handle bars and haold it down with some mini-shrink wrap? Jorge G
Hello to all,
I've tried to dissasemble the fork from the frame of my coaster bike according to these instructions.
However, I am stuck on "Step 2": "Tap the protruding nut with a hammer. The entire gooseneck assembly should come right out."
I have tried tapping the protruding nut with a hammer but it won't budge, I've tried hitting it harder even with a heavier hammer many times but no results. I don't want to damage the thread. What should I do? I've even tried tapping with the hammer the exterior tube of where the end of the nut is inside, but nothing.
Any suggestions? I'de like to dissasemble everything to be able to clean thoroughly everything and regrease and re-assemble it all up again.
Thank you in advance.
Here are pics:
http://1drv.ms/1KBL6Uz
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