Hi all, i just thought i would give my headset a service on my zesty 714 so loosened off stem bolts but when i tried to loosen off the stem bolt it just turns but doesnt undo? Has anyone had this?

star nut is kaput…drill time!

How do i go about it mate?

Not sure I ever did it.

You have to drill the bolt out…but it will rotate in the star nut. If you could get some loctite/superglue/araldite in there it might do it.

Try Sheldon Brown.

get someone to place upward pressure on the stem whilst you turn the head bolt, this will give you a better chance of release. If you can’t get a star nut back in for any reason you can always got for a head doctor.

Your going to have to cut (dremmel/jnr hacksaw) the top cap off, cutting it very close to the head bolt is prob best. That should release the tension on it and therefore unscrew with ease or bang the lot straight out the bottom using a drift.

Fit new Star nut or Head Dr

Sorted

Hmmm.

Having given it some thought I’d drill into the topcap, drop in some glue to the star nut from there, leave to cure, then lube up the thread and simply remove with ease 😉

gixerator’s idea for me – including the hed doctor

if that fails, Id cut/drill topcap close to bolt head and then get after the starnut once cap is off

(Al, no carbon?? 😉 )

have you tried applying tension to the stem, It might not work but wont do any harm, it will either keep spinning, seize and allow you to undo or even pull the star nut out

Turn Bike upside down, Remove wheel, take large screwdriver and hammer and “****” star washer upwards from the bottom of the steerer tube…
Good luck !!!

thanks to all…oh well here goes….!

If the star nut is spinning, or part of it is, get some steel wire (piano wire or coathanger) and put it up through the star nut and jam it. There is 2 parts to the nut so if one is spinning then it could stop it.

Failing that, drill the head of the bolt so the head pops off. Remove the top cap etc and then hammer the thread and star nut downwards and out of the bottom of the fork.