I’ve got it this far and it’s stuck.

The steerer tube is very tight to turn. I can get it this far and back, but no further without using what I would consider excessive force.
I can’t tap the steerer/stem assembly down either, even with a block of wood and a hammer.
Shouldn’t it float in the bearings in this condition ? It might be tight because it’s a press fit in the inner race, but this feels solid.

Page 13 here. http://media.cannondale.com/media/Manuals/2012_Lefty_OMS_126564_0811.pdf

Looks simple enough.

It’s got worse.
The steerer turns in the stem now, but doesn’t screw up or down. It looks like the threads are stripped.
I’ve resigned myself to spending £60+ with Dr Cannondale on a new steerer and stem, although this could take quite some time with a die grinder to dismantle it all without damaging the fork itself or the frame.

Graham, you’re talking to yourself! That’s the second sign of Madness! *

*The first is Suggs walking up your garden path, of course.

That’s the trouble with being a nichetarian.
If I had a similar problem with a Fox fork, I’d get hundreds of replies, or more likely, I’d be told that the same question had already been asked hundreds of times.

I believe I am the only person in the world to snap a Ward Industries titanium pedal spindle, drown a Luminous light battery, snap two Gates CentreTrack belts and wreck a Time Atac XS pedal bearing in three days.
I can now add seizing a Lefty steerer and stem together to my CV.

Do you use the same tools to do bus and bicycle maintenance? Could this be the soruce of your problems?

My mates is always stuck like that the only way I can get it out is to tap the stem with a rubber hammer

MrMTG I’ve never had to take the fork out of my (ex) Lefty so can’t help otherwise I would at least give you my thoughts on it.
Sorry.

But carry on talking to yourself, perhaps put the radio on so it sounds like you are singing.

This is beyond rubber hammer.
In the picture above you can see a 10mm gap under the stem where I have unscrewed it as far as it would go.
As I understand it, I should have been able to tap the whole stem/steerer assembly down to create a 10mm gap at the bottom of the steerer.
Even with a lump hammer and block of wood, it wouldn’t move.

I’m assuming the steerer tube is seized to the inner race of the bottom bearing. If I try to force it down, I risk damaging the bottom crown on the fork.

I got it apart.

This is what I was trying to get at. Bottom head bearing full of mud.

Steerer tube threads stripped and seized in to stem.

The steerer tube was seized to the inner race of the bottom bearing as well.
I cut round the inside with a die grinder, just above the bearing and tapped the top part and stem out.
I then had to slit the bottom part with a pad saw to close it up slightly to release it from the bearing

Well done, yet again I am seriously impressed by your ability to break, what should be unbreakable kit 😯

Having seen my LBS work on a couple of Lefty forks I am amazed that they need such, to me, brute force. To be clear my LBS know what they are doing too with these badoys!

So is this a belt and partial Lefty now? Curse your nichecore tendencies …… I would double check the Ti frame for cracks now ….

Urgent question now, I could do with an answer tonight so I can order the parts.
I’ve found the steerer tube and stem on http://qwertycycles.co.uk/collections/lefty_parts
I can’t find the plastic washer fitted under the head of the steerer tube listed there or anywhere else. I cut through it when I cut the bottom part of the steerer tube.
Does anyone know if it is the same inner diameter as a BB spacer ?
I suspect it is, but I haven’t got either the steerer or a spacer with me now to measure.
If it is, I can order the parts tonight and use a an old spacer.
If not, I’ll have to phone qwerty tomorrow to get the part number and price.

I think you may have punched my opi stem from eBay this evening. I also have a used steerer if you need it to get this up and running again 🙂
Email me and we can sort something out.

100mm -5 degrees from Fleet ? That was me.
I’ve just bought a new steerer from Qwerty for £18. They don’t list the plastic spacer.
I think the Lefty steerer is 1.5″ and a BB spacer is 1.375″, so not the same.

i have a 100mm OPI stem if you want it.

sorry – you got one.

Hi MidlandTrailquestGraham, Lloyd From Qwerty Cycles here, Thanks for the order.

Do you mean the plastic washer on the OPI steerer Head that the BB tool screws tight? If so this is included with the steerer its self. There is also one under the stem. 🙂