Swopped a stem over and whilst tightening the top cap bolt the star nut is working itself out towards the end of the steerer, wacked it back in and it is still doing it…………why? What can i do to fix it as i want to ride tomorrow!

Thanks

You would appear to ahae buggerd it up.

Is the steerer alloy? If so it's never going to grip again as the groves in the steerer will've been "gouged" out by hitting it back in.

Best bet – sling a head doctor in there and it'll take up any slack in the steerer

use some pliers to open up the flanges Oh err missus!So it grips in the steerer. But once they go they are best replaced

it does not hold anything in.
it does not need to be tightened right up.
just to preload the stem while you tighten it.

The star nut's only there for adjusting the headset, so as long as you have some means of preloading the bearings until you tighten the stem you'll be fine.A length of studding with washers and nuts, or a G clamp will do the job and get you on the road until you get a new one.

thanks folks….alloy steerer will a new satr nut work?? I dod not have a head doctor.