I can do most maintenance on a bike but the fitting of a star fangled nut is one thing that fills me with dread. I just cant seem to line them up and they go all wonky.

Last time I did it I used a trick off of here, but I cant remember what that was!

Using a threaded bar and pulling down sounds great, but I dont have a long enough bar.

Any other tips using standard items you can find in a garage to fit an SFN?

Thanks

mark a 5mm line round the inner diameter of the steering tube, pop a screwdriver through the SFN and tap with a hammer until it’s level.
always works for me.

fit an old stem so it is half on the steerer, half off. Helps to guide it in a bit.

Not something you will find in the garage but this is definitely one of the most satisfying tools I have ever bought. Turns a pig of a job into a few seconds work:

Star Fangled Nut tool

You can get them cheaper on eBay.

I always just pop a bolt in them then tap them in with a hammer but there is always a bit of tapping it sideways to straighten it as you go required.

Using a threaded bar and pulling down sounds great, but I dont have a long enough bar.

Wickes have loads of threaded bar for about £2-3.

Most LBS will charge about a fiver-ish to knock one in.

robinlaidlaw – Member

I always just pop a bolt in them then tap them in with a hammer but there is always a bit of tapping it sideways to straighten it as you go required.

This is how I do it, I did manage to smash one to pieces however but that is probably one out of twenty.

Bolt in the nut and tap it down until it’s inside the steerer. Then remove the bolt.

Then I find a piece of broom handle or steel pipe that JUST fits inside the steerer. I use that to tap the star-fangled nut home and level – simples!

As a wise man said recently:

I tend to be a “make do, judgement, skill and a keen eye” sort of person, but for some reason I bought a SFN installer (pricey forks, £10 on top seemed inconsequential, I guess). Cheaper than a Hed doctor, too.

It’s brilliant. None of this careful tapping, lining up nonsense. It’s as easy as “spin, thunk, whack, spin” and takes about as long to do as does to say it. You don’t have to spend as much time making sure the steerer is cut square either.

+1 nedrapier.

For less than a tenner, I think people are doing themselves a disservice not to either get the tool, or get the LBS, who have the tool, to do it for you.

Soooo easy.

and if you look at the url of this thread, there’s another few threads of answers you can find pretty easily. Yours:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fitting-a-star-fangled-nut-3

so

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fitting-a-star-fangled-nut-2

and

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fitting-a-star-fangled-nut-1

and

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fitting-a-star-fangled-nut

Heh. Second link you posted is also from the OP.

Same time next year, then? 8)

Get the tool. It’s really not that expensive, and having to knock a knackered SFN down into the depths of your brand new fork steerer, or drill one out, tends to spoil your bodging afternoon. 😳

Threaded bar is good stuff to have, no end of uses. Get some M6, M8 and M10, and washers and nuts to match, they cost buttons and you’ll be using them to attach things to things or pull things into things or straighten things or spread things for the rest of your days.

In this case, don’t bother using it like a headset press- just thread the SFN onto the M6 bar and drop it in, the length of the bar makes it impossible to get it significantly squint. Then tap the top with a medium hammer.

Cut off the rounded end of a wooden yard bloom handle… you’ll find it fits nicely into the steerer tube.

So just tap that star fangled baby down to your desired depth

Probably not even possible to damage the nut and as chip as chips

Until the wife finds out you’ve vandalized her bloom 👿 😀

Not easy to do yourself, but with the help of a mate, a longer bolt and a 5lb lump hammer the task is completed quick smart. A few taps to the side to adjust alignment (doesn’t gave to be spot on) completes it. If it was a job I’d be doing more than once every 5 yrs I might consider investing in the proper tool

I made my own. I use a large socket that just fits over the end of the steer tube. I have a long bolt with a piece of tubing with an outside diameter just the right size to fit through the square drive hole of the socket.
I thread the star nut onto the end of the bolt-with-shim, stick it inside the socket, put the socket on the end of the steerer tube and thwack with a mallet. I have marked the outside of the tube with the correct depth so I know when I’m about to get the second star into the top of the tube.
I know I can buy these things cheap but I got great satisfaction from making my own from parts out of the scrap bin!

Yes, no need to ask for the 3rd time LOL.
Just go and buy the tool you tight arse!

until the wife finds out you’ve vandalized her bloom

😯

That’s not one i’ve heard before…

Oh, and buy the tool!

Just buy the tool, costs what a tenner when forks are easily £500+ totally worth it in the grand scheme of things and it won’t be squint either

Jamie – Freeloader! But we still like him
Heh. Second link you posted is also from the OP.

Same time next year, then?

See told you I did it last time based on a tip from STW. So embarrased.

Cheers all

Cut off the rounded end of a wooden yard bloom handle… you’ll find it fits nicely into the steerer tube.
So just tap that star fangled baby down to your desired depth

Works every time

Well, I bought that tool and it went in straight and took all of 5 secs. Money well spent

I’m pretty sure I could mess it up even with the right sized broom handle.

you don’t need to line them up, they are designed to go in straight due to the little flanges on them. fitted loads, just pop a screwdriver in the hole and tap with a hammer.

One of the easiest jobs on a bike I reckon.

FFS 🙄

Put it in.

Tap it down with a screw driver and hammer.

There is reason why they don’t come with instructions!

I’m in the screwdriver in, tap it down brigade. Works each time.

😆

Bloom/broom

I can’t even blame predictive texting.

Just a touch of dyslexia can be fun kids…. !!

I hate sfns

Proper tool does the job.

Preparation’s the key, you need to get proper drunk and angry first, then it’ll be a cinch.

Attached the SFN to the drive side of a 19mm socket using a washer on the open side and the screw the SFN comes with. Tap into the steerer, the flange part of the socket will go to the ideal depth in the steerer. The SFN will seat squarely if you’ve cut the steerer correctly. Fitted dozen this way without fail.
Hold the steerer in a vice to prevent the hammer impacts going into the fork legs.

You could always get a Hope Head Doctor and then you’ll know why a SFN is the best and least frustrating option.