Starnut installation without "starnut" tool

[mxpdx]

Searched through and couldn't find anything about doing this WITHOUT the correct tool.

Anyone done that, have experience with it?

Is the only issue getting it in straight?

Any advice?

[rustychisel]

star fangled nut in steerer tube of forks?

introduce with a bolt threaded into place and tap carefully so as keep it nice and straight. Use a drift (metal tube to fit internal diameter of fork steerer) to gently drive (ie tap) it into position and keep everything nicely lined up.
Don't drive it too far down, of course. Stop and measure.

[cole91]

Go to your lbs and just ask to borrow theirs for 2 seconds, hit with hammer twice, good to go. Offer $5 to whoever handed you the tool and bounce out. I mean it can be done without the tool but its just so easy and worry free to smack it with the tool.

[rickbb]

My LBS did it for $5 and I had to force the money on them.
One of the tasks that is needed so infrequently that I don't feel the need to learn and tool up for it, even as inexpensive as that would be.

[xjoex]

Find a phillips head screw driver with a handle about the same size as the internal diameter of the steerer tube.

Put the screw driver through the star nut, rest the star nut on the steerer.

Tap the handle of the screw driver with a hammer.

Couldn't be easier and it goes in straight.

-Joe

[TomP]

Find a phillips head screw driver with a handle about the same size as the internal diameter of the steerer tube.

Put the screw driver through the star nut, rest the star nut on the steerer.

Tap the handle of the screw driver with a hammer.

Couldn't be easier and it goes in straight.

-Joe


I have used this same technique for years. Perfect.

[R2D2]

Find a phillips head screw driver with a handle about the same size as the internal diameter of the steerer tube.

Put the screw driver through the star nut, rest the star nut on the steerer.

Tap the handle of the screw driver with a hammer.

Couldn't be easier and it goes in straight.

-Joe

Or the use a deep well socket which fits into the steerer.

[ultraman6970]

+1 with r2d2

[mxpdx]

There's a ton of shop around that would probably lend it for free, but I'm working a ton of overtime nowadays and not one shop in town is open past 7pm.

I'll get it prepped and try screwdriver/socket method tonight. Luckily it's a cheap fork and a starnut so if I totally botch it no one will be crying.

Thanks all.

[mxpdx]

Went with the screwdriver method and it worked like a charm.


It was a 1" steerer though, so it was a bit tough to get started. Patience prevailed as I didn't want to waste a $2 starnut for no reason.

[bikser]

I've made a homemade setup before. Get a bolt with the proper threading, maybe 2-3" long, thread a nut onto it, and then use two different sized washer below the bolt. A larger washer next to the bolt, then the smaller one, and then thread the bolt into the star nut. You can then tap it in using the bolt. The two different sized washers work against the convex (?) edges of the star nut. Anyway, works fine.

[salem]

Or the use a deep well socket which fits into the steerer.
I'm +2 on this one, but with some personal modification:
1) Thread a bolt into the star fangled nut--all the way down to the bolt head, so you don't side load the smaller diameter of the bolt shaft.
2) Use a socket that just fits over the bolt head. With a long socket, you can easily judge if you have set it square.
3) Like others have said, no need to go as deep as many OEMs. Once it grabs, it grabs.
After years of working in a shop, I prefer this method to the official tool.

[bikerboy337]

is the easiest way to go, esp. if you have an expensive fork and aren't sure what you're doing...

but... i've used the bolt method that most have described... i've ended up using a wooden dowel to tap it in fully... once its seated in straight, just tap it down.. pretty easy to do...

[bobswire]

I use a nail set kinda like this one.
http://i56.tinypic.com/2ex563t.jpg

[sean]

I'd be embarrassed to list all the things I've used in the past. Some were very, errr, questionable*.

However, my two fav were the above punch and the socket method, the later being a bit nicer when you are trying to get the nut in there level.


*nobody died that I'm aware of.