Expander plug in steel steerer tube or stick with star nut?

[Veloo]

Probably getting a new fork with a steel steerer tube for the commuter.
I do have some expander plugs in my bin originally for the ENVE 2.0 fork.

Starnuts are only $5 but I'm thinking just to get rid of some stuff in my stagnant bin.

Any reasons not to use existing inventory of expanders over buying a starnut?

[Mark McM]

In my experience, expanders can have trouble getting a grip on the hard surface of a steel steerer, and are prone to slipping when tightening the bearing pre-load bolt. The "fingers" on a star nut are hard and very stiff, and angled so that they dig in when they are pulled upward by the pre-load bolt.

[tellyho]

Could just glue the expander plug in...

[prototoast]

A lot of expander plugs won't fit because the walls on a steel steerer are thinner than the walls of a carbon steerer. But there's not a lot of harm in trying.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by prototoast

A lot of expander plugs won't fit because the walls on a steel steerer are thinner than the walls of a carbon steerer. But there's not a lot of harm in trying.

I was thinking this too, and then thought: maybe put the expander in a short piece of road inner tube. That might just bite hard enough on the steel tube to be optimal. Give it a shot!

[bewheels]

Starnuts have worked for a few decades. Cheap and no modifications needed. The main drawback is getting them back out if you ever had a reason to do so.

...and it helps to have a starnut setter tool to get it in straight.

[tv_vt]

Originally Posted by prototoast

A lot of expander plugs won't fit because the walls on a steel steerer are thinner than the walls of a carbon steerer. But there's not a lot of harm in trying.

Yes, found this out first hand. Got a steel fork to use instead of a carbon one for a bike and found out none of the expanders I had fit. They were all too skinny. Star nut did the trick.

You just can't get them back out once they're in.

[deluz]

Star nuts just work.

[bigbill]

If the bottom of the steerer is open through the crown, you can always punch out a star nut. I have a long bolt with the correct threading for the star nut and use it to install and keep it straight. I tap it in with a rubber mallet.

[Fat Cat]

you can drill out the center of the star nut with a step drill and get the fingers out. No problem.