How do you add threads to a front fork stem?

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Craiggo

Craiggo

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I have a woman's springer that I intend to use for the build off, but the headpost I am putting it in is slightly shorter. I don't want to cut it up and weld a shorter stem on it, but I want to find a 24 thread by 1" diameter die. I am having my shop teacher help me find one at a local hardware store to borrow, but they may not end up having one. What have you done to add threads? Do you have that die? Or is it simpler just to cut off the long one and weld a shorter one on?
Thanks -Craig
 
You need a die and die handle and you can cut more threads. About $35 from Enco tools in Chicago. You may have a bigger problem, though. If it's a Schwinn style springer the upper part of the legs on a girls fork are longer than the boys. You can rethread and shorten the fork tube but you can't shorten the legs. If it's another style of fork than Schwinn you may be okay. Gary
 
The die size isn't that common, neither is the 2" die handle needed to use it, at least not hardware store items. I bought the die I have for about $45 online, IIRC. The handle I borrow when needed from a fellow bike nut in our machine shop. The toughest part, really, is getting the die started on the existing threads. The thread is such a fine pitch, you have to be very careful not to crossthread when you start.
 
Add spacers under the locknut to increase the stack height, you can even add them at the bottom under the race, but it will raise the fork head that much. Most would much rather have your 'problem' than the troublesome 'too short a steer tube' issue.
+1 on that die as expensive and ya gotta be careful, WAY careful in getting it started. Spacers are a lot quicker, cheaper and easier.
 
I hate to reveal my mach-up for the build off, but this is the type of springer we are looking at. I would need to shorten the upper truss rods, but that should be simple.
DSCN8543.jpg

also, Thanks for aall the great tips! i was just wondering gcrank1, what the spacers look like. I can imagine them, but not sure how they would work.
stocksucks, I cant add tubing because that is against the rules of the build-off im pretty sure.
I wouldnt buy one of the die because i may not need it more than a couple times. but i may end up contacting some bike shops in some local towns to see if they have this die. :mrgreen:
Thanks again for the great tips though :D
 
The spacers are a thick washer , various thicknesses available, without the wide flat surface. They actually look a lot like pieces of that gray plastic conduit does but made of aluminum and have a close I.D. to the steer tube dia.
I forgot that you have to thread the top bearing race down that far (Ive been working lately with threadless forks!), if you had a theadless steertube top race that would be a slide on fit and its taper wedge ring, then you could stack a dust cover and spacers up to get a stack height so the locknut would adjust it all and hold it together. I will also mention that you can accomplish the same thing with a threaded top race that you carefully grind the threads out until it barely slips down and onto the unthreaded tube, but unless it is tightish you will feel some rock when it is together. It has to be a good fit on that steer tube.
I'll bet you find a LBS that can get you a few more threads and be good to go, but while there ask to see some spacers too.
 
Wait, did you just say you're mocking up your build off bike Craiggo?
As far as I know the official rules for RRBBO #7 haven't been posted yet, but we traditionally don't start until May 1st.
 
I'm just seeing what looks good on what. There is no actual work being done. Plus, I am anxious tO get working On this bike because so many ideas have been flying through my head lately, and I have a really really busy summer coming up. I am not doing anything productive though. Just throwing things onto my workbench and it may happen to look like a bike :D I can stop if it's against the rules.
 
The mock up is looking cool, but it may be pushing the envelope on the rules a bit.
 
Alright, I'll contain myself. It's just that I'm a very visual person, so Mach ups are what I do haha. It's hard for me to imagine what the bike as a whole will look like so I need to asist my mind with piecing it together. May 1st is so close, but so far!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
I wasn't trying to be a rules lawyer or anything. I'm chopping at the bit to get started on mine. Half the challenge for me is to get a rideable bike done in the aloted amount of time. I do look forward to following your build thread.
Anyway you should get a die and handle if you plan on building more than one bike. I always chase the threads, it helps the headset stay tight.
 
Thanks! I don't disrespect you for pointing out the rules. I am considering buying a die for the reason that I would use it for more than once, but are all bikes that size (1" 24 thread)? Crassly offered to cut the threads for me with my fenders in return. But I'm not sure yet. I need to wait for the build off to start to do any of that anyway
 
18 more days. You can make it.
I totally understand the needing to visualize with mock ups. Heck it seems like I had 10 pages of nothing but mock ups when I built Fugsley.
 
Side note: Fugsley is awesome^ just putting that out there really great job! :D . Also, with that park die set, I don't have $230 lying around to buy a die set that I can probly put $30 into through my shop teacher ordering through school. Thanks for the link though 8)
 
Yeah, $230 is crazy money. You can get a grip of ratty bikes for that.
All of the vintage bikes I've come across use the 1x24 thread. I got mine through http://www.travers.com/m/ or http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm . The cheap Chinese stuff is good for "home" use. After you build 5 o r 6 bikes, it will pay for itself.
 
Thanks for the compliments on Fugsley.

I think Schwinn's typically have 1-1/8" tubes. Most others are 1"
 
No, the only two Schwinns I've come across with a 1-1/8" headset is the aluminum framed cruiser I posted elsewhere and my fillet-brazed postwar tandem. All "normal" ones are 1"x24 TPI, like everybody else. It may be the one area that Schwinn didn't monkey with, since they went to different head bearings already.
 

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