need to remove my star nut

[fuel36]

I need to know how to remove the star nut from my fork and i need to know what tools to use. It would really be helpful if i cold find out how to remove the star nut from the top of the fork, I dont want to pound it through the bottom of the fork. thanx

[WaveDude]

I need to know how to remove the star nut from my fork and i need to know what tools to use. It would really be helpful if i cold find out how to remove the star nut from the top of the fork, I dont want to pound it through the bottom of the fork. thanx

Drill the middle out of it first. Make sure you don't bind up the bit and spin the whole nut inside the steerer because that'll totally gouge it. After the middle piece is gone you should be able to break apart or bend together the actual "star" pieces and pull it out the top. And you may want to put some tape or rags over the wipers on your fork while drilling to keep the shavings from getting to them.

[Einke]

I need to know how to remove the star nut from my fork and i need to know what tools to use. It would really be helpful if i cold find out how to remove the star nut from the top of the fork, I dont want to pound it through the bottom of the fork. thanx

Another clean alternative is to use an extra pipe that just fits inside the steerer tube. Slide the smaller pipe into the steerer tube from the bottom and pound the star nut into that pipe. Once the star nut is in the smaller pipe, you can slide out the pipe along with the nut. It may be hard to find a "trash" pipe that just fits into the steerer tube though.

[fuel36]

thats a good idea but i am trying to remove it from a sid race carbon, so there is no hole at the bollom of the crown, i guess i will just have to be really careful tryin to drill it out so i wont dammage the steerer tube.

[Bike Nazi]

I need to know how to remove the star nut from my fork and i need to know what tools to use. It would really be helpful if i cold find out how to remove the star nut from the top of the fork, I dont want to pound it through the bottom of the fork. thanx

in a little farther till it's out of the way and insert another star nut or one of those starless type top caps

[tscheezy]

thats a good idea but i am trying to remove it from a sid race carbon, so there is no hole at the bollom of the crown, i guess i will just have to be really careful tryin to drill it out so i wont dammage the steerer tube.

Make sure you REALLY want that thing out of there because you are likely to trash the inside of the tube trying to get the star nut out. I struggled with one for a long time doing the drill-the-center-out thing (no go, the center sleeve just spun) and tried to use a hole-saw to mill the arms off the star (spring steel: no-can-saw-through). I ended up pulling it out by cranking the heck out of the top cap. Not pretty.

Good luck.

[bostonkiwi]

thats a good idea but i am trying to remove it from a sid race carbon, so there is no hole at the bollom of the crown, i guess i will just have to be really careful tryin to drill it out so i wont dammage the steerer tube.

The carbon steerer was NOT designed for starnut use, it should have a compression plug. The scratches left on the steerer tube when the star nut was inserted may well have damaged the carbon... use caution! and next time RTFM!

[SDizzle]

in a little farther till it's out of the way and insert another star nut or one of those starless type top caps

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought carbon steerer tubes were under no circumstances to be used with starnuts!? Isn't the idea that just the presence of the starnut will place stress risers and undue pressure on an already fragile part? So, pounding it in further will just move the stress riser further down, and weaken the whole deal even more...

MY recommendation would be not to ride that fork in its current condition. It doesn't sound even remotely safe to me. I also hope you're not trying to get the starnut out before selling it to an unexpecting buyer....

[smelly]

no starnuts in carbon steerers. expander plugs only.
definitely drill yours out, don't tear up the inside of the steerer any more than it already is.

[fuel36]

its not my fault that it is in the steerer, i had it installed on my bike by a bike store and now the bike store has gone out of business. I want to get it out and put an expander plug in and i an trying to find the easiest way to remove the star nut.

[SDizzle]

i had it installed on my bike by a bike store and now the bike store has gone out of business.

I guess I'm not too surprised! If I were you, I'd take it to the best shop you know of (but be a better judge this time, eh?) and see what they have to say. Don't go at it with a hammer and screwdriver at home - perhaps a faithful LBS mech can find a good, clean way to take it out, and then properly evaluate whether you're putting any hopes of having children at risk by riding it.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any such shops in the Tennessee area, but someone on the local forums might. Don't take your chances any more though - carbon can be unpredictable at best and maiming at worst when not taken care of...

[pissedoffwookie]

Some friendly tips from a bike shop mechanic

try a blended method:

use the pipe but it need only be 2" in length and find a 3" or 4" bolt that threads into the star nut and drill a hole in a block of metal or use a stack of washers or a metal top cap and crank on that star nut through the top with the bolt threaded into it.

this should do the least damage if any at all, since the pipe will serve to retract the wings of the star fangled nut as it enters the pipe.

this might take a litle grunt but will be the nicest to your steerer

one caveat: be careful to do this slowly and check to see if the spring steel itself is flexing and that the wings are not expanding as you turn it inside out, if expanding stop because it will split your steerer

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Rock Shox they'll do it for you or replace the steerer tube if necessary....I sure as hell wouldn't take risks with scratched carbon...you might have only been lucky so far (in the original installation not having caused failure yet).

[tscheezy]

How on earth do you people stumble across a thread which died out on April 26th, 2004 and then decide it's time to reply almost 8 MONTHS later? What are your forum thread sort settings???

[Bikinfoolferlife]

it's pissedoffwookie's fault.

[Raymo853]

its not my fault that it is in the steerer, i had it installed on my bike by a bike store and now the bike store has gone out of business. I want to get it out and put an expander plug in and i an trying to find the easiest way to remove the star nut.

I know this thread is old, but... was it a Trek dealer? I am assuming you screen name is based on your riding a Fuel. In that case I suggest you find the next Trek dealer and talk to them, I think Trek should be willing to send you a new fork or if possible put a new steerer in that fork. No way would they want to risk it failing based on what a authorized dealer did.

[1niceride]

I got smart, i think, and I remove one star from the assembly before installation. This leaves one star and the threaded stud. I install as usual. It seems to hold just fine, enough to preload the headset. To remove, just tap the star nut sideways and pull out from the top. Always works for me on my Ti fork, closed at the bottom.

[pissedoffwookie]

LOL....yep I did it

[Bikinfoolferlife]

was the outcome of the situation, fuel36?

[cyclust]

its not my fault that it is in the steerer, i had it installed on my bike by a bike store and now the bike store has gone out of business. I want to get it out and put an expander plug in and i an trying to find the easiest way to remove the star nut.

Why don't you just leave it in? If needed, you can always tap it down a little further to fit the compression plug in, but taking out could only serve to damage the steerer tube.

[Zizzle to the Tizzle]

Won't your one get lonely?

[Max]

just got two sid carbon crwons. anybody knows how to get the expander plug a little deeper into the steerer? gotta shorten the steerer tube.... do i just tap on the cap? i'm afarid of ruining the carbon

[Max]

ok, already solved: just tap it slightly, and everything comes apart.