Monarch Fork and worksman wheel problem?

[hoodoo]

I am currently having to run a Husky front wheel on my worksman Harley tribute bike because I can't get the wider worksman wheel to fit the monarch fork. I am using the worksman front wheel on my husky tribute bike which is using a standard springer. Am I doing something wrong?

Al

 

[sportscarpat]

Hoodoo,
The Worksman drum works well on the Monark fork. First you flip the swing arm brackets to the outside of the fork blades, then you need to anchor the torque bracket to the left rear shoulder bolt. Norm showed me this trick and it works great. There are a bunch of other tricks to beef up the Monark fork and the latest one I have come up with is heavy duty dropouts.


Racer by Sportsman Flyer, on Flickr


Monark Forks by Sportsman Flyer, on Flickr


Monark Forks by Sportsman Flyer, on Flickr

 

[GasX]

I know this is an old thread, but is there much variation in the drop outs and/or the torque brackets? I am trying to set-up my new VMB monarch fork with a Worksman Drum wheel and the drop outs line up with the most proximal part of the torque bracket slot and the fork cannot get in close enough to allow me to thread the bolt through the hole. I think that if the long arm of the dropout was a hair longer, I would be in good shape, but as it is, I cant get it to work. Am I off base here?

Lousy picture for reference: IMG_0398 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[GasX]

That picture of Pat's is driving me crazy. It looks so tidy and neat, but I have spent hours on this and can't get anything to sit right. Clearly the torque arm in the picture is different from mine in some impossible to see in this picture way or am I just a moron?

 

[sportscarpat]

Hi GasX,
It is hard to tell from your picture exactly what is going on but it looks as though your trying to place the brake arm between the fork blade and dropout. I run the dropouts on the outside of the fork blades. I drill out both the fork legs and the drops (or use my custom drops) and run the shoulder bolts through the drops and then through the fork blades. The hole size must be exact or the fork action will be sloppy. I then tig weld a stop pin (small piece of round bar) to the head of the left rear bolt to act as the locater pin for the brake arm. If you can't weld the pin properly it can shear off under heavy braking and cause you to crash. Also, Worksman from time to time runs out of their standard front drum and will substitute a different one in it's place. Not sure if that is part of your problem.
Pat

 

[GasX]

Thanks - Norm explained that to me in a PM, but I am only now getting my brain wrapped around the idea. How big of a pin do you use? Also, do you have a picture of the pin in place?

 

[sportscarpat]

Check my Flickr page under Monark Forks.

 

[brett7777]

Pat are you doing a run of Abraham Linkage forks?

 

[sportscarpat]

I have only made to order at this point but will be stocking them soon. Email me for details. The Abraham Linkage forks are very nice quality.

 

[GasX]

CURSES!

got my pin welded on only to learn the fork steerer tube is too big for my frame. Now I need either a new frame or a new fork. I've scuffed the fork enough that it is not returnable, so a frame shopping I go...

 

[sportscarpat]

Pretty easy to shorten a steer tube. If you can't do it at home then take it to a bike shop.

 

[brett7777]

Yep that's what I was thinking, but I think he might mean that the diameter is too big? In that case would he need to somehow swap out the tube for a narrower OD tube?

 

[GasX]

There are two problems:
1. The steerer tube is too long
2. The threads do not go down far enough for me to get the threaded race even close to the top bearing.

If 2 wasn't there, I'd just cutoff the top of the tube, smooth it out with my grinder and bob's your uncle... Sadly, the only way I set to fix it is to chop off the entire tube, cutoff a section from the unthreaded end and reweld it bank onto the fork. This is way beyond my capabilities....

 

[Lurker]

This is a common problem gasx, I have had many forks like this. All you have to do is take it to your local bike shop and explain to them that the steer tube is too long and you need more threads. They will gladly cut some more threads on the fork for you. If your bike shop doesn't have a fork threader then I'm sure you could buy one online, that would be way cheaper than buying a new frame.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I've been planning to buy a fork threader just for these situations.

 

[sportscarpat]

I bought a 1" die from Nova cycles, then a large die handle from McMaster Carr. All said and done it was over $100 and cuts lousy threads. I have used the Monark on Schwinn and Worksman frames and always had enough threads. I use ithe steer tube as is on the Schwinn and shorten 1/4" on the Worksman. You can always make a spacer like Brett did and still use the fork.

 

[brett7777]

I bought a 1" die from Nova cycles, then a large die handle from McMaster Carr. All said and done it was over $100 and cuts lousy threads. I have used the Monark on Schwinn and Worksman frames and always had enough threads. I use ithe steer tube as is on the Schwinn and shorten 1/4" on the Worksman. You can always make a spacer like Brett did and still use the fork.

Yep a spacer would do it. Your local engineer would do it, wouldnt cost much, just give him the measrurements.

 

[GasX]

I called all the bike shops in the tampa area and only one 40 minutes away from my house can/will do it. Has me thinking. Can I cut off the threaded part and used a threadless headset?