Is This Fork Safe For A Motorized Bike?

[ZipTie]

I accidently ordered a cool looking chrome springer fork is quality made but has no threads on the steerer tube like my previous Monarch II forks, its smooth as silk. I have no experience with using a clamp on handle bar quill to hold it all together. So Without threads to securely hold and adjust bearing pressure with main big nut and lock nut. Yea I know they have that little cap nut gripper thinga ma bob I can press fit in the steerer tube, but...

1) I worry The bearings will not have any compression on them and will always be wiggly.
2) If that clamp fails the tire will quickly hit the top of the fork causing me to stop instantly
3) With every bump all the pressure will be trying to pop that clamp off the top of that fork due to the leverage of the springer plate.

Here is a pict of the fork top and the clamp I will buy from Lynn in Wisc, if you experts feel it is safe. Yes my mountain bike uses this type of system but there is no pressure top the clamp like a springer fork has. HELP, I really need it here.

 

[ZipTie]

See above post, this is the clamp my life would depend on....really

 

[Agreen]

That's how threadless forks are!

Not to worry. The "dogbone" clamp is actually quite strong. You also don't want a lot of preload on the bearings either, so you slide the dogbone on and clamp it, and the bearings don't really get all wobbly.

You're set

 

[ZipTie]

Thanks a ton Agreen, I believe you... Just seems odd to have my life depending on 2 small bolts. There will be lot of lever pressure on that dog bone clamp. Makes one take pause and move on I guess. I couldn't find anything on anyone using a threadless springer fork on a MB. I like the fork.

 

[Agreen]

I was in a snooty bike shop discussing the benefits of threaded vs threadless. They were singing praises of the threadless, as if it were the best thing to happen to the bicycle since spandex.

Then I told them I was putting an engine on it....and the snoot got worse.

Another bike shop the same week was super excited about the bike I was building and actually went for a ride on it once I was done! Said it was the most fun he'd ever had on a bicycle. Those guys said there's really no difference between the two as far as benefits. It's sort of a "to each their own" sort of thing.

 

[ZipTie]

I can see that on a fork that is just pushing straight up like on a mountain bike, it would be maybe better solution as there is no force trying to pop the clamp off... however there will be a lot of pressure on a lever action springer trying to pop the clamp off and kill me. Great story Agreen. However...there are no snooty bike shops/ LOL.

 

[Agreen]

I think the spring mounting tab would probably bend before the dogbone pops off!

 

[ZipTie]

Ok Thanks. I will, order the dog bone from Lynn tonight and finish up my front end. I guess I can always add a set screw and a pilot hole in the steerer tube for added peace of mind.

 

[Tony01]

Threadless is the way to go for 3 reasons:

1. Easier to manufacture: no threads, and one size fits all (cut steerer to fit)
2. Easier to adjust
3. Lighter weight.

Adjustments are so easy on threadless. Simply loosen the clamp, tighten the cap screw a bit more, and tighten the clamp again. The entire job is done in under 1 minute with a set of hex wrenches that you probably carry with you on your rides.

You'll need a threadless headset.

With threaded forks you always need to worry about headtube size and figuring how many inches of smooth with how many of threads you need. Also the lighter weight of threadless comes from not needing extra steerer tube thickness for threads.

You won't need a set screw. The clamping action is plenty. EVEN IF the clamping action fails and tries to slide up, it won't get very far because the cap screw acts as a "jesus bolt".

 

[ZipTie]

Threadless is the way to go for 3 reasons:

1. Easier to manufacture: no threads, and one size fits all (cut steerer to fit)
2. Easier to adjust
3. Lighter weight.

Adjustments are so easy on threadless. Simply loosen the clamp, tighten the cap screw a bit more, and tighten the clamp again. The entire job is done in under 1 minute with a set of hex wrenches that you probably carry with you on your rides.

You'll need a threadless headset.

With threaded forks you always need to worry about headtube size and figuring how many inches of smooth with how many of threads you need. Also the lighter weight of threadless comes from not needing extra steerer tube thickness for threads.

You won't need a set screw. The clamping action is plenty. EVEN IF the clamping action fails and tries to slide up, it won't get very far because the cap screw acts as a "jesus bolt".

This is al super information on the whys and how's of forks. Ill be sure to install the barbed female cap in the "steerer" ( is that a word?) tube also. I guess one pounds it in to just the right depth and the squid arms lock it in. I've never used one of these. I thought the "Jesus bolt cap"
was just for looks. C2 and Agreen your info is extremely helpful. Huge thanks!!!!

 

[gooseneck]

just a note: I read somewhere here where at the bottom 2 bolts (4 total 2 on each side)
where the forks pivot (by the hubs axial) the oval type bar plates, that to use a fiber washer, I used the real thin brass washers. it had something to do with some noise when riding.
they are brass so any wear would be noticeable, fiber washers I have used in plumbing are too thick and would disintegrate. so I put the brass in for giggles. they would go Bolt-Oval Bracket-Washer-Fork-Nut. acts like a bushing.
this is for my Black Sunlite Springer DLX 180x70x25.4x27 mm. Threaded.
2nd coolest part of the build.

 

[ZipTie]

Gooseneck, The fork has low friction Nylon washers now...who knows what strange noises will be emanated from this fork. I couldn't see how the sound could be heard over the chain and engine racket. Ill just be happy if the top threadless cap doesn't pop off causing a chain reaction of instant stopping and propelling me into space. I had two instant stop scenarios that happened when I was a kid one on a dirt bike when a neighbor dug a hidden trench trap to stop us from roaring behind his house on a trail we used everyday, another when my front wheel touched the bike in fronts back wheel at 20 mph while riding too fast on a bicycle.
Wheels going in opposite directions touching is not a good idea, I found out the hard way instantly on the ways of leverage. Both caused spontaneous and drawn out space flight, I shall never forget. Broken collar bones are not fun.

 

[gooseneck]

OH! No! Not! The collar bone, I was in traction in 4th grade for lock knee.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

I've never used a threadless, either. So I wouldn't have been able to contribute.

But the info here is useful. So, thanks.

One day I'll give it a try because I am interested in good forks up front and the Monarch style are very tempting. There are some threaded types available, it's true. But they don't seem to be very numerous and proper fit can be a concern.

It could well be that threadless is the more simple method.

 

[ZipTie]

Thanks Blue!
ANYONE USING A THREADLESS 1 1/8" THREADLESS FORK ON A GT2A PLEASE READ> I finished installing my threadless Monarch style fork on my Yellow GT2A build the other day and once I figured out how important that little top cap is... I had success. Not only is the little top cap critical to the install, you also have to have the little top cap pushing on a properly shimmed steering tube so the cap pushes down on the bearings and races and bearings to compress everything together, so its not all sloppy with back and forth play. With that top cap you can adjust it all perfect. As I was swearing under my breath for hours trying to get that fork to work so it wasn't a bit wiggly... to telling myself I need to buy a threaded fork and toss this threadless one in the spare parts heap. Any how I got the cap bottom half with the one way barbs hammered in the inside if the tube and top cap on so it would push on a precise height shim,which I thought was mainly for looks to cap the hole. Man was I wrong that cap was the key to instant success. I felt stupid but enjoyed solving the sloppy fork fitting to one that was smooth as silk and with 0 slop. I would now use a threadless with confidence. The big billet clamp that also holds the handle bars on plus the cap seems strong. I only had the take the fork off and on about 10 times to get it all perfect...too funny in hindsight THANKS everyone for your advice.
-The advantage of a threadless that I found I was having a bunch of leeway in adjusting the distance between the fork and the tire top. .
-All I'm waiting on now is a 170mm long rear hub axel and I should be ready final assembly.
-I also figured out the best way to install a headlight on a springer monarch style fork by simply bridging across the 2 top nuts and bolting the light mount in the center of the bridge. See the pict below of the installed fork and Headlight.
I will post the Headlight to springer in its own thread when I get time.