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How To

How to Install Mountain Bike Forks

Contributor
By Justin Wash
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

New shocks are an effective upgrade to make to your mountain bike. With the right set of tools, replacing your mountain bike's fork is a straightforward procedure that brings wide performance gains.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Allen wrench set
  • Headset cup remover
  • Headset cup setter
  • Crown race setter
  • Crown race remover
  • Pipe cutter
  • Starnut setter
  • Hammer

    Removing The Fork

  1. Step 1

    Loosen the binder bolts on the stem and headset cap. Remove the stem from the steerer tube.

  2. Step 2

    Remove the front wheel from the fork. If the fork is set up for a disk-brake system, remove the brake from the bracket. If it is set up for in-line brakes, remove the brake arms from the posts.

  3. Step 3

    Pull the fork out of the head-tube.

  4. Step 4

    Use a crown-race remover to remove the headset race from the crown of the fork. Set it aside.

  5. Step 5

    If you are installing a new headset with the new fork, use a headset cup remover to detach the headset cups from the head-tube.

  6. Installing The Fork

  7. Step 1

    Use a crown-race setter to attach the headset race to the new fork.

  8. Step 2

    If installing a new headset, use a headset cup setter to attach the new headset cups to the head-tube.

  9. Step 3

    Measure the new fork against the old one, and cut the steerer-tube to the appropriate height. If you leave more height, you must use more headset spacers. Attach the star-nut with a star-nut setter and hammer.

  10. Step 4

    Slide the new fork into the head-tube with any necessary headset bearings in place.

  11. Step 5

    Slide any necessary spacers onto the steerer tube beneath or above the stem. Tighten the stem compression bolts and headset cap.

  12. Step 6

    Attach the wheel to the fork dropouts. If your new fork uses a disk brake caliper, install it to the correct mounting bracket. If using in-line brakes, attach them to the correct brake-arm posts and adjust them for the height of the rim.

Tips & Warnings
  • When using the headset cup setter, turn the handle slowly and watch for correct alignment of the cups. If the cups are offset, remove them and repeat the procedure. Wrongly attached headset cups can cause bearing compression or a broken head-tube.

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