BLAZER SCS problems

[joshbeattie]

right, iv'e almost sorted this, but im having a few more problems.
so far iv'e

-sanded the fork a little bit, just enough to make the surface rough so it would stay in place

-got a new headset spacer, 5mm bigger

-got some new bolts for the compression, the others rounded way to easy

but still, i get a little movement between the forks and compression i.e my bars still come out of line, and if i ride hard for say, half an hour or so, the compression comes loose and wobbles :/ my compression is so tight the sides touch, i know thats bad but it really needs to be that tight!

so any more help would be great!

 

[Broccoli1]

right, iv'e almost sorted this, but im having a few more problems.
so far iv'e

-sanded the fork a little bit, just enough to make the surface rough so it would stay in place

-got a new headset spacer, 5mm bigger

-got some new bolts for the compression, the others rounded way to easy

but still, i get a little movement between the forks and compression i.e my bars still come out of line, and if i ride hard for say, half an hour or so, the compression comes loose and wobbles :/ my compression is so tight the sides touch, i know thats bad but it really needs to be that tight!


so any more help would be great!

hmmm..

let's try and name the pieces correctly so we know exactly what/where there might be a problem.

SCS is a Compression system and Clamp all in one.

Compression Bolt: this bolt is the one that goes through the Top cap and tightens into the Fork.

Clamp Bolt : This is the one that goes through the sides of the SCS clamping the SCS around the Fork and Bars.

Although they usually use the same style bolt it helps to call out the name so we know where on the SCS you are talking about.

Make sure you use some grease on the Clamp Bolts.

The bolts are steel while the SCS is aluminum- the Aluminum is soft so it tends to "grab" the bolt before it actually threads through enough to get any real clamping action. It gives a false sense of Clamping since it gets harder to tighten up.
(This usually leads to snapped bolts or rounded Allen Socket Heads)

Adding some grease to the bolt before you thread it in to the hole should help with that part of your bars moving in the top of the SCS.


Mike Olster mentioned the Top Cap earlier: I've only seen this once but the Top cap was a just a wee bit wider than the fork so the Clamping action is clamping around the Top Cap and not the Bars. Make sense?

Put the Top Cap on top of your fork- just by itself- and check that it is a little bit smaller in diameter than the Fork Tube. They are usually aluminum so they are easily sanded down if too wide.

You already know that the Fork Tube has to be below the ridge that the Top Cap sits on- since you've already solved that problem with spacers, that shouldn't be causing any problems now.

If all of that checks out assemble the Fork, SCS, Top cap but don't tighten anything yet.

Align the Fork and SCS and then tighten the Compression bolt to the point that the forks barely spins- * once you install the Bars you'll get more rotation due to the weight of the bars.

Tighten Bottom bolt of SCS BUT not super tight, snug. You don't want too much pressure on that bolt just yet.

Install bars and align- Snug up 2nd to bottom bolt, 3rd, then top bolt. Once yer sure you have everything lined up then go back and tighten everything up BUT alternate the tightening sequence on the bolts so you evenly spread out the force.

Little bit on Bolt 1,2,3,4
repeat till all bolts are tight.

Hope that helps.

If it still moves around buy a Skate Board:fell:

Seriously if it does move around then your Starnut inside the forks may be buggered up.

 

[joshbeattie]

hmmm..

let's try and name the pieces correctly so we know exactly what/where there might be a problem.

SCS is a Compression system and Clamp all in one.

Compression Bolt: this bolt is the one that goes through the Top cap and tightens into the Fork.

Clamp Bolt : This is the one that goes through the sides of the SCS clamping the SCS around the Fork and Bars.

Although they usually use the same style bolt it helps to call out the name so we know where on the SCS you are talking about.

Make sure you use some grease on the Clamp Bolts.

The bolts are steel while the SCS is aluminum- the Aluminum is soft so it tends to "grab" the bolt before it actually threads through enough to get any real clamping action. It gives a false sense of Clamping since it gets harder to tighten up.
(This usually leads to snapped bolts or rounded Allen Socket Heads)

Adding some grease to the bolt before you thread it in to the hole should help with that part of your bars moving in the top of the SCS.


Mike Olster mentioned the Top Cap earlier: I've only seen this once but the Top cap was a just a wee bit wider than the fork so the Clamping action is clamping around the Top Cap and not the Bars. Make sense?

Put the Top Cap on top of your fork- just by itself- and check that it is a little bit smaller in diameter than the Fork Tube. They are usually aluminum so they are easily sanded down if too wide.

You already know that the Fork Tube has to be below the ridge that the Top Cap sits on- since you've already solved that problem with spacers, that shouldn't be causing any problems now.

If all of that checks out assemble the Fork, SCS, Top cap but don't tighten anything yet.

Align the Fork and SCS and then tighten the Compression bolt to the point that the forks barely spins- * once you install the Bars you'll get more rotation due to the weight of the bars.

Tighten Bottom bolt of SCS BUT not super tight, snug. You don't want too much pressure on that bolt just yet.

Install bars and align- Snug up 2nd to bottom bolt, 3rd, then top bolt. Once yer sure you have everything lined up then go back and tighten everything up BUT alternate the tightening sequence on the bolts so you evenly spread out the force.

Little bit on Bolt 1,2,3,4
repeat till all bolts are tight.

Hope that helps.

If it still moves around buy a Skate Board:fell:

Seriously if it does move around then your Starnut inside the forks may be buggered up.

wow man, cheers for taking time to write that, and yeah, looking back at my post i should have been more specific with which bolts i meant and to start, the bars and scs are tight, no movement what so ever, its the compression moving around the forks that's the problem.
what you said about the bolts being steal and the SCS being aluminium, i think your onto something, but the two sides of the SCS are literally touching, so surley its tightened right? but just in case, do you mean add grease to the compression bolt or clamp bolt?
the bit you said about tightening the compression bolt as tight as it goes, ive tried that, and the bars barley spin, i'm not like being fussy with it being a bit tight, but it hardly moves:/ so im not sure thats a good idea.
someone recommended using thread lock on the compression bolt so it dosnt come loose, would that work?
already got enough skateboards, dad used to be pro, pretty sick of skateboards if im honest
and finally ive had a feeling that it might be the star nut, but im not sure, and didnt want to replace it to find out it was fine:/ any pointers on how to
tell if its messed up?!

once again, cheers for the help man

 

[Broccoli1]

wow man, cheers for taking time to write that, and yeah, looking back at my post i should have been more specific with which bolts i meant and to start, the bars and scs are tight, no movement what so ever, its the compression moving around the forks that's the problem.
what you said about the bolts being steal and the SCS being aluminium, i think your onto something, but the two sides of the SCS are literally touching, so surley its tightened right? but just in case, do you mean add grease to the compression bolt or clamp bolt?
the bit you said about tightening the compression bolt as tight as it goes, ive tried that, and the bars barley spin, i'm not like being fussy with it being a bit tight, but it hardly moves:/ so im not sure thats a good idea.
someone recommended using thread lock on the compression bolt so it dosnt come loose, would that work?
already got enough skateboards, dad used to be pro, pretty sick of skateboards if im honest
and finally ive had a feeling that it might be the star nut, but im not sure, and didnt want to replace it to find out it was fine:/ any pointers on how to
tell if its messed up?!

once again, cheers for the help man

Grease on the Clamp Bolts.

Thread Lock on the Compression bolt- BLUE locktite: all of Locktite's bottles are Red so make sure it actually reads BLUE on the bottle

Clamp sides: if they're touching and the bars are spinning then that
means the clamp is too big for the bars, might try a soda can shim around the bars.

Cut open a Soda can and cut a strip from it to wrap around the bars. Regular scissors will work.

As far as the Starnut being bad you just have to check it and at this point you might as well replace it. They're not expensive and if you take your time easy to install.

 

[joshbeattie]

Grease on the Clamp Bolts.

Thread Lock on the Compression bolt- BLUE locktite: all of Locktite's bottles are Red so make sure it actually reads BLUE on the bottle

Clamp sides: if they're touching and the bars are spinning then that
means the clamp is too big for the bars, might try a soda can shim around the bars.

Cut open a Soda can and cut a strip from it to wrap around the bars. Regular scissors will work.

As far as the Starnut being bad you just have to check it and at this point you might as well replace it. They're not expensive and if you take your time easy to install.

right man, ill get some BLUE threadlock
the bars are fine bro, they dont come out of line its the forks that move in the SCS :/ and yeah i guess ill replace my starnut, how do i get rid of my current one though? do i just like, hammer it lower down in the fork?

 

[Broccoli1]

right man, ill get some BLUE threadlock
the bars are fine bro, they dont come out of line its the forks that move in the SCS :/ and yeah i guess ill replace my starnut, how do i get rid of my current one though? do i just like, hammer it lower down in the fork?

"my bars still come out of line, and if i ride hard for say, half an hour or so, the compression comes loose and wobbles"

I misread what ya wrote as to what was coming loose.

OK- Bars all good

Starnut- yes just hammer it down farther in the Fork Tube.

If you want to get it out all the way you might be able to hammer it all the way through the fork-depends on fork.

Or you have to get a smaller Flat head and smack the little tabs on the Starnut close to where the nut is so that they start to bend up and then you'll be able to get it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMAc6S--4Hk

 

[joshbeattie]

aha, yeah man, all good
okay, ill install a new starnut and put on threadlock, fingers crossed it'll work!
cheers dude, big help :')