Installing star nuts

A typical expansion plug system consist of an expandable sleeve. There is a cone at the top and bottom, and a hollow bolt passes through the sleeve. As this expansion bolt is tightened, it draws together the two cones and this expands the sleeve. As with most all threaded fasteners, grease or oil the threads. The headset adjusting cap and bolt then fit into the top of the expansion plug. Threaded Headset Service View Article.

Threadless Headset Service View Article. Headset Standards View Article. Trade Resources. Thread the star-nut onto the threaded stud inside the TNS The convex surface will face outward of the tool, and face the steering column. Hold the TNS-4 straight and in line with the steering column. Strike the top of the TNS-4 with a hammer to drive in the star-nut. Install the assembled expansion plug into the steering column. Secure the expansion plug.

Install top cap and headset adjusting bolt into expansion plug hollow bolt. Finished headset top cap. Ideally, you should carry out this procedure with the fork off the bike. If your steerer needs to be cut down then do that before installing the nut. You can see our video guide on how to do that here. If you have an existing nut that needs to be replaced, the easiest way to remove it is to use a hammer and long bolt, metal rod or drift to push it out the bottom of the steerer.

Wind the star nut as far as you can onto the fitting tool, with the flare on the star nut pointing towards the handle of the tool. Place the star nut into the steerer tube and use the hammer to tap the nut into the tube. So now once the star nut is installed, you can reassemble the fork into the bicycle with the headset, and having the star nut properly installed will allow the bearings of the headset to fit tight together, the stem to fit on top, and everything to compress and give you smooth steering.

That's how you install a star nut in a bicycle fork. View the discussion thread. Skip to main content. I'm going to show you how to install a star nut into your bicycle fork. Get the Components. Tools you Need hammer.