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I having replaced my 11 year old FS bike the parts are going onto an old hard tail frame that was a non runner. When done the bike will go to Sheffield for grown up son to ride into the Peak etc.
I assume Recons from the FS are better than the Suntour SR from the hard tail. Just had the lowers off the Recons and they seems fine (not great but fully functional). The Suntours have a broken rebound adjuster and generally seems less good. So the Recon is the better Fork?
But the 9mm QR wheel of the FS has gritty bearings. It's some weird system to get into cup and cone bearings which I don't have the tools to access. My instinct says use that wheel the gritty bearings will work without problems on my Recon fork. He can get an LBS to rebuild them if he needs to. The bearing in the wheel that goes with the suntour fork are silky smooth but have to go on that fork due to propiatry through axle. So stick with the gritty bearings? That has a wider rim as well
Finally if I do cut down the recons can I drive the star nut in deeper before cutting? is that easier than fitting it from scratch? I have no specialist tools for instauling a star nut and I can't remember if I've done it before. I think I must have?
I would avoid cutting the steerer down unless it's ridiculously long. It's much easier to lower the bars with a flipped stem and flat bars than to deal with a steerer that is too short. If you do decide to cut it, I would leave it an inch longer than you think you need and put some spacers above the stem for a few rides until you are totally sure about how long you want it.
The star-nut thing is pretty simple. Screw a bolt into it and tap it with a hammer until it's 5 to 10 mm below where you plan to cut. Tap carefully because if you belt it hard and it goes too far, you will not be able to move it up higher again.
Cheers and thinking it through I thought I'd start with loads of spacers. It will look crazy but that will do for the moment.
Currently enjoying crown race removal
Where are you? I’m skill at cup
And cones.
I'm In Bedfordshire. Son is In Crookes Sheffield
I would also say I'm good at cup and cone. But I've never seen anything like it. One end has a cone spanner flat but a round end above it. The other end is round with a another round fitting below that with a think 4 notches.
Forks now fitted. Cheers guys
@ampthill
Tell him to give me a shout - bike mechanic based in Crookes. www.bikerevivesheffield.co.uk
Happy to help him/you out dude
Rob