Installing Mountain Bike Forks - Your 10 Step Guide
Installing mountain bike forks is often left to professionals. However if you do a little bit of your own bike maintenance, you can do it too! Here I will show you in 10 easy-to-follow steps, how to replace a mountain bike fork.
If you haven't yet bought your new fork then read this guide to see the pros and cons of each type of fork
While there are some specialist and often costly tools on the market to make this job easier, with a little know-how, this job can be done with the tools most bikers will already have in their collection.
Right lets get started…
01 :: Disassembly
The 1st step is to remove the brakes and undo your stem top cap. You don’t have to remove your bars.
02 :: Remove Stem
The next step is to slide the stem up the steerer. Releasing your brakes and popping your gear cables may help you to do this without fouling anything. You can pop your gear cables by shifting your derailleurs into their highest settings and then clicking the shifters all the way down without moving your chain.
Keep your hand under the brake bridge so your fork doesn’t fall out.
03 :: Collect Spacers
It is now time to slide your fork out. There will (most likely) be a bunch of spacers at the top of your fork. As you slide your fork out make sure you collect them and remember what order and orientation they came off in.
04 :: Remove the Crown
The fork you have just removed has the lower crown race of the headset on it and you will need this part for your new fork. It may pay to get a specialist tool for this job, however if you don’t it can still be removed with a whole lot of patience and care.
The best method to remove it is to use a small thin flathead screwdriver you don’t mind damaging and a hammer. Most modern mountain bike forks are reasonably co-operative when it comes to crown installation and removal, but if you have an older fork they can be a fair bit more difficult.
05 :: Install the Crown
With the crown removed, you need to install it onto your new mountain bike fork. Start off by gently filing out an nicks on the inside surface of the race. Then wipe a finger with grease on it around the base of the steerer. Next slide on the crown race and tap it down gently with a 36mm headset wrench, or a similar flat wrench, covered in a rag.
Park Tools have a specialist tool for the application which will make the job easier. Another alternative is to use a pipe that can slide over the steerer and sit on the crown.
06 :: Measure the Length
The nest step is to work out how long your steerer tube needs to be. This can be easily done by measuring your old one and marking it on your new one. Just remember to measure twice (or 3 or 4 times) and cut once.
07 :: Cut the Steerer
While it is possible to cut your steerer to length with a hack saw it is not recommended! By far the best method is to cut it with some pipe cutters. You will find nearly all alloy steerers easy to cut. Add a little dry lube on the cutting area to make it even easier.
If your new mountain bike fork is steel, then you will need a good quality pipe cutter. A hack saw can do the job but I wouldn’t trust myself to do it – you really need someone who knows what they are doing and can make a good cut.
It is a good idea to cut a mountain bike forks a little longer, so you can install some spacers under the stem.
08 :: Install the Star Nut
This is one of the trickier steps to complete. You should get your nut in your new fork box. If you didn't your local bike shop should stock them or be able to get one in for you. Park tools provides a tool for this job also, having a great little punch that will seat it just right. However if you are not going to get this tool you can carefully bang it into place using the stem cap bolt. This is not the ideal way to do it (which is using the Park Tool) however it does work.
Tap the nut down 2 or 3 centimeters (1 inch) past the top lip of the steerer. Do this so the headset top cap can do its job properly.
09 :: Installing Mountain Bike Forks
Now it’s time to slide your new fork into the bike. Clean and re-grease your headset bearing and reinstall your headset parts. Then slide your stem on.
10 :: Screw It
Screw the top cap bolt up until you feel resistance. If you feel resistance and there is no side-to-side movement when you rock your mountain bike fork, then your headset is adjusted correctly. If you are turning and turning the top bolt and the fork still rocks, there is an upside down piece somewhere – most likely a bearing race or a wedge. If this happens take it apart and try again. If you take it apart make sure you haven’t drawn the star nut out the top of the steerer.
Learn the pros and cons of each type of fork
Read Problems, Solutions and Useful Tips On Installing Mountain Bike ForksDo you need some help Installing Your Mountain Bike Forks?
Need some help? Don't understand a step or have a problem? Ask your question here and be helped by others who have come across your problem.
Read Problems Others Had When Installing Mountain Bike Forks
Click on the links below to see problems others had when installing mountain bike forks. They were all written by other visitors to this page...
what is the ideal length of a steerer tube?
THINKING OF CUTTING MY STEERER TUBE SHORTER, BUT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS AN IDEAL OR STANDARD LENGTH FOR THIS.
I REPLACED MY STEM AND NOW MY FORKS ARE SLIGHTLY LOOSE
FORKS ARE SLIGHTLY LOOSE. HOW DO I FIX THE PROBLEM?
fork gets slightly stiff in straight position
fork does not turn freely and gets stuck in the straight ahead position
Fork should or should not be slightly loose?
When you sit down, or pull up / back on bars you should or should not feel it move? My neighbors bike mechanic installed theres that way with slight loose....
I Can't Get my Forks Out of My Frame
Help!
My fork is locked in to the frame tube. What do I do?
Forks Rocking
My forks are rocking, why is this?
Cool Freezer Method
Throw the new fork in the freezer for a half hour to an hour. After removing the crown race from the old fork, hit it with a heat gun or blow drier. Take ...
Re-installing spacers on fork
When installing the forks, in what order do you put the spacers on?
Help - Fork Doesn't Fit
When I installed a marzochi drop off 4 on my P.3 it did not seat correctly. It might be the race, but I'm not sure.
Please help...
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basically i followed every instruction on here. i have been riding my forks for some time and just realised they don't actually bounce at all i have 2 ...
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Installing details
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cant get the old crown off
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I just installed a set of 09 rock shox sid race forks on my GT. I ride a 26" wheel and when I'm going up steep inclines the tire rubs the cross bar of ...
My bike
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my forks arnt workin
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my forks arnt working properly i think i need to put something on them but i dont know what and i want to make them softer could u tell me how thanks
...
Replace front shock oil
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Thank you
front suspension
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I already have front suspension on my mountain bike.
The problem is that when the front wheel lands on the ground with force the forks bang onto something ...
Play/movement in forks
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I have triple clamp forks that have play in them. Can you give me some help dismantling them?
Forks Shake In Headset?
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My forks shake horizontally in my headset, not sure what to do. help?
just had fork cut.
Not rated yet
Hi I just built a bike up and the boys at the shop helped me get a fit on the bike with the stem. There were about 3 or 4 spacers at the top so they said ...
I have a tek 930 and would like to install front shocks.
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HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY BIKE
THANKS
Steering shaft size
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Hey,
I have a 2007 Iron Horse Maverick 3.0. It came with a suntour xcm 80mm fork, I am replacing it with a RockShox Tora 302 I got a wicked deal on....
How to get your nut out of your old fork box?
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I am replacing my forks with new ones but I want to use my old nut from my old fork box. The only thing is that I am not sure how to take it out. Can you ...
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my uncle gave me an old downhill mountain bike with big triple clamp forks, they are "seized" so they need to be replaced.
a friend of mine has a spare ...
front suspension fork
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Put on fork
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How do I put the wheel on my new fork?
I can't get rid of the old axle?
Dirt in Suspension
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I was riding in dirt and when I was washing the bike, I noticed that front suspension was not working....It's full of mud and suspension can not move...how ...
Please help! My forks are always loose i dont no how to tighten them
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i have rst forks and when you tighten the forks you dont feel resistance so you have to keep going and it doesnt work they are always loose.
anyone ...
Help! - Steerer Tube on New fork 1/2 in. Shorter
Not rated yet
My old fork is 9 1/4 in. and the new one is 8 3/4 inch. The original fork had a lot of spacers, so I am hoping I can make it work. My head tube is a ...
Help Installing Triple Clamp Forks on my Bike?
Not rated yet
i just plain and simple need help the method on this page is great but i dont know how to do with the t clamp?
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