Rockbottom
Active Member
Took a decent fall at Jungle last weekend and snapped my stearing tube. Wondering if this has ever happened to anyone before. Fork is 2011 fox talas 32. Was shipped back to the company to see if it’s even worth rebuilding.
Broken stearing tube
- Thread starter Rockbottom
- Start date
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
You can see it in the photo.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Looks like it might have had close to 30mm of spacers though. That’s kinda pushing it....leverage wise.
sort of - there is no spacer above the stem (1st pic) , so it could have been set short of the top clamp -
even then, it sheered off just below the stem.
crazy - i'd expect some other type of fatigue.
mystery here - hope they come through with some parts.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
If I'm looking at it correctly, the light section on the front of the stem (handlebar side) is the top of the steerer. (Blind Assumption 1).
The stem itself is reinforcing the upper steerer the headset is doing the same at the at the frame. (Blind assumption 2).
Spacers being loose and segmented offer little to no reinforcement on the non tapered section of steerer. (Blind assumption 3).
The hard straight line at the bottom of where the stem (reinforcing the steerer) meets the farthest non reinforced section of non taper portion of the steerer seems at least to my simple minded self to be a likely spot for it to sheer (on a non corroded tube). That or just above the headset. Like snapping a pencil on the edge of a desk....
Great, revert to grade school antics to try and solve a mystery.
The stem itself is reinforcing the upper steerer the headset is doing the same at the at the frame. (Blind assumption 2).
Spacers being loose and segmented offer little to no reinforcement on the non tapered section of steerer. (Blind assumption 3).
The hard straight line at the bottom of where the stem (reinforcing the steerer) meets the farthest non reinforced section of non taper portion of the steerer seems at least to my simple minded self to be a likely spot for it to sheer (on a non corroded tube). That or just above the headset. Like snapping a pencil on the edge of a desk....
Great, revert to grade school antics to try and solve a mystery.
qclabrat
Well-Known Member
Can you load a pic of the bike before the fall?
Dingo
Well-Known Member
I noticed, there appears to be a hole drilled parallel to the axle, on both sides of the tube, and in the center of the crackerage.
As for stacks, 30 mm + on all my bikes, never a problem, always a 10mm spacer on the top to ensure full steer tube contact. An old BMX trick.
As for stacks, 30 mm + on all my bikes, never a problem, always a 10mm spacer on the top to ensure full steer tube contact. An old BMX trick.
Rockbottom
Active Member
So the fall took place at the end of Rhino where it links back up to main trail on the first roller. Hit the crest of the roller and my wheel wasn’t straight on the descent. Bike came out from under me. Not really sure how it happened. I’ve hit that spot dozens of times without any issues. After the crash the bike seemed fine. Patched myself up and kept ridding, then noticed the bike felt weird. Turned the handle bar and it snapped right off.
Not sure of the exact length of spacers under the stem but think it was 2 and 1/2 spacers. Seemed standard to me but I’m no expert.
Have had this setup for years with no issue. Only recent change made to the bike was changing out to a smaller length stem
Not sure of the exact length of spacers under the stem but think it was 2 and 1/2 spacers. Seemed standard to me but I’m no expert.
Have had this setup for years with no issue. Only recent change made to the bike was changing out to a smaller length stem
Rockbottom
Active Member
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Yeah, this pic shows a reasonable amt of spacers.... The mystery continues.
Real interested in what you learn. Glad it happened when it did, dodged a serious injury there.
Real interested in what you learn. Glad it happened when it did, dodged a serious injury there.
StayHydrated
Swedish Chef
Do you have any closer/detail photos of the crack, the exposed surface, etc?
moose35
Well-Known Member
Yes maybe new stem was over tightened
qclabrat
Well-Known Member
yeah, I think that could be it, the new shorter stem appears to have considerably more height
did you notice if there was more space when screwing in the top cap or did you need to remove spaces to make similar to the last stem?
I've attached stems with a too short steerer before, and had to torque it extra to keep it tight, could also be another contributing factor
good that your caught it before another hard landing, interested to see what Fox will do after their analysis
