# Rookie mistakes - front fork steering tube



## wspeid (Jul 25, 2013)

Ugh... I bought a Hawthorne fork to replace the bent one on my wife's bike of the same year and then realized the new steerer tube is about a 1/2" shorter.   I assume there's no way to adapt that, is there?

Also, when I looked inside the steerer tube, there was a handlebar stem wedge nut rusted inside it.  I'll have to ask sellers about things like that next time... is that something that should have been mentioned in the description?  Either way, now I know.

Lastly, I learned to test assemble purchases to make sure they fit before investing any time in cleaning them up.  That was a whole lot of lost time.  but lesson learned
	
	



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## Boris (Jul 25, 2013)

wspeid said:


> Is that something that should have been mentioned in the description?
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Yes! In a perfect world that isn't something that you should have had to specifically ask about. The seller should have brought this problem to your attention. But this isn't a perfect world! Ask every question you can possibly think of, and when you're done, ask the seller if there are any defects that exist with the part that you need to be made aware of. After that, there's not much more that you can do except hope the seller has been truthful and that they packaged the part properly. If you've spent more than a few bucks to acquire an item, go the extra buck or two to have the seller insure it as well.


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## vincev (Jul 25, 2013)

It hurts but I agree with Dave.


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