# Schwinn fork straightening - how is it done ?



## randallace (Mar 22, 2015)

Can someone walk me thru the process of straightening mid 60's schwinn forks ? Don't wanna mess this up


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## vincev (Mar 22, 2015)

There are many different ways to do it.There have been some threads in the past about it.It mostly comes down to what type of method you use.It is only a five minute fix with the tool I use.Look in the "search" at the different methods.


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## greenephantom (Mar 22, 2015)

If you have the park fork jig tool, a strong vise, and a Park leverage tool, then it's a fairly easy process. Plus you'll want to align the fork tips too with the Park drop-out alignment tools.

If you're not all tooled up, then it gets tricky.

If you've got an old-school bike shop in your town, take them the fork and have them put it back in shape. Make sure they align the tips too. Not very illuminating, I know.

Cheers, Geoff


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## thebikeman (Mar 27, 2015)

The question I have is how does a normal bike ride. Bend the forks? What kind of jumps or are they run over by a car?


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## randallace (Mar 27, 2015)

I've noticed a lot of the vintage schwinn cruiser I have have forks that are slightly bent rearward -


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## cyclonecoaster.com (Mar 27, 2015)

As a kid we ran into a lot of things being kids - many times bending our forks back slightly ....

Fork straightening on a budget --- Spin fork / bars around & ride / roll it into a wall - tree - etc. at a slow pace ( you don't want to go over the bars after all ) --- That's how we did it as kids ... assuming you don't have a fender on your ride ... backyard engineering -- pre-Macgyver ....

Nowadays I have a fork straightener made from a old car jack ... works like a charm ... 

Ride Vintage - Frank


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## SirMike1983 (Mar 27, 2015)

There is no "one" method to fixing a fork. 

Bent steerer tube:
Around 1900, one of the chosen methods was to turn the fork backwards, bolt  hub into the blades, then run a rope around the hub and the seat tube. The repairman would then tighten the rope, causing the backwards fork to flex toward the seat tube. Keep tightening the rope until you go just past the point of straight, then slowly release the tension. What you are basically doing is using a rope to pull the fork back into straightness. You probably want to put masking tape over the paint to prevent the rope from ruining your pain.

Another method is to remove the fork from the bike and make a "press" using boards and clamp. The idea is the same as the rope, but with this you're doing it while off the bike. You arrange the boards and clamps so that as you tighten the clamps, the boards compress around the area of the bend, straightening the steerer tube.

Method three involves a device called a "Little Brute Fork Straightener". In this method the brute is similar to a bumper jack for a car that attaches to the front axle nuts/bolts and the bottom bracket of the frame. You then operate the little brute so that it pushes the fork forward, flexing it back into straightness. A properly adapted bumper jack for a car could do this as well.

Method four involves a Park Frame and Fork Straightening tool, a fork jig/strings, and forkblade/dropout alignment tools. You take all your measurements, find the bend, then use the Frame/Fork straightener to correct the bend until all the measuring devices add up to even. This is the method I use for my bikes. 

I don't recommend the "turn around the wheel and bash it" method. While steel does have a "memory" of sorts, you need your bash to roughly replicate the force and angle of the original strike that damaged the fork if you want to get it truly even. It can get a "ballpark" result, but it's not very controlled.


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## the tinker (Mar 27, 2015)

See thread  "need fork straightened" posted 02 13 15 in Bicycle Restoration Tips.


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## rustjunkie (Mar 27, 2015)

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?69443-Need-fork-straightened


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