# Straightening a bent Springer Fork?



## Ozark Flyer (Oct 4, 2014)

This has probably been covered multiple times but could I get some advice on straightening a Prewar Schwinn Springer that's pulling hard to the right?  I can shift the wheel to lean left and make it track better but still pulling right.  I'm assuming sometime in its life it hit a stationary object at high speed.  Any way to true it back up?


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Oct 4, 2014)

Is the spring centered between the top of the legs?... you can take the legs off and place them next to each other to see if one is more bent... my guess is its the steering tube that's bent... can you post a few pix?


----------



## GTs58 (Oct 4, 2014)

Obi-Wan Schwinnobi said:


> Is the spring centered between the top of the legs?... you can take the legs off and place them next to each other to see if one is more bent... my guess is its the steering tube that's bent... can you post a few pix?




My guess is one of the fork legs is bent. If it's pulling to the right I would say the right leg is bent back. I've never messed with straightening a springer but all the blade forks that I had that pulled to one side had one leg bent back and most were bent at the shoulder. If the springer is the later issue I'd say it was bent at the weakest point, the pivot hole. On the early issue my guess would be it's bent right below the pivot bolt area. I've had pretty good luck doing the blade forks by clamping the fork down and then bending the leg back with a long cheater bar, having the end of the cheater bar at the point of where the fork is bent. Hopefully someone else has a foolproof method that's easier.


----------



## Ozark Flyer (Nov 11, 2014)

It appears the spring bolt is pointing to the right as well.  I assume that would that point to the yoke being bent?  I may take it apart over the holidays to see if I can find the problem.  The yoke has a very bad spot in the threads.  I have been looking for a black locking prewar yoke to replace it.  While apart I'll try to check the legs.  Not exactly sure how to go about that.

Nong, what's that language you broke out into in that last sentence?


----------



## phantom (Nov 11, 2014)

I can't translate it but I do recognize some of the words as Vietnamese.


----------



## Ozark Flyer (Nov 25, 2014)

I may have found the problem(s).  

First, the pivot bolt is a non-original replacement part with a diameter that is too small for the job.  The forks have a lot of slop, even when the nut is tight.

Second, the large spring retainer nut is wallowed(razorback term) out allowing a lot of sideways play between the spring and the spring torque bolt so the spring does not center up to the head tube.

In short, several worn out, wrong, and misaligned parts.  The spring is also really weak.  I'll replace with a HD adult spring that will carry by big butt.  Calling Memory Lane in the AM.

Hoping that will put everything back in alignment.


----------



## Ozark Flyer (Nov 30, 2014)

*Issue resolved*

The new parts arrived from Memory Lane Friday.  Everything installed and tightened up nicely.  Steers straight as an arrow.


----------



## pedal4416 (Nov 30, 2014)

For future reference.


----------



## Ozark Flyer (Nov 30, 2014)

*Oh heck yes!*

That's going in my personal library.  Thanks a bunch!


----------



## pedal4416 (Nov 30, 2014)

*Oops, 1 more page*


----------

