# Springer Fork Questions



## Arjnmrskr213 (Aug 28, 2020)

Were the “New Style“ Springer forks for ballon bikes and middleweights the same? Or were the ballon bike springers wider to accomodate the S2


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## GTs58 (Aug 29, 2020)

Since there was only one part number for the crown I'd have to assume they are the same. The balloon fenders had indents though.


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## Arjnmrskr213 (Aug 29, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> Since there was only one part number for the crown I'd have to assume they are the same. The balloon fenders had indents though.
> 
> View attachment 1256910



Quick question, i see 2815 is a part both the new and old springer forks used. Is that right?


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## GTs58 (Aug 29, 2020)

Arjnmrskr213 said:


> Quick question, i see 2815 is a part both the new and old springer forks used. Is that right?




Looks like it. It seems the crown can be changed out with the old style locking crown. I personally have never seen one where someone had the old locking crown with the new style fork legs. The new style came out with the 1955 models and the standard locking fork on the Phantoms was deleted, but you could order the locking fork on the 55 Phantoms at an extra cost. The locking springer wasn't available after the 55 model year.


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## Arjnmrskr213 (Aug 29, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> Looks like it. It seems the crown can be changed out with the old style locking crown. I personally have never seen one where someone had the old locking crown with the new style fork legs. The new style came out with the 1955 models and the standard locking fork on the Phantoms was deleted, but you could order the locking fork on the 55 Phantoms at an extra cost. The locking springer wasn't available after the 55 model year.




last question, i saw a thread about 20” ballon bikes and saw a 1954 DX frame i believe with a springer. Was there really a 20” ballon bike with a springer


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## GTs58 (Aug 29, 2020)

Arjnmrskr213 said:


> last question, i saw a thread about 20” ballon bikes and saw a 1954 DX frame i believe with a springer. Was there really a 20” ballon bike with a springer




I'm pretty sure there wasn't a 20" springer until the Sting Rays came out in 64-65. There were no options in the 50's or early 60's for a spring fork on the J models.


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## Arjnmrskr213 (Aug 29, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> I'm pretty sure there wasn't a 20" springer until the Sting Rays came out in 64-65. There were no options in the 50's or early 60's for a spring fork on the J models.




thats exactly what ive know to be true. i just thought i mighthave been wrong thank you for clarifying


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## Jeff54 (Aug 30, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> Looks like it. It seems the crown can be changed out with the old style locking crown. I personally have never seen one where someone had the old locking crown with the new style fork legs. The new style came out with the 1955 models and the standard locking fork on the Phantoms was deleted, but you could order the locking fork on the 55 Phantoms at an extra cost. The locking springer wasn't available after the 55 model year.



No, ya can't do that; use old crown with new springer


Arjnmrskr213 said:


> thats exactly what ive know to be true. i just thought i mighthave been wrong thank you for clarifying





No, there were 20 and 24" Springers  for Junior models prior too 1955 yet, today so rare ya hardly ever see or hear of em.

But for starters here's a 24"  Locking: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/my-new-pair-lets-see-more-chartreuse-schwinns.128989/




You can retro fit  1955 springer to a pre 55 and earlier but it's hardly worth supplying all the parts to do so.

Here's the parts list. In 62 Schwinn called them "Old style spring fork" And listed above that GT posted the 55  "New style spring fork, that continued through the70's and in 1980 there were slight mods but same fit. It  By 1990's virtually the same thing which seems to been made even by Pacific cycles which seems to stayed  close to the same up to IDK about 5 year ago. However 90's and up got really cheep chrome.

Regardless, check the parts you'd need to change to convert into a locking springer here:


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## Chris (Oct 5, 2020)

Jeff54 said:


> No, ya can't do that; use old crown with new springer
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For the new style springer post-1955, when did the yoke bolts change from “AS” to just “S”? I’m considering putting a springer fork on my 61 Wasp heavy duti (just acquired), so should it have the new style springer with “AS” or the “S” yoke bolts like shown in the attached pictures?


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## Chris (Oct 5, 2020)

Chris said:


> For the new style springer post-1955, when did the yoke bolts change from “AS” to just “S”? I’m considering putting a springer fork on my 61 Wasp heavy duti (just acquired), so should it have the new style springer with “AS” or the “S” yoke bolts like shown in the attached pictures?
> 
> View attachment 1278689
> 
> ...



Here’s the old style, so this style stopped 1955 and on? Looking at a 1959 Wasp that had a springer, it looks like this style has a style in between, bolt in the center through the tube but the top of the fork has a different bend, less angled than the Krate version and like the old style bend.


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## WES PINCHOT (Oct 5, 2020)

Jeff54 said:


> No, ya can't do that; use old crown with new springer
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I LIKE THAT 24 INCH GIRLS BIKE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT ON THAT GIRLS BIKE, THE HEAD TUBE/STEER TUBE DIFFER FROM ALL OTHER POSTWAR BOYS 24 INCH BIKES.


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## Rivnut (Oct 5, 2020)

If you'll enlarge the picture in post #10, you can see that the bolt is an "AS" bolt.


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## Chris (Oct 5, 2020)

Not sure what picture you’re referring to, counting down 10 posts from the top gets to the pictures of the all chrome Krate style springer, that one has the “S” yoke bolts. The picture I posted after that one is the old style pre-1955 with the “AS” yoke bolts. I don’t know when the bolt style changed. In the picture of the 1959 Wasp that has the springer, you can’t tell what yoke bolt style it has. That springer is different from the old style and the Krate style.


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## Rivnut (Oct 5, 2020)

The 59 Wasp is the one to which I'm referring. On my computer, when you click on the picture, and hold down the control key, you can use the roller on the mouse to enlarge the picture. When I did that, I could make out the AS on the head of the bolt.


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## Chris (Oct 5, 2020)

Rivnut said:


> The 59 Wasp is the one to which I'm referring. On my computer, when you click on the picture, and hold down the control key, you can use the roller on the mouse to enlarge the picture. When I did that, I could make out the AS on the head of the bolt.



Ok, good to know. I think that springer is the “new style” post-55 for the middleweight and balloon bikes, different style from the Krate springer. That style springer is hard to find, there are 3-4 of the Krate style on eBay now but none of the middleweight/balloon style.


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## GTs58 (Oct 5, 2020)

Chris said:


> Ok, good to know. I think that springer is the “new style” post-55 for the middleweight and balloon bikes, different style from the Krate springer. That style springer is hard to find, there are 3-4 of the Krate style on eBay now but none of the middleweight/balloon style.




A 1961 spring fork will definitely have AS bolts, pivot bolt thru the fork legs and have painted fork legs. The full chrome 26" spring forks came out in 1963 on the Jaguars. Schwinn began dropping the name Arnold on the seat mask decals on the lightweights in 1966. All the 66 catalogs were printed prior to 66 so they still have the Arnold Schwinn Company name and if you look at the 1967 catalogs they had the name changed to Schwinn Bicycle Company, which was also printed on the seat mast decals. When they changed the hardware stampings from AS to the S was later and I'm not sure when that all happened. I read that the name change became official/legal in 1969. Maybe @vastingray can give us a good idea when the change from AS to S hardware came about.


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## vastingray (Oct 6, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> A 1961 spring fork will definitely have AS bolts, pivot bolt thru the fork legs and have painted fork legs. The full chrome 26" spring forks came out in 1963 on the Jaguars. Schwinn began dropping the name Arnold on the seat mask decals on the lightweights in 1966. All the 66 catalogs were printed prior to 66 so they still have the Arnold Schwinn Company name and if you look at the 1967 catalogs they had the name changed to Schwinn Bicycle Company, which was also printed on the seat mast decals. When they changed the hardware stampings from AS to the S was later and I'm not sure when that all happened. I read that the name change became official/legal in 1969. Maybe @vastingray can give us a good idea when the change from AS to S hardware came about.



Hi the change I’m pretty sure went from AS to S bolts in 69


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## Jeff54 (Oct 6, 2020)

WES PINCHOT said:


> I LIKE THAT 24 INCH GIRLS BIKE.
> DID YOU KNOW THAT ON THAT GIRLS BIKE, THE HEAD TUBE/STEER TUBE DIFFER FROM ALL OTHER POSTWAR BOYS 24 INCH BIKES.



Yeah and that would be why I know or knew there were 20" springers before stink-rays, scrapping and trading kids for parts to build one. All Schwinn  Junior 24" boy bikes fit any boy 20" frame. I.E. kids used Schwinn's  24" springer fork before Schwinn built Krates.  But Dam a old pre-krate boy 24" springer is like,, impossible today. IDK, maybe my generation and those who followed, stuck em on Krates. And Girl 24, aint transgender.


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## Chris (Oct 8, 2020)

Jeff54 said:


> No, ya can't do that; use old crown with new springer
> 
> 
> 
> ...



So the 1980s version (picture below, part number 54 790) looks to be the same as the “new style” used after 1955, except the forks and center crown assembly are not painted and “S” yoke bolts are used instead of “AS” bolts. One change that I see that I don’t understand, the base of the center crown assembly looks to be sealed on the 80s version whereas the New Style shows a bolt insert in the base of the crown assembly. Not sure why this changed and if it matters.


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## Jeff54 (Oct 8, 2020)

Chris said:


> So the 1980s version (picture below, part number 54 790) looks to be the same as the “new style” used after 1955, except the forks and center crown assembly are not painted and “S” yoke bolts are used instead of “AS” bolts. One change that I see that I don’t understand, the base of the center crown assembly looks to be sealed on the 80s version whereas the New Style shows a bolt insert in the base of the crown assembly. Not sure why this changed and if it matters.
> 
> View attachment 1280549
> 
> ...



On your older, what, Wasp?  1955 forward there should be a track like rims have at the base of the steering tube or under the threads. . The pivot is 1 molded piece.,  same on  your on black bike and,  only Schwinn made it. . The 80 should have tracks too, I don't see on yours.. but, IDK before or shortly after 80 except it's 3 piece  like today's and most china. However the 80 pieces are a bit sloppier welding and some grinding (Kind of cheap looking for being sloppy) just like yours. Whereas, The 90's and forward are clean joints, electro forged smooth and clean which are even harder to tell differences in after market. I have a few 90's but never looked for tracks albeit, Don't think there are any. .


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