# Prewar -vs- Post War Schwinn Springer Forks  How to tell them apart?



## klunk! (Nov 23, 2011)

Trying to determine if the Springer fork I have is Prewar or Post?  Anyone know some telling signs to steer me in the right direction?  Thanks


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## snickle (Nov 23, 2011)

From what I know, the bolt going "behind" the forks is earlier style, and the bolt going through the forks is later style.


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## ohdeebee (Nov 23, 2011)

The "bolt through" forks didn't come out until the 60's. The prewar and postwar forks differ in the bend of the fork legs themselves. I'll try and dig up some pics. Otherwise I'm sure someone on here will have some.


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## ccmerz (Nov 23, 2011)

The bolt through the fork first arrived in 1953.


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## Blueschwinns (Nov 27, 2011)

*Springer Fork*

The prewar Springer fork chrome rods are smaller in diameter and slightly shorter.


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## Dave K (Nov 27, 2011)

The small diameter struts were used till the late 1940s.  The best way I know if to tell the diff is to measure the head tube.  The prewar head tube is a little shorter


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## snickle (Nov 28, 2011)

Here is an eBay auction comparing pictures of pre and postwar springer forks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930-40s-PR...571?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336edaf593


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## old hotrod (Nov 28, 2011)

That ebay ad is not all that accurate either, I had a 48 with skinny truss rods and there is a small difference in leg length between locking and non-locking forks...


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## ccmerz (Nov 28, 2011)

The prewar forks had a slightly more consistent graceful curvature versus post......


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## Aeropsycho (Nov 29, 2011)

*diff or rent...*

Skinny truss rods go up to 1950 maybe 51..... the big differences in pre/post are mainly the curve of the legs!

There are a lot of small differences thru out the years you need to study them by comparison each person knows something sometimes wrong sometimes right in the end NO ONE is a Expert!

It is just a schwinn...


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## Ozark Flyer (Dec 31, 2011)

Here's the comparison photo in case anyone wants to save it.


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## SJ_BIKER (Dec 31, 2011)

The steer tubes were little more crude in my experience handling them and selling them like hotcakes on the bay.


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## REC (Jan 1, 2012)

*Another  opinion*



ccmerz said:


> The bolt through the fork first arrived in 1953.






ohdeebee said:


> The "bolt through" forks didn't come out until the 60's. The prewar and postwar forks differ in the bend of the fork legs themselves. I'll try and dig up some pics. Otherwise I'm sure someone on here will have some.




Based on a couple of things, the first ads showing the bolt through fork are 1955. I have not seen one on anyting earlier in print. I HAVE seen them on earlier bikes that had been put there after having been re-built. (Shying away from "restored," 'cause that wouldn't be!)

Look in the Tom Findley catalog pages. There is also mention of the re-designed fork in a couple of the books that have been written. 

Not that everything you read or see is an absolute, but the redesign came at the same time as the middlewight introductions.

REC


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