69 Super Sport Ava Alum. Alloy Stem Removal

[Jeff54]

Now that's patience. Congratulations!

And now I've discovered one of the reasons, at least on a Schwinn, the AVA is known as the death stem. Well actually 2. 1. obviously why it had to come off because, the lower end of the clamp broke. Yeah I bet that was fun for whoever that broke on, maybe knock your teeth out when the handle bar dumped. . Yet #2 is a bit of a surprise. if you look close in my second photo there's a ring gouged around it about 2" above the red rust section, which had been right where it was positioned at the top of the fork tube. (can be seen when clicking the photo to enlarge)

When I first tried to fit the like new replacement stem it was just a little tight and had to wiggle it back out. And what was worse, it came back out with a crap load of scratches. Apparently, and quite obviously what happened was that Schwinn had never deburred or shaved the inside edge of the top of fork tube, after their pipe cutter creased the top edge while cutting it. Any Plummer who has cut pipe knows this; that the pressure of the cutting edge of a pipe cutter will cause a slight indent into the top edge of the inside. . Some times it can be sharp enough to slice your fingers.

Whelp, Schwinn gets the blame had this 'death stem' broken at the top of the fork tube, there's a thin, sharped edged cut into the stem from this and scratched the crap out of my replacement. The cut into the original stem was death just waiting to happen. I could imagine a class action suite too, had peps been advised of this years ago.

It only took a few seconds to deburr that dam thing.

 

[harpon]

We used to call those stem shifters "De-nutters" because if you went over the bars the nads might be left hanging on em.
Guess I probably had one of the "death stems" on my first 10 speed '68 Varsity. I don't recall, but I never liked stems with the opening to the front.

Before the best damn header I ever took!

 

[Jeff54]

We used to call those stem shifters "De-nutters" because if you went over the bars the nads might be left hanging on em. Guess I probably had one of the "death stems" on my first 10 speed '68 Varsity. I don't recall, but I never liked stems with the opening to the front.
Before the best damn header I ever took!

de-nutters almost sounds familiar, but, going over the bars? It's been all those years for me as well but, me thinks de-nutters would refer if you rode somebody on the handle bars, eh?

And those shifters, Yesterday I finally got to take my Super sport out for a test ride, it's been a long, long time since I've ridden any Schwinn 10 speed. but I remembered during the test ride, they were my favorites back in the day, and except, unless you're racing and always in the down position the handle bars put you, near the bottom bar, I don't understand why they'd be any other place, even today on bikes. My 2 Treks have them on bottom bar and after refreshing during that test, them bottom bar positions on my Trek's suck. I'm tempted to rob the Super sport's shifters to stick em on a Trek. . [grin]

As for your Varsity, it does look like AVA stem in your photo however, I would not expect that because, as I recall Varsities got the steal stuff. Yet, sure enough inside the catalog photo of Varsity these are AVA, edit: [Look like AVA's} stems on 68's and they also appear to be even on their lowset priced 10 speeds: Collegiate, go figure?

1968 Colligate:

 

[Metacortex]

As for your Varsity, it does look like AVA stem in your photo however, I would not expect that because, as I recall Varsities got the steal stuff.

With a few exceptions from 1966 through mid-1970 the Varsity and Collegiate came with this alloy Schwinn Approved stem:

Starting in mid-'70 they changed to a forged steel stem.

Whelp, Schwinn gets the blame had this 'death stem' broken at the top of the fork tube, there's a thin, sharped edged cut into the stem from this and scratched the crap out of my replacement. The cut into the original stem was death just waiting to happen. I could imagine a class action suite too, had peps been advised of this years ago.

Check out the damage on this stem, I would be afraid to ride on it: http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=151912873049

 

[Jeff54]

With a few exceptions from 1966 through mid-1970 the Varsity and Collegiate came with this alloy Schwinn Approved stem:
Starting in mid-'70 they changed to a forged steel stem.
Check out the damage on this stem, I would be afraid to ride on it:

Ah, that splains it then, why they look like AVA's.

Humm, whelp I was not riding or owning in the mid 1970's, plus by then, I didn't want Schwinn's no more. I could swear though, that by 1970 of my biggest desire for my Varsity or Continental was up grading to an alloy stem.. Guess I'm mistaken. Alternatively, maybe it was the up-grade to a death stem I wanted. {grin}

Ebay "Schwinn approved" AVA 'look-a-like' stem,, Say, does Pacific cycles support Schwinn's old manufacturing defects warranties? Because Yup, that's a dam Personal injury liability suite on Schwinn for failure to deberr the fricken fork tube, top end, just waiting to happen.

 

[Metacortex]

I could swear though, that by 1970 of my biggest desire for my Varsity or Continental was up grading to an alloy stem.. Guess I'm mistaken.

I believe Schwinn changed from the alloy to the forged steel stem after the annual summer shutdown in July 1970 (mid-1970, not "mid-70s"). However even after the Varsity changed to the forged steel stem, '72 and later Varsities with the large 26" frame came with the same alloy stem as used on the Continental.