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Park Tools FT-4 FORK CLAMP AND GAUGE

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atilly

Look Ma, No Hands!
Well golly. I only seldom need to check and straighten forks, but when I do th FT-4 is the right tool for the job. Dissapointing to read they are no longer being manufactured, althouigh I guess most modern forks are not serviceable iwith the FT-4 as they are Aluminum, Carbon, or suspension. I wonder if there are liability concerns selling a product that encourages someone to bend on a critical bicycle element like a fork...

FT-4.jpg


I wonder how hard it would be to make one; a fork jig that is solid and (almost) as good as the Park Tools FT-4
 
A pair of the Park Tool FFG-2 FRAME AND FORK DROPOUT ALIGNMENT GAUGE SET just arrived, I have a well-used Park FFS-1, and a few too many forks that have dubious alignment. Aparently what remains is the FT-4 FORK CLAMP AND GAUGE.
IMG_5339.jpg

wink wink
 
I had a Schwinn fork similar to the white one.but I couldn't budge it As I recall it looked like it had moved away from downtube. Like a hard landing. I ended up buying a replacement on bay same style but different color. . I have mangled rear stays on 38 motorbike .
1641395

And the fork jig was put to use plenty times.. The forks I tested seem to be tweaked at point where they joined the tube.
 
@ivrjhnsn I'd say you are 90% there! Looks like a mirror image of the Park. I can't see from the photos, how did you attach the long octagonal "beam" to the swivel at the top of the clamping box?
 
@ivrjhnsn I'd say you are 90% there! Looks like a mirror image of the Park. I can't see from the photos, how did you attach the long octagonal "beam" to the swivel at the top of the clamping box?

I threaded the long piece male thread , mating piece female . I can make drawings if you'd like to make one .

I too was looking , but none out there for sale.

Mechanic since "84 . I worked in Fitchburg ,MA where the Longsjo Bike Race was held . I've used this tool numerous times on Pros bike forks that were bent due to poor shipping ..Anyone that knows a Pro cyclist, they are extremely picky and know their bikes. NO com[plaints after using the tool to straighten and race . Great tool for steel . And safe when your knowledge dictates when a fork is not savable .
 
...threaded the long piece male thread , mating piece female...

Well that makes total sense, I should have figured that out myself.

I see you are using a rectangular tube for the main frame just like Park. I think mine is headed down the design-path that is more similar to Var where the bits-n-bobs are fastened together sans welding:

var0006.png
 
Gee, now with pic of VAR tool I see one of the issues I had. Establish TDC of fork. Suppose patent infringement had Park used identical design Oh well. I mounted fork upside down too it would appear, bummer.
 
...Establish TDC of fork...
Important, yes. However the little foot close to the base of the Var is a bit overkill. With the Park, simply sliding the gauge back to the top of the fork blades, turning the fork in the clamp to be even, then tightening will start the process at TDC.

...mounted fork upside down too...
I don't think it matters much. The goal is to get both blades even with each other throughout the length, but in actual fact if you can adjust the tips to be parallel and have an even distance from the crown then all is well.

One last thought is that the top of the blades generally start out to be in-line and parallel to the steer-tube. As you know when bikes hit curbs or jump the fork can be bent back or out respectively. The first step is to check this, unfortunately by the eye. The Park tool has a line inscribed along the clam that I use to guild my eye.
 
Finally the "sticks"or FFG-2 are indicating misalignment on white fork at top of post . It looks minimal + it looks like inner guides are tapered like a valve seat. Maybe outer registers are the flat of tightening nut.. Wouldn't larger washers work as well. Are the sticks secure enough to tweak - fork ends
 
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