Pre war shockmaster

[Mole]

Were the steer tubes the same length for the mens and ladies bikes pre-war? I know some steer tubes are different lengths when you go from mens to ladies bikes but, I'm curious about the shockmaster specifically. npence has a ladies shockmaster and I was wondering if it's just a bolt on for my mens frame. Thanks for the help. One of the few details that's still not wanting to sit right in my mind.

 

[scrubbinrims]

I think that depends on the year/model...I have a shockmaster fork squirreled away from a ladies hawthorne and it fits a boys..I think the head tube was 5 or 5 1/2.
You have to get out the tape measure because the answer is MAYBE?
Chris

 

[Mole]

The head tube on my '39/'40 is 6 3/8" from the fork shoulder to the tube end.

 

[Mole]

Anyone have a definitive answer? OR... as a second option... what are the differences between the pre and post war shockmasters? I found one that has a much longer tube but the threads would need to be cut down further... I know some of you guys have the thread die for this but, I just want to make sure the fork is basically the same.

Thanks again.

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Any LBS can thread and cut the tube down an inch. The upper truss rods have to be cut an inch and threaded as well which the LBS won't do, not a big deal to do at home. Sex-change that thing. I've done it to 3 Shockmasters now.

 

[fordsnake]

Both '48 Hawthorne & Chris are correct...it depends on the year/model – measure first!

 

[Mole]

Any LBS can thread and cut the tube down an inch. The upper truss rods have to be cut an inch and threaded as well which the LBS won't do, not a big deal to do at home. Sex-change that thing. I've done it to 3 Shockmasters now.

Got one coming with the longer head tube. I have no issues having the machine work done. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't gettin TOO short of a head tube... always easier to cut material off than try and stretch it.

Thanks for the input.