Whether for maintenance, repair or custom modifications, mountain bike owners who choose to do these things themselves will have to learn how to remove the front fork on their bikes. The front fork of the bike is the section that holds the wheel and allows it to freely spin without interruption. Getting work done on this part of the bike professionally can be costly. Doing it yourself can save you money and a trip to the bike repair shop.
Step 1
Unscrew the nut holding the brake cable to the top of the brake assembly. Unstring the cable from the assembly.
Step 2
Remove the wheel from your frame by unscrewing the axle nuts from the axle bolt using a crescent wrench or a ratchet set. Pull the wheel off the frame and set it aside.
Step 3
Loosen the bolt holding the gooseneck into the head tube by using an Allen wrench and turning the bolt in a counterclockwise motion. This bolt is facing downward at the fulcrum of the gooseneck and points directly down to your front forks.
Step 4
Use a rubber mallet to gently knock the bolt downward to help loosen the gooseneck from the head tube. Remove the gooseneck and the handlebars from the frame.
Step 5
Remove the top nut from the top of the head tube using an adjustable wrench and turning it in a counterclockwise direction. Remove the lock washer by lifting it directly out from the top of the head tube. Remove the bearing race by unscrewing it by hand in a counterclockwise direction from the top of the head tube.
Step 6
Remove the forks from the frame. Pull the bottom bearing race from the bottom of the head tube.
Tips and Warnings
- Be sure to notice the direction of the bearing rings before you pull them out. There is a ball side and a ring side of each bearing ring. The ball side of the bearing ring is installed facing into the head tube with the ring side facing out.
Things You'll Need
- Allen wrenches
- Crescent wrench set or ratchet set
- Rubber mallet
- Adjustable wrench
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