# Cannot remove top cap on road bike



## jmb2710 (Feb 7, 2010)

Hello,

I was going to change stems after a bolt in the handlebar clamp was sheared due to hitting a huge pothole descending a local hill. However, when I went to remove the top cap to begin replacing the stem, the cap simply rotates in place. The fork is a 1" carbon steer tube. Thanks for any help on what may be the problem.


----------



## GirchyGirchy (Feb 12, 2004)

Did you try to loosen the stem bolts first? Sometimes those will "lock" a top cap in place.


----------



## jmb2710 (Feb 7, 2010)

mmmm Samoans. Unfortunately I did try that already.


----------



## pcs2 (Sep 4, 2006)

Carbon steerer tube -> is it an expander-type top cap?

With mine, I have to use a 6mm hex to tighten/loosen the top cap, and use a 5mm hex to tighten/loosen the expander plug. The 5mm is accessible through the 6mm hex opening.


----------



## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

jmb2710 said:


> mmmm Samoans. Unfortunately I did try that already.


yes, we all love munching on Samoas.

if your tastes run more toward Samoa*n*s, though ..... nttawwt.


----------



## jmb2710 (Feb 7, 2010)

Don't tell my husband he thinks I cook and ride bikes all day!


----------



## jmb2710 (Feb 7, 2010)

The fork was bought and installed in 2003. It uses a star nut, not an expander type plug.


----------



## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Is the cap rotating, or the cap bolt? Have you removed the bolt?

If the bolt is gone and the cap is loose but not coming out, something small is likely in the way. Either pry the cap out using a screwdriver, or hook something in the center hole that can be slide hammered up and out.

If the bolt is turning but not coming loose, then the center of the star nut is loose in the star. You'd have to drill the bolt head in that case.


FYI, starnuts do not belong in carbon steerer tubes.


----------



## jmb2710 (Feb 7, 2010)

I'm afraid that's it. The bolt is turning but not coming loose. It appears that the bolt will have to be drilled and removed. Question, (I won't be doing this my husband will) does he
drill into where the hex key goes, then drill down into the bolt enough to "latch" onto
the bolt, then reverse the drill to attempt to remove the bolt? Once that is done I imagine we remove the starnut and replace with expander plug? Thanks in advance for your help.


----------



## Optimus (Jun 18, 2010)

Star nut in a carbon steerer, ouch!!! Anyhow, I hope the star nut didn't cut a grove into the carbon tube, hence making the bolt spin. Regardless, you'll have to drill it out.


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Before the drilling starts*



jmb2710 said:


> I'm afraid that's it. The bolt is turning but not coming loose. It appears that the bolt will have to be drilled and removed. Question, (I won't be doing this my husband will) does he drill into where the hex key goes, then drill down into the bolt enough to "latch" onto the bolt, then reverse the drill to attempt to remove the bolt? Once that is done I imagine we remove the starnut and replace with expander plug? Thanks in advance for your help.


Before anybody resorts to power tools, you should try wedging the tip of a small flat blade screwdriver under the edge of the top cap to provide some upward force. Try unscrewing the bolt while applying this upward pressure. If this works a little, then insert a series of bigger screwdriver blades to continue the process.


----------



## scryan (Jan 24, 2011)

jmb2710 said:


> Question, (I won't be doing this my husband will) does he
> drill into where the hex key goes, then drill down into the bolt enough to "latch" onto
> the bolt, then reverse the drill to attempt to remove the bolt?


They make drill bits for this called easy outs, but its not for your problem.
Easy outs are stripped bolts, you have no problem turning yours, its just turning the nut on the other end too, so it wont come loose.

Since you cannot take the nut off the bolt, you are going to essentially remove the head from the bolt. 

This is done by taking a drill bit the same size as the shank of the bolt (threaded area) (do your best, you can error on small and step up if you need to) and drilling into the head of the bolt. Once it gets down to the shank the head will literally be able to pop off and should be able to pull the cap off.

But try the trick Kerry mentioned first. Adding some more tension may add enough friction to the nut to hold it still with the bolt turns.


----------



## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

Unfortunately, once you drill the head off, you will still be stuck with the shank of the bolt rotating. At this point hopefully you can jam something down to stop the nut from spinning while you remove (unscrew) the bold. Once that's done, tap the star nut down further and put in another one. I don't know any good way to remove that old one.
As they say, good luck


----------



## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Kerry Irons said:


> Before anybody resorts to power tools, you should try wedging the tip of a small flat blade screwdriver under the edge of the top cap to provide some upward force. Try unscrewing the bolt while applying this upward pressure. If this works a little, then insert a series of bigger screwdriver blades to continue the process.


This worked when recommended to me when I had the same issue...by no other than Kerry as well.

You might be sacrificing a spacer at worst, if there's one there below the cap..


----------

