# Dogma2 fork install



## Frankie13 (Feb 11, 2007)

Got the frame yesterday just before I had to leave for Thanksgiving trip and tried to install the fork. I did slide the Forks steer tube all the way through the head tube but was not be able to slide the bottom part of the fork ( looks like an aluminum ring) all the way into the lower bearing of the head tube. Since I was short on time and I didn't wanna mess up anything I stopped trying to push the fork in all the way, but was wondering if I overlooked something that the fork didn't slide in all the way? 
The fork is the only part of a bicycle I never have worked on. 
Any pointer beside putting lots of grease on the part of the fork that slides into the lower head tube bearing!
Help would be very much appreciated.


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## shoegazer (Nov 2, 2007)

My shop had to use a mallet & dropout protector to tap in order to seat the fork on my Kobh, fwiw. I'm curious if this is typical, frankly.


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## hambike (Sep 3, 2005)

I thought I would be cute and remove the fork on my Dogma 60.1 to cut the steerer tube. Don't do it! As you found out, getting the fork back, and in particular sliding the lower bearing into the head tube, isn't for the faint of heart. 

I had read on the forums that one method is to use a 2x4 that is contoured to match the underside of the fork crown and to bash on that with a mallet. But even with a towel wrapped around the wood, that didn't sound like a great idea to me.

My solution was to stick a junker wheel in the fork, then tilt the frame at an angle so the fork blades were pointing vertically at the ground, and "firmly" bounce the wheel to press the fork in. I figured it was no worse than going over some potholes. 

I called the US distributor, Gita, about another issue and mentioned what I had done. He wasn't exactly enthusiastic about my method.

I got so paranoid about it that I brought the frame to a good LBS for an inspection. The LBS opinion was that I would have probably damaged the wheel long before I damaged the fork.

Whether I drove the fork all the way home, who knows. It looks like I have about a 1.5 mm gap. I've looked at plenty of close-up pictures of other Dogmas, and I've seen some with smaller and some with larger gaps. I suppose it will eventually move into place if it needs to with some use.

The good news is that there really is no headset adjustment on these things!


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## shoegazer (Nov 2, 2007)

hambike;3662973[I said:


> ]I thought I would be cute and remove the fork on my Dogma 60.1 to cut the steerer tube. Don't do it! [/I] As you found out, getting the fork back, and in particular sliding the lower bearing into the head tube, isn't for the faint of heart.
> ....!


Thanks for that head's up - I guess I wont be doing that!


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## crewman (Jan 29, 2004)

The headset bearings are not your typical style in such that they are tapered. The Dogma has regular cartridge style and have some what of a press fit into the frame. I use a different method.

I pull the fork into the bearings from the top. I insert the expander bolt and use a stem and several spacers and gentle pull the fork up into the headtube. You need to have a bunch of extra spacers and some longer bolts that thread into the expander bolt.


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## Frankie13 (Feb 11, 2007)

crewman said:


> The headset bearings are not your typical style in such that they are tapered. The Dogma has regular cartridge style and have some what of a press fit into the frame. I use a different method.
> 
> I pull the fork into the bearings from the top. I insert the expander bolt and use a stem and several spacers and gentle pull the fork up into the headtube. You need to have a bunch of extra spacers and some longer bolts that thread into the expander bolt.


That’s a great way to do it, but in my situation the fork is still uncut and the forks steer very long. It’s a new build and I still have to play around with the stem height before making the final cut or cuts. In this case I would need tons of spacers!


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## crewman (Jan 29, 2004)

You must have some idea as to how long you need your tube length to be. DO a rough cut now and then do a final cut latter. Also I have found PVC pipe with a very close inside diameter and I use this to pull the fork up. 
The local hardware store should carry this.


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## Frankie13 (Feb 11, 2007)

crewman said:


> You must have some idea as to how long you need your tube length to be. DO a rough cut now and then do a final cut latter. Also I have found PVC pipe with a very close inside diameter and I use this to pull the fork up.
> The local hardware store should carry this.


Thanks for the tip crewman :thumbsup: I did a rough cut and had enough spacers to pull the fork in place. I greased the bearing and fork crown and it went in like butter super easy.
Couldn't see my self using a 2x4 and hammering my fork in place!
Again, thanks a lot


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