# Head Fit System Steerer Tube



## pennstater (Aug 20, 2007)

Has anyone fit an expander plug or equivalent to internally reinforce the steerer tube in the area clamped by the stem.

This may be overkill, but the carbon sure looks thin. I am not worried about a few extra ounces. Was considering filling the steerer with an epoxy plug but I don't know if that would chemically damage or otherwise weaken the steerer.


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## Cooper1960 (Oct 14, 2010)

On my bike the internal expander ends up where the stem binds down so it is reinforced. You must have your's set up with spacers on top of the stem, so my first question would be do you plan on trimming the length of the steerer tube at some point? If so then your problem may solve itself. If I'm missing something I can see your concern about clamping on the carbon fiber steerer tube but I'm not sure it's a real issue. The bar stem only needs to be tight enough to stop the stem from moving, I would think if you adhere to the factory torque settings you would be safe at not cracking the tube. But if that doesn't sit well with you I would suggest having a plug made out of aluminum or delrin and having an o-ring on it that would fit snug in the fork tube for positioning, and also a threaded hole thru the plug. You will at some point want to remove the plug and if it has a thread in it you can always screw a piece of threaded rod into it to pull it back out. Remember you need to tighten the head set assembly before you tighten the stem so having a plug that stays in position in the tube is important, hence the o-ring. 

I would never fill the tube with epoxy, or anything else you can't easily remove. First you will void any warranty I would think. Second if you ever decide to trim the tube shorter how do you get the epoxy (or whatever) out of there so your head set system would work? 

Anyway, just thinking out loud.


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## pennstater (Aug 20, 2007)

Maybe, I am missing something - literally or figuratively. The frameset did not come with an internal expander. Since it is not required to tighten the headset of the Head Fit System it didn't occur to me that it should be included.

I am not sure if you are referring to a standard headset that requires the internal plug. 

Since the internal dimension of the steerer is not round I have not been able to fit a standard expander plug. But, your idea of machining a piece of aluminum and setting it with o-rings sounds like it might work. 

Easy to do since I own a machine shop.

Thanks.


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## Cooper1960 (Oct 14, 2010)

I guess I fell into the old "assumed" trap, the Look 566 I just put together had the internal expander and I was thinking along those lines, my bad. The aluminum plug should work and shouldn't add much weight, good luck.


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