Fork steer tube modifications?

[dirttorpedo]

Has anyone had the steerer of their vintage fork modified? I am in the unhappy situation of having an ellis briggs with a very short threaded steerer. It works ok as I got the bike, but i wanted to swap the brakes to center pull mafac racers and I can't get a cable stop mounted because I just have enough thread exposed to run a standard 38mm stack height headset without a spacer. I'm toying with the idea of going to a local frame builder and seeing if I can get the steerer lengthened. anyone else done this?

 

[Blacktopdisciple]

You will not be able to get the steerer tube lengthened but a frame builder will be able to remove the existing steerer and braze in a new one of suitable length.

 

[3wheeler7]

There used to be a lot of GB stems around that were drilled to take a centerpull brake cable stop/adjuster, I doubt they were factory done but it might be worth looking in to.

 

[pigman]

You will not be able to get the steerer tube lengthened but a frame builder will be able to remove the existing steerer and braze in a new one of suitable length.

On the contrary, I had one done when I wanted to convert to threadless. The steerer was cut half way up, a sleeve inserted and an extension put on and it was all brazed up. This was done by a local frame builder.
for the op, the internal sleeve would make it difficult to insert a quill stem unless it was a big frame with a long steerer

 

[DSH]

On the contrary, I had one done when I wanted to convert to threadless. The steerer was cut half way up, a sleeve inserted and an extension put on and it was all brazed up. This was done by a local frame builder.
for the op, the internal sleeve would make it difficult to insert a quill stem unless it was a big frame with a long steerer

Over on another forum where they “chat about cycles” there are a few posts about doing this but threaded, I think on an old Bianchi.

 

[rikster]

I can't get a cable stop mounted because I just have enough thread exposed to run a standard 38mm stack height headset without a spacer.

Would I be stating the obvious to say fit a headset with a lower stack height in order to fit a cable stop hanger or have I missed something?

 

[pigman]

I guess there is no washer in between the race and the locknut to allow you to substitute the washer for a hanger.

Other options are a hanger that clamps onto the stem. SJS might have something. Nitto might make one?

Insert a flat plate type hanger behind the stem's nose bolt.

Try a 1" mtb stem with an integral hanger and shoehorn some 25.8 dia bars in

Would a fork mounted hanger work? Like the Kona one? SJS and Spa do a replica
More drastically, have someone mill the headlugs down a couple of mm to effectively make the head tube smaller

 

[dirttorpedo]

There used to be a lot of GB stems around that were drilled to take a centerpull brake cable stop/adjuster, I doubt they were factory done but it might be worth looking in to.
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I've definitely toyed with this idea, but I really don't want to ruin a stem.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Would I be stating the obvious to say fit a headset with a lower stack height in order to fit a cable stop hanger or have I missed something?

I've been trying to source a super low stack threaded 1" headset and am not having much luck. Most 1" threaded headsets seem to be around 38mm to 42 mm these days.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I guess there is no washer in between the race and the locknut to allow you to substitute the washer for a hanger.

Other options are a hanger that clamps onto the stem. SJS might have something. Nitto might make one?

Insert a flat plate type hanger behind the stem's nose bolt.

Try a 1" mtb stem with an integral hanger and shoehorn some 25.8 dia bars in

Would a fork mounted hanger work? Like the Kona one? SJS and Spa do a replica
More drastically, have someone mill the headlugs down a couple of mm to effectively make the head tube smaller

Sadly no washer is present on the bike - when I started this project I assumed there would be one. I have tried a fork mounted hanger, but they are not long enough / create issues with mounting the brakes. I don't want to use a mtb one for aesthetics and am really not interested in milling the head tube down (Ellis Briggs frame).