[CR] Restoration Woes: Steerer Tube Replacement/Repair?

(Example: Racing)

From: "Matthew 'Devotion' Bowne" <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>
To: CR discussion list <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:46:46 -0400
Subject: [CR] Restoration Woes: Steerer Tube Replacement/Repair?


Gang, I have lost count of the inquiries I have posted here regarding the on-going saga which has been my attempt at the restoration of a circa 1970-71 Colnago...Here's another one for the esteemed List. After a loooong (and failed) attempt to make an accurate replica fork (cut the blades too short; for a short reach brake; d'oh!!!), I decided to 'sweat out' my blades and braze in new ones...making use of the crown I spent literally years locating/re-profiling/etc.  But during a random late night eBay search , I stumbled upon a fork in Italy that appeared to be very much "the real deal".  This was it! My chance to do better than "close"!...My chance to do "correct"! (Though not "original"...that is an entirely different conversation...) I bid hard and I won. And then the fork arrived. Upon receipt of the fork from the Italian seller, I made a rather unfortunate discovery: The fork is in need of a steerer tube replacement.  Not only has the entire threaded section of the steerer broken off, but there is a significant bulge in the steerer tube about 1.5cm from the top of the remaining section.  Likely bulged from an over-tightened quill stem/expander bolt. My gut instinct is to replace the steerer all together, but I would like to inquire here regarding another option.  If at all possible,  I would like to avoid drilling out the pins, re-brazing a new steerer and having to re-chrome the fork again.  The current chrome is in great shape. I have heard of framebuilders extending steerer tubes by adding small threaded sections to the top of a steerer. My question is, would it be possible to cut off the bulged section and braze on a longer (2+ inch) section of steerer tube complete with fresh new threads at the top?  Or am I asking for trouble?  If this a possible repair, I would appreciate any suggestions, advice, hints or direction.  Anybody here have any experience with successfully making such a repair?  If you think I ought to replace the steerer entirely, please tell me why.  Should I go this route, do you recommend having the chrome removed before I do any torch work?

Matthew Bowne weighing my options and scratching my head in Brooklyn, New York