Replacing a star washer and bolt on a headset - DIY job?

[steveatesh]

Decided to get a bike for exercise purposes and bought a second hand Diamondback Mountain Bike for starters. Sadly it looks like the central headset bolt has snapped ( the one that goes through the cap and into a star washer to adjust the headset tightness).
The old star washer is still down the tube.
Looks like I can buy a new star washer, bolt and cap quite easily, but is fitting a DIY job or do you need special tools to drive the star washer down the head tube?

I'm hoping I can just knock it down the head tube using a hammer and drift? Anybody done this, if so any tips please?

[Ian_sUK]

You just bash it down with a hammer and screwdriver. Its a bit of a faff keeping it straight but you'll get there in the end.

[BadgerBenji]

Patience, straightness, and don't bash it too far, getting it started is the hardest part, tend to start it, then put a bolt in and just tap lightly on the bolt head, job jobbed.

[steveatesh]

Great thanks guys.

[FarQue]

Summat like a 17 or 19mm deep socket makes a nice drift.

[jaedba2604]

you can get lengths of m6 threaded rod from a hardware store, a big washer and a couple of nuts and 'drag' it down from the bottom using these.

when aheadsets (as they were known in 1993) I had a right game with the first one that came out, it had a split cone that kept the top race in place and you couldn't clamp it down tight enough with the star fangled nut so I constructed my own from rod and 2 nuts. my lbs insisted that it was tight and the play was in the suspension forks (rs mag 21, useless...) but it was a design fault with the headset.

[paulrockliffe]

File the star nut a bit, makes the job a bit easier. I always screw the bolt in and hammer the star in using the bolt, can belt it sideways to keep it straight then too.

If the headset isn't loose then you don't need to do this until you next undo the stem bolts btw.

[steveatesh]

Thanks all, headset is very loose so needs doing, good advice here cheers.

[SkinnyBoy]

Look at this on eBay:

NEW! Xpert Star Nut Installer for 1" and 1 1/8

http://bit.ly/15cmEVE

I bought one as I hate bodging them up. Works like a charm and gets it right first time.

[bobbo89]

I just screw a long old bolt into it and maul the st out of it with a pair of mole grips until its so mashed up that you can pull it out

[browse]

I used one of these and a rubber mallet.
I screwed the star nutpart way on and gently tapped it in.
If it goes in wonky, turn the brake pad around a bit and tap the high end down.
It worked for me.

[itsnotarace]

Or just buy a new M6 bolt if the existing starnut is in good condition and not too far down the steerer

[Gumstabber]

I use one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XLC-Star-Nut-Tool-Setter...

Sets the new nut to a perfect height, dead straight.