New build update…progressing slowly

My impatience is growing, nevertheless, I have managed to make some small progress on the R3 while I wait for the Campagnolo Ultra-Torque OS Fit BB-cup tool (UT-BB140) to press in my OS Fit BBright cups. Hopefully it arrives any day now so I can get on with it.

Apparently, some have used the Park Tool HHP-2 Bearing cup press to install the Campagnolo cups, but I wouldn’t recommended it. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a fine quality tool. My reluctance to use the HHP-2 (of which I have one) is that it lacks the proper bushings for the OS Fit cups. Not the end of the world, but it’s actually pretty tricky to get the faces of the cups parallel to each other while managing a heavy and slippery tool in the other hand. Four hands would be ideal.

I speak from first-hand experience as my first attempt to press the cups in ended in complete disaster with the left cup ending up crooked in the frame.

So, rather than juggle with the HHP-2, I opted for the proper Campagnolo tool. I’ll do a posting comparing the two.

Nevertheless, I did manage to cut the steer tube to spec:

Cutting set-up – 32 tpi hacksaw blade, precision ruler, saw guide

I was surprised to see a good-ole star-fangled nut in the steer tube, and a aluminum insert epoxied into place as my Look HSC5 fork only used a compression plug. Before I could cut it, I needed to drive the nut down 20mm so as not to cut into it. I used a nail set and hammer, carefully tapping and measuring as I went. The aluminum insert is 70mm long, and the star nut is set 15mm into the tube, so cutting 20mm leaves 50mm of insert, of which there is plenty remaining for the nut. I plan on running a 10mm spacer under the bearing cap, and a 5mm spacer above, so I’m good to go. What would have been better was had the fork been supplied WITHOUT the insert epoxied in, but alas.

When cutting, a few points to remember – measure twice, cut once. Go slowly. And a little lubrication doesn’t hut either when cutting through the aluminum. A few light passes with a file is also recommended to round over the cut edge to reduce the likely hood of the carbon edge chipping when installing the fork.