Re-seat steerer tube into forks

[RockyRoader]

Hi,
the steerer tube on my bike is rotating freely in the forks. Its a Focus Urban/Planet, about 4 years old.
I think it was twisted in an accident I had a month or so ago but I didn't get the rotation until I'd been riding it for about a week.
Anyway, Focus reps suggest replacing the whole fork/tube assembly. It looks like a press fit to me and it was rotating with no indication of vertical movement. Is welding acceptable (aluminium or alloy). Or is there a way to re seat the press fitting? Looks like some lock tight on the tube but not where it's doing anything.

Thanks

Edit, on a closer look it looks like there's something (weld/braze?) that's chipped around the bit where the tube was anchored to the forks.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3r1hTsPGcQbdkNwa2d4NzQ1Ulk
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3r1hTsPGcQbeU5UWHNsTzdEems
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3r1hTsPGcQbaHlVdU8yaTF1Y1U
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3r1hTsPGcQbZzJEZ04xX0Q5ZEE

[GeorgeET]

While you can spend a lot of time and money to try to fix it that may work, IMO get a new fork.

In theory you can bore it out make a custom fitting press that in and than press tube into it. This will cost more than new forks. If it span, the hole got bigger. Aluminum and steel use different welding methods so I doubt this can be easily repaired that way. You can press the tube out put red loctite on it press it back in and pin it.

Never seen a fork do that must have been a bad accident, even so.

Get a new fork. Check Niagra Cycles and Nashbar, or equivalent where you live.

AHA.......Now the photo link works. I can see the fork legs have a sleeve in them and the bond between the sleeve and tube came loose. Never should have happened. If you pulled it out without a press its gone. New forks for sure.

[RockyRoader]

Thanks George,
I started down the new fork road but backed up a bit when I couldn't find the same ones so I need to replace it with a different design and respray to get the colour right at some stage.

I was bodyslammed side on by a jaywalker who ran into me and I went down on my side (was riding at maybe 10-15mph, (20-30kmh), my left hand was still on the grip when the bar hit the ground (compression fracture, upper left radius) so the momentum would have twisted the steerer tube in that socket. Bike is fine otherwise so all of that energy went into my arm and the steerer tube. Would have preferred for a bit more of that energy to go into the steerer tube though

Thanks again.
Matt

(07-31-2016, 02:21 PM)GeorgeET Wrote:  While you can spend a lot of time and money to try to fix it that may work, IMO get a new fork.

In theory you can bore it out make a custom fitting press that in and than press tube into it. This will cost more than new forks. If it span, the hole got bigger. Aluminum and steel use different welding methods so I doubt this can be easily repaired that way. You can press the tube out put red loctite on it press it back in and pin it.

Never seen a fork do that must have been a bad accident, even so.

Get a new fork. Check Niagra Cycles and Nashbar, or equivalent where you live.

AHA.......Now the photo link works. I can see the fork legs have a sleeve in them and the bond between the sleeve and tube came loose. Never should have happened.  If you pulled it out without a press its gone. New forks for sure.