Newbie - Girvin Flexstem Question

[WorkInProgress]

Hi everyone,

New member here, currently doing a rebuild restoration of an old bike.

I've acquired a good condition Girvin Flexstem (and I know they're not great but I've always wanted one!), but was wondering if anyone had taken one apart before? I want to get it powder-coated and would need to take it to bits to do so but worried I'll ruin it if I do this. Have searched online but haven't found anything.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[orange71]

yes pretty basic operation - it'll come apart and go back together easily enough

 

[WD Pro]

Allen bolts out 1st.

The fancy ally washers pull out using a bigger bolt in the base of the clearance hole used of the head of the bolts you have just removed (some imperial size I think but I cant remember what ). Removing them this way leaves no marks on the washers or the stem

The ally barrel and plastic top hat are just a push fit into the cro-mo part and can be tapped out carefully with a hammer & work bench etc

WD

 

[WorkInProgress]

Cheers orange71 & WD, was just worried when I took it apart springs and other wizardy would fly out!

 

[orange71]

no, nothing quite so fancy or sophisticated

 

[Owen]

Yep very simple, took one apart last week. Only proplem I had was the plastic top hats took some effort to remove, and being plastic I was concerned with damaging them. Some creative thinking and a fly press and all was good! I don't know if this is usual (I would imagine not) but just be careful if they are tight as I suspect the plastic is quite brittle.

 

[WD Pro]

I just worked mine out with a small hammer and 3/8" extension on a wooden work bench - sanded off the small burrs before reassembly

Tapped them back in with a rubber mallet on the wooden work bench

WD

 

[Owen]

I just worked mine out with a small hammer and 3/8" extension on a wooden work bench - sanded off the small burrs before reassembly

I tried a bit of hammer/drift action but the stubborn little buggers wouldn't budge! And I was already starting to form some nasty burrs in them. In the end I arranged 3 M6 cap head screws so the heads hooked on to the inner end face, I then pushed on the heads from the other side with the press. Still took a good bit of force to shift them! :shock: