Sears bicycle made in Austria buy Puch?

Question

This bike has a very different "nut" holding the handlebar to the headset. Instead of a nut that can be loosened with a crescent wrench, this "nut" does not have flattened sides for a wrench but slots for a special wrench like those around a crank and bottom bracket. There are 3 slots. 1 at 11’oclock, 5'oclock, and 7'oclock. Does anyone know the name of this type of wrench and the size I will need, and where I can buy one, so that I can raise the handlebars? Please take a look at these pictures of 1 of the slots and the "nut.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27544233@N03/

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

If you only want to raise the stem in order to raise the handlebars, you should only need to loosen the stem bolt on top of the stem.  With some lubrication, this should allow the stem to rise.

From my experience with older bikes, the nut you are referring to looks like the locking nut for the headset assembly.  First thought was a hammer and a punch but this will most likely damage the nut.  Next you could use something called a spanner wrench.  Some of these are adjustable or have two adjustable pins that would fit into two of these slots on the nut.  But what I really think is the proper tool is a "Head nut wrench".  Search this term to find others with the same issue.  Typically this tool would look like a socket with three prongs coming off the bottom.  To use this, the handlebar and stem would need to be removed.

Answer 2

What you need is called a C-Spanner.  (Some folks also call it a hook wrench.)  

Unfortunately, I can't really tell the size you need.  In any case, here is a picture of one on the Park Tool Website for bottom bracket repair.

http://parktool.com/products/detail.asp?...

Here's another picture.

http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/Photos/Steering...

In general, if the arc of the wrench doesn't fit the arc of the nut exactly, it'll still work.  The important thing is the hook of the wrench fits the slot reasonably well and doesn't try to pop out of the slot as you apply pressure.  If the arc of the wrench is so far off from the arc of the nut, that it wants to pop out, you need to find another wrench.

Hopefully you get the point.

BTW - Linkwray is correct.  You should not need to adjust this nut to raise or lower then handlebar stem.  The nut in question is used to adjust bearing pressure in the headset.

The quill stem is held in place by a binder bolt.  To loosen the binder bolt, do the following.  Loosen the bolt in the top of the stem several turns.  Place a block of wood on top of the bolt.  Gently tap the block of wood.  Repeat the process a couple times if necessary.  This should allow you to then raise and lower the stem.  To tighten the quill back in the headset, just tighten the top bolt.

A minimum insertion line will be inscribed around the stem.  Do not raise the stem above this line.  If you do, there will not be enough stem inside the steering tube to ensure everything holds together.  There are few worse things than having your handlebars come detached from the rest of you bike during a high speed descent!

Hope this helps.