Performer Frame question

[Idahawk]

Are these inserts( star looking ) things
that the bolts screw into at the end of the cross bars worth trying to replace ? All 4 are toast . Im sure these are tacked in at the factory and not even available , I may just weld the cross bars back in place , seems to be the best course of action ?

[Jeff]

Idahawk...I forget what these are called...but bike shops carry them!  Bring one in with you when you go as they have different sizes.

Good luck

[Bbqmiller]

This was posted on the TVWB site a couple of years ago. It seems you can use bicycle star nuts in much the same way as the original part. I haven't done this, but I made a note for future repair if mine if needed.

http://tvwbb.com/archive/index.php/t-13454.html

[pbe gummi bear]

Those internal tube nuts that look like stars are actually called "star nuts" lol. They sell them in various shapes and sizes.

[Idahawk]

 Requires a star nut setting too

[Idahawk]

*tool. So there like a anchor , cool I might pick one of those tools up . Thanks yet again !

[mike.stavlund]

I love this place.   

[pbe gummi bear]

You don't need to spend money on the tool. Just spend $.25 on a longer bolt and some washers. Put one star nut on the bolt in proper orientation. Then add X amount of washers to set the height and then a second star nut. Then plug the second star nut closest to the end of the tube into the tube. Stop when the first star nut closest to the bolt head hits the edge of the tube but don't insert it. The bolt should be long enough so that you have a short handle to make sure it's perpendicular. If that's not clear, check out this guys post on instructables.

http://m.instructables.com/id/Replace-a-mountain-bike-front-fork-for-older-MTBs/step10/Cut-the-fork-to-size-and-install-the-star-nut/

[Idahawk]

My local bike shop stocks and will install the new star nuts for me , same thread pattern and everything .

[mike.stavlund]

Thanks for this thread, everyone!  My buddy just picked up a black SS that needs this repair, and now we are all set. 

[Idahawk]

I've got a frame thread going that may help him as well

[mike.stavlund]

I pulled apart my 2003 Performer to figure out how it was put together, and noticed that the 'star' is actually square in mine.  And painted, apparently.  My friend's older EI (1997) looks to have had the star style nut, but it's kinda hard to tell since they are so rusted out.  Looks similar to Idahawk's photo above.

I'll check in on the frame thread, thanks!

[Heyjude]

The inserts are not really the same as the bicycle parts that is being used as a repair.
They are somehow welded inside the frame. Yes, square.. They rust out as they are not protected at all and welds rust without paint or some kind of protectant..
I have never seen a round one inside the square tube.. 

[mike.stavlund]

Thanks, AJ.  That makes more sense of what I'm seeing inside my 2003.  And why Weber just told me that the hardware is 'obsolete'-- they prolly never sold it, since it was integral to the horizontal cross-pieces of the frame. 

Once again, the Grillfella's brain trust trumps the folks at Weber CS.  It's hardly a fair fight, though, since they only spend about 40 hours per week thinking about this stuff.  ;-)

[Idahawk]

Mine were round , it appears weber made a change at some point from round to square .