I finally decided to get a not junk front fork for my aging hardtail bike to make it a little more enjoyable to ride. Just a cheap but legit air rockshox fork, as very few companies still make straight steer forks.

Any tips, or special tools I might need? I have a ton of normal hand tools and a basic bike toolkit but sometimes a cheap Amazon specialty tool makes life a lot easier.

I found some good YouTube videos. I didn't realize you had to trim the tube but it makes sense as you don't know how long the socket will be or how many spacers to adjust thanks height a rider may prefer.

Are you replacing the headset bearings? You'll need a tool to punch out the old ones and I recommend a press to get the new ones in.

You'll also need to get the old bearing race off of the existing steerer tube if you are trying to reuse it (which I don't recommend.)

I'll check them. I do auto stuff with bearing work all the time so I'll have a good feel for the condition of the bearings and races once I can inspect them. I did some internet research and determined the headset is very simple. I ended up buying a star nut tool even though it looks like setting it with an improvised tool and careful drift work would be easy enough.

If I do end up replacing the bearings, I have to find someone that makes them that aren't cheap chinese low-spec stuff. I suppose the same bearing companies like SKF or Timken make them for bikes.

Ugh. Looks like it has a custom head set, I'll have to piece it together from specs.

Standard bearings don't work. Look at a Cane Creek 40. It's good bang for the buck.

Also, star nuts can't be reused and need to be set square to the tube.

I found out what bearings. I have to build it from pieces, as it has a hybrid headset. The ones in there were ok so I cleaned them and repacked them and put them back in. I cut the new fork to match the old, used a small long socket to punch on the star nut, and put it all back together with a big C clamp as a press tool, and set the fork to what the chart recommends for my weight.

Now I have a decent budget line Rockshox adjustable air instead of a heavy work out cheap suntour coil fork.

It does feel noticeably different.