Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
tinribs
Posts: 82
Joined: 26 Dec 2008, 7:46pm

Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by tinribs »

Hi there

Need to replace bar tape, but having problems removing these bar end plugs. Have removed screw, but doesn't budge! Do I just need to apply more force or am I missing a trick? Can't find anything about them online! Thanks for any suggestions.
Attachments
IMG_20200822_084629277.jpg
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Mick F »

When I've had stuck ones, I've just levered them out with a flat-blade screwdriver.
The metalwork of the handlebars is protected by the tape.
Mick F. Cornwall
peetee
Posts: 4292
Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by peetee »

Reinsert the screw (bolt) so the threads take a couple of turns. It should still be sticking out a fair bit. Push it in as far as it can go. That should push the wedge forward and it should allow the plug wings to retract and you can pull it out.
Last edited by peetee on 22 Aug 2020, 11:24am, edited 1 time in total.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by simonineaston »

Reminds me of the old joke: Tourist, lost in Manhattan, asks cop - "How'd you get to Carnegie Hall?"
The bolt in mine was quite long. This meant I could slack it off enough to push the expander back sufficient that the wedge became loose enough for the plug to come out fairly readily. Start by replacing the bolt - don't just rotate the bolt though - rotate a couple of mms, then push the expander back a bit, then repeat this a couple of times... you're aiming to get the expander clear out of the back of the plug, but with the bolt still attached. Once practiced, I found that there is no need to resort to roughly levering the plug out - with the wedge pushed clear of the back of the plug, it should slide out quite nicely.
CAVEAT: yours may be different to mine!
Last edited by simonineaston on 22 Aug 2020, 11:48am, edited 4 times in total.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by simonineaston »

Sorry - forgot to tell you the punch-line:
Manhattan cop, "Practice, practice, practice..."
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Jdsk »

Is everyone working on the assumption that the expanding bit is stuck to the inside of the bar?

I'd slacken the bolt then apply a judicious clout about where that would be with an appropriately faced mallet.

Jonathan
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Jdsk »

To release the end cap I'd start with a bit of dental floss or monofilament nylon in the groove, wrapped all the way round, ends crossed, and wiggled.

Jonathan
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Brucey »

it depends how the wedge is made as to whether it will come loose when the bolt head is nudge inwards; in a few models there is a separate nut so the wedge (which can become jammed/corroded) isn't released even when the bolt is driven into the handlebar. Lets hope it isn't one of those!

If you want to pull (hard) on the cap without marring it externally, tapping a larger screw thread (or using a large self tapping screw) may give you something you can use to pull on, eg slide hammer style.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Mick F »

If you're replacing the tape, new tape comes with new plugs.
If it doesn't come out "normally", just pull it out like I've described.
Mick F. Cornwall
philvantwo
Posts: 1730
Joined: 8 Dec 2012, 6:08pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by philvantwo »

Do you grease yours mick f?
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Brucey »

Mick F wrote:If you're replacing the tape, new tape comes with new plugs....


IME the plugs that come with most tape types are completely useless; they are usually cheap plastic ones that get knocked out far too easily. If there are good plugs that come with good tape too, do say.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Mick F »

New pugs all come with the tape.
Nice hard-to-bung-in ones.
Cinelli for donkey's years - nice chrome shiny ones ............. then and BBB(?) and now latterly DHB from Evans.

Only need one these days.
Mercian has a mirror on the right, so needs a plug on the left.
Moulton doesn't need any as mirror on the right and bar-end shifter on the left.

Used plugs for eons.
If they won't release due to the tape and the glue, force them out.
Simple IMHO.
Mick F. Cornwall
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Brucey »

IME usually,

good plugs = expanding ones

non-expanding plugs (especially shiny ones) = crap ones (that fall out, regardless of how difficult they were to install in the first place)

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
peetee
Posts: 4292
Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by peetee »

My solution to poor fitting (but nice shiny) new plugs is to wrap a couple of thicknesses of double-sided sticky tape around the plug-in bits. That makes ‘em stay put.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Removing screw indrop bar end plugs

Post by Mick F »

Are we discussing internal handlebar diameter here?
Do all plugs come in the same diameter?

Are we saying that some fall out because the internal diameter is too wide?

Never had an issue over all the eons of riding and swapping tape and plugs ........ with them being difficult to remove, or even being too easy to remove or fall out.
Mick F. Cornwall
Post Reply