Headset woes

Evenin' all. I've just taken the headset off a Thorn frame, and there are two parts that won't detach. On the top and bottom of the headtube there are chrome rings that house the cups for the bearings. They're not screwed in, maybe pressed in, but won't budge.

I'm taking it for a powdercoat soon, so should I ask them to mask them off, or do they come out?

I'll take a pic as soon as I can.

They come out. Armourtex can take em out for you.

Its not really a "woe" is it?!

A minor inconvenience at worst...

You need one of these.

With reference to the pic of the tool ^

You put the bottom end into the frame and pull it through, push it up against the cups and hit with a hammer. Put your hand over the cup to stop it firing into the ceiling.

Do the same for the other cup.

You've clearly never installed or removed a headset before!

Just get a flat-head screwdriver and a spanner and tap them out from the inside of the head tube. Shouldn't take much force.

You've clearly never installed or removed a headset before!

Just get a flat-head screwdriver and a spanner and tap them out from the inside of the head tube. Shouldn't take much force.

be warned, if it's stuck in good and proper, this method will be destructive removal if it is soft alloy. the screwdriver makes an awful mess of the headset.

if you go to a plumbers shop and get a 1" tube you can make the proper tool yourself just by slitting the tube with a junior hacksaw and playing the pipe.

....Just get a flat-head screwdriver and a spanner and tap them out from the inside of the head tube. Shouldn't take much force.

...if it's stuck in good and proper, this method will be destructive removal if it is soft alloy. the screwdriver makes an awful mess of the headset....

Dylan has a point RE being careful if its alu, if its steel it'll be fine.

I put some electrical tape over the end of my screwdriver to soften the blow.

You want a screwdriver thats as wide as possible, while still making lots of contact with the headset... if that makes sence.

Make sure you take your time and work your way around.

Also UTS bc there are lots of things out there on this, which may give you extra tips (like how to make the tool Dylan is talking about)

i used an old seatpost and cut down and flared it to make aforementioned tool.