• Dylan is right you don't need the retainer / cage thing - many people discard them - but I would get some extra bearings to pack in the spaces left by the cage to keep it running smooth and prevent them all slopping to one side, which could loosen off the headset.

    I just took took apart an old threaded Super Record headset - it originally used 2 cages of 20 3/16" bearings, both the cages were missing and the races looked pretty sparse. I reckon I'd need about 28 loose give or take a couple - to replace a cage of 20. some later Record h/sets used one race of 3/16 and one of 5/32.

    Grade 10 ball bearings are only a few pennies more and suposed to be better quality than grade 25 or stainless - more info here: [html][/html]http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p37998/3/16+inch+Diameter+Hardened+Chrome+Steel+Ball+Bearings+%28Pack+of+100%29+Grade+10/product_info.html[html][/html]

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