Headset Issues. Help!

Hi All,

I just bought a Tange Seiki Headset for my Condor (pista?) circa 1980 and I am having a few problems fitting it:

1. The Crown Race Cone seems a little too big to fit on the steerer. The instructions recommend a Crown Race Installation tool, never head of that! if it is a little big should I file down the size of the crown mount on the steerer so it will fit?

2. The Bottom Stationary Cup and Stationary Cone (the bits that fit inside the top and bottom of the head tube) seem a mm or so too big. The instructions say that the head tube may need to be 'reamed' using a Head Tube Reamer what on earth is that? And also that it should be fitted using a head press tool.

Does anyone have any advice? I dont think I bought the wrong size, its 1" threaded and the lock nut etc fit the steerer.

Please help! Thanks

You're going to need some specific tools, or some enthusiasm for making do with bits of pipe, 10mm threaded rod or studding etc.

It would be a good thing if you could beg borrow or loan a vernier- then you'll know if the crown race is ever going to fit onto the steerer. Google "press fit"

If you have the right headset, you need some way of hammering the crown race on fairly evenly- a long bit of pipe a bit bigger (in diameter) than the steerer is ideal- consider "padding" the crown race especially if it's ally with another ally washer/old headset cup etc.

A big lump of metal with a hole through the middle (google slide hammer) can work as well for the crown race.

Fitting the cups into the frame - again you preferably need some controllable way of pressing them in evenly. A loooong bolt or bit of threaded rod/studding can work quite well- look at the proper tools on the interweb to get an idea of what you're trying to achieve- all do-able with a bit of patience and some enthusiasm, mechanical aptitude and possibly mates who've done it before...
Good luck,
Scherrit.

You need to do a bit of searching here and on the web in general.

On here try "headset installation".

Also have a look at the mech/fixin websites list for some other useful sites.

three words:

sheldon, brown, headset

three more words:
local bike shop

If you're as clueless as you sound about headset fitting, it's well worth paying somebody else to do it. Bodging it without the right tools or the right skills could destroy your new headset, or even worse render your frame scrap. Getting it done professionally will cost £10 to £20, and they will tell you definitively if you have a headset which doesn't fit your frame. In the worst case, if a bike shop wrecks your frame in their workshop, they'll have to replace it.

3 words
big fnckoff (that is still one, it's joined up) hammer

murtle, do you have shares in "the big hammer company"?

i should do, i promote them enough
should at least be sponsored by them

three more words:
Local bike shop

if you're as clueless as you sound about headset fitting, it's well worth paying somebody else to do it. Bodging it without the right tools or the right skills could destroy your new headset, or even worse render your frame scrap. Getting it done professionally will cost £10 to £20, and they will tell you definitively if you have a headset which doesn't fit your frame. In the worst case, if a bike shop wrecks your frame in their workshop, they'll have to replace it.

+100

it sounds like you don't know what you are doing at all. it sounds like you want the cups to easily slide into the headtube, and the crown race to slide easily onto the crown. it ain't like that.

The local bike shop quoted me just £15 for a straightforward headset/new fork fitting, so they would be the cheapest/safest solution.

I bought the tools to change the forks on my bike and my wife's recently as enjoy diy bike mechanics, but was not cheap (£123), though have fitted headsets/forks without them before. http://www.parktool.com has good how-to sections. The Cyclus tools are great quality for the price.

Cyclus Crown Race Fitting Tool: £28.45
Cyclus Headset Press Tool - £36.23
X-Tools Star Nut Installer - £11.99
IceToolz Headset Cup Remover - £12.09
IceToolz Steerer Tube Cutter - £16.40
IceToolz - Crown Race Remover - £18.39

Also used Vernier Calipers, engineers hammer, scrap wood to protect parts, very fine file, bench vice, hole saw kit and drill.

although owning a headset press, i prefer to get the headtube reamed and faced properly before installation so i never use it. as those tools are too expensive to make it worth it.

Yo Rich, its Paul. Feel free to bring it over if you want me to take a look. Echo what others have said. Don't do it yourself! May well need reaming etc. Rayments or Baker Street will sort it.

Hammer block of wood screwdriver

The diameter of the frame cups should be marked on them. Once you know this then you have to measure the inside diameter of the head tube. The cups need to be a few thou (inches) smaller. Reaming is a metal removal process to remove very small amounts of material to just size, or even 'round' the headtube.
The cups must be pressed in 'square'.
The crown bearing is also a press fit.
The stack height of the bearing set must also be considered to ensure that the steerer tube is long enough to ensure sufficient engagement of the threaded top bearing and lock nut.
Do not force the bearing cups into the headtube - you will stretch the tube.

Conclusion = Go to the LBS or another with knowledge, tools, experience.

you have to measure the inside diameter of the head tube. The cups need to be a few thou (inches) smaller larger

Fixed

Thats what I meant to write.

Senior moment !!

Just came home to a welcome torrent of advice. A little naive of me to think I could do it myself. Will pop down the LBS on Sat so they can take a proper look.

I'll pop some pics in the current projects thread when its all done and dusted. Cheers again!

Paul, PM me you're number and we can pop down Baker St etc on Sat if you're free?

I've got about 2mm of play in all directions on my threadless chris king headset.

I've followed the instructions, rebuilt and re-followed all the instructions for fitting the headset and I still cant tighten it enough to remove the play.

Lived with it for a few months now, but the bike's about to go for its first propper offroad excursion this weekend, and I need to get it sorted before hand.

Any suggestions?

You've been riding a headset with play in it?
Sorry to say its probably funked.

I'd concur. My Moser is about to face retirement as the head tube has been slightly ovalised by the headset being loose. I'm having to adjust the headset on a daily basis.

Just removed headset cups so they can be transfered to another frame (identical frame, just different size). Looking at the bottom headset cup it looks like some of the black surface has worn away where it makes contact with the inside of the headtube. I'm guessing this is due to more water etc getting in the bottom headset cup area when riding, perhaps. Is it a problem if a little of that surface has gone? The headset is only about 5 months old.

i doubt it will be a serious problem, most i have removed are like that. but, did you get the headtube reamed and faced before the old one was put in? this will lengthen the life of your headset.

Yes, i think it came reamed/faced. Cheers