Chris King re-greasing bearings whilst installed on bike ?

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mangid

Guru
Location
Cambridge
I've got a Chris King headset on my precious Burls, and it's time, I think, to re-grease the bearings, 60K miles over 4 years.

Is this something you can do with them installed on the bike?

I've tried to read up, and the service documentation says they should not be removed from the cups, and I don't really relish removing the cups form the bike (need the special tools for removal and install, and I bound to bugger something up). Or maybe I'm completely misunderstanding things ....

As I understand it, there's a snapring and a seal to be removed, the bearings flushed out with WD-40 and dried (hair drier, or should I get some compressed air in a can?). I guess the snap ring should be facing out on bot the top and bottom bearings ?
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
Assuming they are sealed bearings I'd leave well alone if they are running ok.
 
Location
Loch side.
Remove snapring without damaging the white rubber seal. Remove seal. Remove bearing cage. Clean, grease and replace.
The snapring and seal requires some skill.
 
OP
OP
mangid

mangid

Guru
Location
Cambridge
Remove snapring without damaging the white rubber seal. Remove seal. Remove bearing cage. Clean, grease and replace.
The snapring and seal requires some skill.

I ever so delicately and tentatively took a look, the top bearing was a little rough. Removing the snap ring was a little fraught, but gentle persuasion with a jewelers screwdriver pried it free. The bearing appeared to be grease free, no sign of rust or any dirt so simply repacked. Now running nice and smoothly.

One issue I do have is that the cap binds ever so slightly with the wheel at 60+ degrees, i.e. no matter how hard I try I don't appear to get the cap precisely parallel. I guess not much of any issue in every day riding, but a trifle annoying.
 
Location
Loch side.
I ever so delicately and tentatively took a look, the top bearing was a little rough. Removing the snap ring was a little fraught, but gentle persuasion with a jewelers screwdriver pried it free. The bearing appeared to be grease free, no sign of rust or any dirt so simply repacked. Now running nice and smoothly.

One issue I do have is that the cap binds ever so slightly with the wheel at 60+ degrees, i.e. no matter how hard I try I don't appear to get the cap precisely parallel. I guess not much of any issue in every day riding, but a trifle annoying.

If it binds, it means that the head tube needs facing. It isn't parallel.
 
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