headset replacement... loose crown race.

[MontyVeda]

I finally got round to removing my old headset. The bottom bearing cup was a sod to remove. I don't think the incompetent LBS greased it before fitting, but it was 13 years ago.

The crown race came off the fork quite easily with a few knocks from a hammer, but the new crown race has a loose fit and turns quite freely on the fork.

The last (and only other) time I've fitted a headset myself was 40 years ago when i was about fifteen so other than the cups in the headset tube being a press fit, I can't recall if the crown race needed hammering on or not.

Am i worrying about something or nothing?

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

The crown race should be a tight press fit. Any movement translates into wear of the seat below it over time, once that’s happened the fork is usually not worth recovering as it needs welding and grinding to repair the wear.

 

[Paulus]

They should be a fairly tight fit, normally needing a tap with a hammer and a piece of wood to reemer it in to place.

 

[MontyVeda]

aye i thought so... hmm

I guess the issue is the inexpensive headset rather than the fork, since i had to knock the previous crown race off.

 

[All uphill]

Maybe worth checking you have the correct replacement. English and JIS standards are 0.2mm different in diameter.

 

[FrankCrank]

I've used a shim in the past to get a snug fit for a sloppy crown race, made from a sliver from an old drink can - no issues

 

[raleighnut]

Maybe worth checking you have the correct replacement. English and JIS standards are 0.2mm different in diameter.

Beat me to it,there are 2 different sizes, Imperial and JIS

 

[MontyVeda]

Thanks for the replies guys. This is the replacement headset i've got: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202645209968.

The frame is an old Orange P7 with the F7 fork. The 0.2mm difference does seem like the amount of slack I've got.

I've used a shim in the past to get a snug fit for a sloppy crown race, made from a sliver from an old drink can - no issues

Good idea. gotta be worth a try

 

[ColinJ]

Maybe worth checking you have the correct replacement. English and JIS standards are 0.2mm different in diameter.

Aha - that probably explains me having the same issue when building a bike from a frame donated to me!

I built a singlespeed bike last year, mainly from old parts of mine and a frame/fork donated to me by a pal. I needed a few extra parts and wanted to build the bike for the smallest amount of money possible so I searched eBay and found a no-name headset for it for about £8. That turned out to be a false economy! The cups went in far too easily and it turned out to be impossible to get the headset tight enough and free-turning at the same time. Either it was loose and free-turning, or it was tight and barely turned at all.

I rode the bike through the winter and the tight steering was starting to bug me so that headset had to be taken out.

In the end I bought a Ritchey headset for £15.99 and replaced il cheapo with that today. I don't have a press to put the cups in so I decided to very carefully tap them in. I read what I thought was a useful tip - put the cups in a freezer for an hour before fitting them. The idea is that they shrink ever so slightly and are easier to fit if you can get it done before they warm up again. The cold cups were still a reasonably tight fit but I was able to get them in without having to wallop them. I used a piece of timber to protect them and tapped the back of the timber with a hammer, being careful to knock the cups in straight.

 

[biggs682]

A coke can shim

 

[MontyVeda]

... impossible to get the headset tight enough and free-turning at the same time. Either it was loose and free-turning, or it was tight and barely turned at all. ...

That sounds like the top and bottom cups weren't seated parallel to one another, rather than a problem with the headset itself.

I had the same issue when i was fifteen when I knocked a perfectly functional headset out of a frame, put the same headset back in and had that issue; loose and functional or tight enough but wouldn't steer properly.

 

[ColinJ]

That sounds like the top and bottom cups weren't seated parallel to one another, rather than a problem with the headset itself.

I don't think it was that... I could pretty much put them in and remove them without using tools!

 

[figbat]

Could you use the old crown race? Is it damaged or otherwise unusable?

 

[fossyant]

Go order a Tange Passage 1" from SJS. My commuter MTB takes 1 1/8th headsets. OK it's £18 plus postage but they are quality headsets.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/headset...eel-cup-threaded-headset-302-mm-stack-height/

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

If you are going to resort to shimming it might I recommend Newcastle Brown Ale for shimstock.

it makes the job just that bit more enjoyable as one must be sure the can is properly emptied.