headset drama ...

[johnv]

I'm currently putting an old Giant hybrid/city bike together for my son (suspect mid/late 90s) to use as a school bike.

It's got a 1 inch threaded headset. After powder coating the frame so it looks nice and new, I got the pressed cups back in with no problem (bought a headset press from CRC). Once I got the cups in place I expected it to be easy from then on, but in addition to the fork crown race, there are two additional races that sit inside the cups. The side walls of the cups include a retaining lip that races should clip in to. So once the new loose bearings are in and greased the race just clips in on top of them, making a nice neat assembly holding all the bearings in before mounting the fork and adjustable race etc.

It seems like it needs a lot of force to get the races to clip in to the cups. After quite a bit of messing around I can't get them aligned and in place. I thought about using the headset press to force the races to fit inside the cups, but I'm not sure this is the right approach. After a bit of googling I can't find any description on this type of headset or suggestions on how to proceed

Has anyone got any experience with this type of headset?

thanks!
John

 

[xerxes]

Pictures? Make? Model?

 

[johnv]

Thanks, pictures below ...

Not sure of the exact make, just the headset that came with the bike

 

[jimo746]

edited....

Those aren't sealed bearings that have been taken apart are they??

 

[johnv]

Hi Jimo

I don't think so. I think a sealed bearing is usually a separate unit that just sits between the cup and race (??), so the sealed bearing can be replaced separately from the headset. In this case it is not a sealed unit, but the race does clip in to the cup. I initially stripped this bike back over a year ago, so maybe my memory is failing me, but the race popped off pretty easily (with a screwdriver) to expose the bearings and I'm 100% sure there was no seal (I was pretty careful about storing all the headset parts at the time in a separate container).

Maybe I'll just use the press and apply some more pressure on the thing. If it goes wrong then I guess I just need to buy a new set.

John

 

[ChrisR]

by the looks of it the race isn't supposed to leave the loose bearings, it will take a fair bit of force to get it back with the bearings all seated.

i had an old headset like this years ago and the only way to get grease in was to just push it through any gaps showing. its not like a modern headset that can be broken down to its component parts.

 

[johnv]

was worried that may be the case .... off to CRC for a new headset it seems :-( ... not so expensive though

 

[ChrisR]

good tip i was told for getting grease into them is to get an old bean tin, wash it out and then put grease in tin, heat up to liquify then drop the headset in and leave it to cool.. when you pull the headset out every part will be covered in grease... even the bits you cant normally get it into.

 

[xerxes]

I'm assuming that this is bottom of the head tube, is that correct?

If that is the case, then the part i've indicated with an arrow would be the fork crown race and should be fitted over the steerer tube of the fork onto the fork crown. The stearer tube then goes up through the head tube and the upper race on top of the upper cup. The whole lot is then tensioned by the top cap and held together by the stem, if this is a threadless steerer and an A-head type headset, or with the lock nuts if it's a threaded steerer.

This may help: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/categories/headset-service

 

[johnv]

Hi xerxes

it is the bottom of the head tube, but there are three races (the one you see on the picture is not the crown race). The crown race is mounted back on the fork, but there are two additional races that mount in to the cups (one of which you see on the picture).

As pointed out by a couple of other posters, probably these are not meant to be prised apart.

New headset from CRC will be ordered ...

(it's a threaded headset btw)

ta!
John