Headset woes.

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

Wheel out, top nut in a vice with the frame upside down and a thick length of wood down into the fork crown and turn the wood. Use the crown to lever against not the fork blades.

Yes, I had thought of that.
But.....I worry that holding the top nut in a vice will leave scoring marks on it. We are talking Record so bling rules apply. It is becoming marked as it is.
I could wrap it in a cloth but that would reduce the grip.

 

[pigman]

Have you got any metal pads to pack in the vice jaws so you don't get the scoring? I'd suggest borrowing the wife or buddy to help as you'll need about 4 hands in different positions.

Even if it scores the nut, remember you were planning on taking a saw to it, which would have left one heap big mess

 

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

Have you got any metal pads to pack in the vice jaws so you don't get the scoring? I'd suggest borrowing the wife or buddy to help as you'll need about 4 hands in different positions.

Even if it scores the nut, remember you were planning on taking a saw to it, which would have left one heap big mess

All very true.
I really do know what to do for the best.

 

[jim haseltine]

Record top nut is HS-RE109. £26.99 from The Cycle Clinic.
Other outlets are available.

 

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

Apologies for late reply - I've been out trying to complete 10,000 miles before end of October.
@jim haseltine you are a mine of information thank you. Malcom Borg has a reputation for being a bit stroppy so I tend not to look at his site. However he does stock a lot of otherwise hard to find parts. A possibility, but see below>>>>
@Midlife that's exactly what I've just done. it worked, but it needed a 5' long broom handle to get enough leverage. Then the bottom race needed similar treatment. Not sure who put this together but he used an enormous amount of force. I even had to resort to a big plastic mallet and drift to get the bottom race off the tube.
Good news is that bearings seem to be OK and threads are all clean and good. Not really too much rust.
However the flats on both of the top two nuts are marked. My OCD says beyond use, but I'm going to sit on that for a couple of days.
I can buy both from Cycle Clinic as above^^^ but they will cost me £50+. I can buy a complete new headset for the same money from High on Bikes so I may go down that road.

So problem solved more or less and thank you all for your help and advice.

 

[Midlife]

Maybe get a bike shop to chase the steerer threads?

 

[Sir Neil d'Menture]

Threads seem OK. I've run the nut all the way down and it runs smoothly. Don't think I need to worry about that.