Adjusting a Head Set

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hondated
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Adjusting a Head Set

Post by hondated »

I have brought some forks for my Bianchi that have a longer head tube which should make it more comfortable to ride. They are Bianchi forks so I thought that fitting them shouldn't be a problem but having tried many times I just cannot get them to rotate smoothly and not judder when I brake. I can tighten them to remove the judder but then they are heavy to turn or the other way is loosen them and get the judder.

Does anyone have any idea of how to solve the problem and am I correct in thinking that both bearings are the same and can be fitted either top or bottom.

Was out this morning at 5.30am and getting out of bed was well worth the effort as it was nice and cool to ride, no one about and now I can just sit in the garage or watch the Tour when it is boiling outside. Definitely recommend getting out early whilst we can.
howfar
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Joined: 17 Nov 2010, 11:34am

Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by howfar »

Did you fit the crown race onto the new forks? - it's a ring of steel that sits at the bottom of the steerer tube and the bearings rest on it. Getting it off the old forks can be tricky without damaging it and setting it flat on the new forks is the key to getting smooth steering.
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CREPELLO
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by CREPELLO »

...and for that you need a slide hammer aka as big piece of metal tube - ideally just bigger than the steerer and cut square at the base. It is possible to use pvc water pipe if it's a good fit and the crwon race isn't to tight a fit.

Edit: protect a carbon fork steerer tube from scratches with plenty of tape.
Brucey
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by Brucey »

hondated wrote:
Does anyone have any idea of how to solve the problem and am I correct in thinking that both bearings are the same and can be fitted either top or bottom.
.


-it varies with the headset type, some yes, some no.

If you can't take the slack out without binding, it can mean that one or more of the races are set skewed, or the headset is misassembled in some way.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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hondated
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by hondated »

Thanks everyone. What I have actually done is just remove the old forks and replace them with forks that have a longer stem. Technically all I have had to do because I have used the fork crowns that are on each forks is to remove and replace the bearings and I was just wondering whether I have switched the bearings around. Am I correct in thinking that the fork crown on the longer forks may not be compatible with the existing bearing in the bottom of the head tube.
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cycleruk
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by cycleruk »

There are a few Utube videos showing assembly.
There are different angle bearings but I doubt that is your problem.
Just make sure the bearing are the right way up and don't forget the "compression rings".
Video:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoryphbNynM
Plenty of others as well.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
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hondated
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by hondated »

Thanks for your advice cycleruk and funnily enough I looked that link earlier. Because it was proving to be a pain I have refitted the original forks but if I am honest I still cannot get it loose enough without getting play in the head race.

This is proving to be one of cycle maintenances dark arts.

You mention compression rings but should that be ring. The one that goes into the top cup. In my HS the is a compression ring and spacer.
Gearoidmuar
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Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by Gearoidmuar »

I had a similar problem recently.
One of the head races was damaged. Replaced, perfect.
Either one is damaged or you have them the wrong way around or something's missing, I imagine.
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CREPELLO
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by CREPELLO »

hondated wrote:Thanks everyone. What I have actually done is just remove the old forks and replace them with forks that have a longer stem. Technically all I have had to do because I have used the fork crowns that are on each forks is to remove and replace the bearings and I was just wondering whether I have switched the bearings around. Am I correct in thinking that the fork crown on the longer forks may not be compatible with the existing bearing in the bottom of the head tube.
Silly question, but are you using a separate fork crown race? Because I don't understand how you would have a race for each pair of forks, if you've only one headset. They don't come with the forks, but the headset. Or perhaps you're using an integrated HS, in which case I don't know.

What's the headset you're using?

If they're cartridge bearings, chances are the bearings are both the same, or so obviously different as to not fit.
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hondated
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by hondated »

CREPELLO not a silly question at all and just to clarify some years ago I brought a Bianchi ML3 and after a short time of riding it I realised that the fork stem had been cut too short. What a shame that dealers such as Geoffrey Butlers don,t leave them uncut until brought.
Anyway to try and cure the problem I brought some forks on Ebay which had a longer stem and fitted them. Then more recently I brought a Bianchi C2C Nirone F & F and yet again the forks had been cut too low for my liking so I used the Ebay Forks. Hence I have three set of forks all with their own crown races.
However since my last posting ( hiding my head in shame now ) I discovered I had fitted the front brake on the wrong side and the couple route certainly wasn,t helping the situation. I have altered that now but I have yet to ride the bike since doing it. Hopefully its solved the problem but if it asn,t then having removed the crown from the C2C forks I will fit it on the longer forks if I need to.
Yes they are cartridge bearings FSA Z4 and when I look for a replacement I can only find bearings that have cups that you insert. Do you now whether fitting these would be an upgrade given the bearings fitted just fit into the frame head stock.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.
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CREPELLO
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Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by CREPELLO »

I don't know, is the simple answer to your question. But if you have the crown race that matches the headset you're using in the frame, I'd stick with using that on which ever fork, unless you have satisfied yourself that another race is identical.
Binkyboy
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Joined: 29 Oct 2010, 5:05pm

Re: Adjusting a Head Set

Post by Binkyboy »

There are lots of things that could be wrong and without seeing it, we're all just guessing.
It won't cost much for your LBS to do the job and tell you what the problem is/was.
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