Problems Fitting A-Headset

pelotonpete

Hi.

This is my first experience of A-Head and I need some help.

I am fitting some new forks to an older frame that requires a 1" steerer tube.

I have an ITM Millennium 4Ever Stem which comes with an adapter (a small piece of tube) for use with 1" steerers.

I am using a 1" FSA Orbit XL II A-Headset.

Firstly I am unsure about spacers. Do I need to source 1" spacers or will 1-1/8" be O.K.?

Secondly, the top washer of the 1" FSA headset slips inside the top of the ITM stem, where surely it needs to overlap in order to tighten down and load the bearings.

Do I need something else maybe? :?

Any advice gratefully received.

Pete.

damptw

hi
You will need spacers the same diameter as the fork steerer, so 1 ". If by the washer you mean the top cap then it will have to be 1 1/8" to match the stem.
hope that helps.

pelotonpete

damptw wrote:

hi
You will need spacers the same diameter as the fork steerer, so 1 ". If by the washer you mean the top cap then it will have to be 1 1/8" to match the stem.
hope that helps.

Yes, I did mean the top cap. Sounds as though I might need to buy another complete headset just for a top cap then? :shock:

Haven't seen many ads for 1" spacers, I guess they'll have to be old. I was thinking I could maybe shim out some 1-1/8" spacers with a bit of tape if I got stuck, or would that be a bad idea? :?:

blackhands

Bad idea.

pelotonpete

Yeah - O.K. :oops:

Found ads for shims - 28.6 to 25.4mm with 38mm height, to adapt 1-1/8" threadless stem to 1" threadless steerer.

Guess I could trim that to size and use with the 1-1/8" spacers. Still need a 1-1/8" top cap though.

nicklouse

you can get top caps separately. (or with a star nut and bolt included).

pelotonpete

nicklouse wrote:

you can get top caps separately.

Thanks m8, you're spot on, I didn't know that.

I've now managed to source all the bits I need to do the job properly, I don't feel like an Ahead virgin any more!

Cheers for all the help.
Pete.