Tapered headset spacer fitting - what am I doing wrong ?

broachboy

Hi Forum people, I got a bit of a problem with fitting a tapered headset spacer, that I thought would just be a straight swop. I brought the following item as a finishing touch for my KiC2....

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=19638

The original set up looked like this...



On this set up the CANE CREEK top cap compresses the split tapered washer to obtain the correct 'feel' and elimination of any free play.



The cane creek top cap has an internal diameter close to that of the tapered split washer, but take a look at the picture of the underside of both items - the original Cane Creek, and the tapered Control Tech...



You can see that the Control Tech item has a bigger internal diameter, and thus no contact with the split tapered washer is made, instead the contact is made with the bearing :? If you continue with the assembley of the tapered spacer the whole assembley just grinds and locks the steering near solid :shock: What am I doing wrong :? Surely this item should just be a straight swop :?:

Somebody please help, before I go barmy :evil:

proto

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, but I supect that the tapered spacer is designed to sit on top of a headset top cap, not replace it.

Some headsets come with a tapered top cap - Campag do the Record and Chorus in TTC (Tall Top Cap) versions - but I think the item you have bought is supposed to be used as no more than a spacer.

In your shoes, I'd try fitting the thinnest spacer you can (1mm or 2mm?) on top of the split washer and see if the outer diameter of that engages on your new tapered spacer. Or turn something up if you hace access to machine tools?

broachboy

thanks for taking the time to reply proto, I have also spoke to a clubmate who thinks that the tapered spacer is meant to fit on top of the Cane Creek top cap, that would give an instant 'fix', but the amalgamation of the two items looks terrible to be honest and leaving the item as it originally was is much easier on the eye :shock: .

synchronicity

Looks like you need a tapered spacer made by cane creek to fit their headset.

broachboy

synchronicity wrote:

Looks like you need a tapered spacer made by cane creek to fit their headset.

Yeah synchronicity, that may just be the solution, but I went out on a limb to have a total Control Tech finishing kit, and now the one item you may just assume to be of a standard / universal fit - don't fit :shock: :? :x

arrrrgh

broachboy

got it sorted

I swopped the Cane creek top cap for the top cap off a FSA Orbit CE that I had in the workshop drawer.....



and the tapered spacer fits a treat ...



I just need to cut the extra off the carbon steerer now :roll:

The-Dude

You don't even need to use that top cap. I bought this Controltech carbon spacer set today and it's been wrecking my brain all day as to how it fits. I came to the comclusion that i wasted my money, until 30 minutes ago.
All you need to do is put one of your broad spacers on the steerer tube first so it sits against the split washer, then slip the Controltech tapered spacer over that. If you use the right thickness of spacer first, the Controltech tapered spacer should rest around 1mm above the frame. I then put 1 regular spacer on top of the Controltech tapered spacer and then the stem. Once you tighten the top cap up to compress everything, that 1mm gap will close almost right up. Looks a lot neater with the Controltech tapered spacer meeting the frame.

So....
1. Fit thick spacer (Or 2 thin spacers) directly on top of split washer.
2. Fit Controltech tapered spacer.
3. Fit thin spacer.
4. Fit stem

CAUTION. If your original headset has a little rubber ring at the buttom between the headset and the frame, DO NOT use this with the ControlTech tapered spacer. This is what was wrecking my brain all day. I was using this to finish it off and when i tightened everything up it compressed that down on the frame and stiffened the steering.

synchronicity

Thanks for the info The-Dude.

Anyone make a similarly tapered top cap but in alloy not carbon fibre?

Poulsy

Thanks for this. I have a similar issue with a different conical spacer. Just got to hope the normal spacer fits underneat it :?