hope headset problem

joejoe

Hi all, please help me with this annoying problem!

I recently (this autumn) had a new hope headset installed by my lbs. It felt great and I was 100% pleased. However, over the past few weeks the steering has felt stiff so I assumed more grease was needed - I took the forks out, greased all of the bearing cartridges etc and put the lot back together in the same order as before. It fel a bit better but after last ride it started making a squeeking sound when steering and feeling stiff again.

Any idea what could be wrong? I have taken the cartridges out and they still rotate smoothly and the main bolt is not over tight.

Thanks for you help and advice in advance.

nicklouse

have a look under the top cover. maybe you need another shim.

Steve_b77

My sentiments exactly, I fitted mine wiht one shim to my Pitch, but my mate needed 2 shims on his Commencal Meta 5.5.2 when I fitted his @ the weekend.

joejoe

Thanks for the help,

I have used all 3 that come with hope headset, is it possible I need some more? I assume you mean the thin silver washers?

supersonic

You are preloading the headset correctly?

joejoe

urrm, if that means pushing the forks upwards to squeeze all of the headset components together, then I am not sure what correctly is, I just push it al together until it feels tight and the shim with the gap is pushed completly into the next section, usually tight enogh to hold the forks into the frame. Is this right?

supersonic

The top cap bolt is used to preload the headset, then you tighten the stem bolts to lock it in place.

From Sheldon Brown:

To adjust an "Aheadset"-type headset, the stem binder must be loosened, then the bolt that runs through the cap to the starnut (or hed doctor) is tightened, usually with a 5 mm Allen wrench. This presses the stem down against the tapered bushing that fits inside the adjustable cup. and takes up the slack in the system. The stem is then aligned with the front wheel and tightened with its binder bolts. (Once the stem binder bolts have been tightened, the adjusting bolt that goes to the star nut is under no significant stress, and may even be removed.)

joejoe

oh yeah i am doing that as mentioned. I have experiemented with various tightness of to cap bolt, with little change in results.

nicklouse

so again what is the condition of the underside of the top cover (bearing) ?

Mister Mental

bin it and get a pig. hope headsets are a waste of money. been running a pic with ceramic balls on my bikes for over 7 years and never had to replace one