Loose headset, need help fast please??

Will.C

Hello, so, for the last week since my service, i've heard the headset/steerer tube knocking around a tad while riding, I've had this before when I had one too many spacers above the stem so just swapped em over and re-tightened and it worked.

Last week, maybe a week and a half ago... yeah, had a full service by a pretty decent bike shop? and asked them to cut the steerer tube down, one 10mm spacer below the stem and one 5mm above, heard some knocking around, though f**k it, i'll stick the 5mm spacer underneath the stem too for the time being cos the noise is annoying me, go to put everything back on and it's just not tightening, i've tried squishing the headset into the frame, putting pressure down on the stem as i tighten but it's all just too loose and won't tighten, have I done something wrong? Is something fooked? I think the steerer tube has been cut 1 or 2mm too short which is why it was knockin but now it's worse!

Please help, i'm flappin and dying to get out first thing tomorrow morning with the club but slowly seeing that plan fade away

Cheers

Mike67

Remove your steerer top cap.
Your spacers/stem height needs to be a few mm (around 3 to 5ish) only above the top of your steerer tube.
Loosen off your stem bolts where they clamp onto the steerer.
Replace top cap and tension everything up with the top cap nut first.
Not too tight so the bars can turn freely but tight enough so that there's no free play in the bearings (you can feel for this by applying the front brake and rocking the bike back and to with your fingers feeling for movement in the headset).
Tighten the stem bolts up evenly and fairly tight.
Should be all set.

Will.C

Thanks for your help mate, but i've been doing that with no joy, the actual headset seems to have come "unpressed" and it just wont tighten, there's gotta be atleast 2 - 3 mm of play in the steerer.

Mike67

If you're stack height is right and it wont tighten with the stem clamps loose and using the top cap bolt then there's a problem with the star fangled nut (or whichever device you have) that sits inside the steerer tube.

Either it's turning,slipping up the steerer or the threads are shot. Check the threads on the bolt that goes into it..do they look OK? Could give you an idea if there are thread damage issues.
No quick fix for this I'm afraid apart from fitting another star fangled nut. If you have a stem bung instead in the steerer then you could try tightening this up first.

Another thought...it's a long shot, but if you had it serviced and it's knocked since then might be worth checking that both the top and bottom bearings are actually in place and the correct way round etc....unlikely this would have ben missed but worth a try.

daddylonglegs

Mike might be right. I had a similar problem when the expander device inside the steerer tube was not tight enough and was being pulled up the inside of the steerer as I tightened the cap bolt. It needs to be tight. Also, make sure the expander is positioned high enough in the steerer tube to receive plenty of the bolt. If it's not, then you're in danger of stripping the thread, particularly if the expander is aluminium.

If you have a star-fangled nut and it's positioned too far down to receive enough bolt, you'll need a longer cap bolt. If the thread on the star-fangled nut is damaged, you will need to re-tap it as I don't think you'll be able to get it out.