Stiff/tight headset

wheezee

I'm not good at this mechanical lark, as you will be able to tell:

When tightening the pre-load bolt through the steerer cap, at the point when the bars first stop turning by themselves, and start to grip the steerer, so the whole headset stiffens up. It takes some force to turn the fork. I've resorted to just tightening the stem clamp bolts onto the steerer, and leaving the top bolt loose, which must be a bad idea.

Is there a common cause of this particular issue?

ricardo_smooth

yes. you're over tightening the pre load bolt! That bolt doesn't need to be done up tight, when you feel that the play in the headset has been take up then turn it 1/4 of a turn more and that's it. You don't need to tighten that one anymore as the stem bolts are there to keep the bars straight, not the other way round.

Once you have then done up the stem bolts you could actually take out the top bolt all together if you really wanted to (some freeriders do it so they can run the front hose through there so they can spin the bars 360 degrees).

so in summary the only issue is you're doing it wrong

Hope this helps

wheezee

That makes sense, thanks, but in my case, the pre-load bolt is redundant. I say tightening, but it has to stay loose to start with. Any turn at all, seizes it up. There is also a tiny gap left between the top two parts of the headset (not including the spacer), so the headset itself doesn't seem secured.

It's not like this on my other bikes, and it didn't used to be this way on this one...

ricardo_smooth

some headsets seem like there is a gap on the outer lip but they are actually fine (my nukeproof one looks like it's not sealed at all!) If it didn't have any gaps before then i'd be removing, inspecting for damage and replace/refit as necessary. shouldn't just go tight if there isn't an issue. If you've had it in bits are the bearings in the right way? What headset is it and if you know what type of bearings are they?

wheezee

It's a Specialites TA. I've double-checked the bearings are all in the right way. I can't claim they're immaculately clean and greased, though. I can close the gap between the top part of the headset before I tighten the stem clamp bolts.

ricardo_smooth

cartridge bearings so they should spin freely by hand. check if this happens, if it feels rough then they want changing. Grease it up as well if it's not greased to see if that cures it. but for it to just go tight sounds like something isn't square.

nicklouse

wheezee wrote:

but in my case, the pre-load bolt is redundant..

how so?

the TA still has a bung and preload bolt.

wheezee

nicklouse wrote:

how so?

the TA still has a bung and preload bolt.

I just meant, that I might as well fasten the stem to the steerer without it, because as soon as it engages with the bung, the whole thing seizes up.

My Reba is currently being serviced by the lbs. Maybe I'll get them to put it back together, and get to the bottom of it –Find out If it's me, or if there's a genuine problem with it.