headset help

orienteerstu55
orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
edited January 2012 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi,

I installed a new carbon stem, and now it is much harder to turn my handle bars. any ideas what i have done ? I'm guessing the headset needs some attention. but how and what needs doing ?

Thanks for your time

Stuart

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Why would you do that in the first place? Butyou have probably tightened the headset up too much.
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    orienteerstu55 wrote:
    any ideas what i have done ?

    Stuart
    Yes some thing wrong.

    As ESP. Does not work and there are no images to look at go read the info on Parktools about headsets.

    But at. Guess you have over tighten th top cap.
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  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Quite possible the forks dropped a bit when you were disassembling, and you've tightened it back up skewed. Check to see that the are no gaps/uneven fits in the top and bottom races.
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  • orienteerstu55
    orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
    thanks for the advice il see if i can fix it!! and with regards to why ... for a really good looking and lighter front end :D
  • orienteerstu55
    orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
    ok so i managed to sort out the grinding headset so it turns smoothly, i did this by removing a small spacer and adjusting the fork that may have dropped down. However, a new problem has arisen - the problem being if i pull my front break and wiggle the bike forward and back their is a lot of movement around the headset area, what damage have a i done ?

    all advice is greatly received, thanks

    stuart
  • mrbrightside
    mrbrightside Posts: 214
    to loose...
  • orienteerstu55
    orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
    my god i feel so stupid haha i never even thought to tighten that bolt that funs down into the headset until you said that, so thank you very much. :D
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Add spacers.the top cap will be bottoming out on the steerer.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • 386ka
    386ka Posts: 479
    orienteerstu55 wrote:
    ok so i managed to sort out the grinding headset so it turns smoothly, i did this by removing a small spacer and adjusting the fork that may have dropped down. However, a new problem has arisen - the problem being if i pull my front break and wiggle the bike forward and back their is a lot of movement around the headset area, what damage have a i done ?

    all advice is greatly received, thanks

    stuart

    What small spacer?
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  • orienteerstu55
    orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
    one of the ones imdeaitly under then stem. its fixed now i just tighter the bolt that goes down towards the forks i think its called a star nut but not sure on terminology probably wrong.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    That bolt on the top preloads the headset bearings by pulling the stem and spacers onto the bearings. So the stem and spacers MUST overlap the top of the steerer by 3-5mm to allow this to happen.

    When the bearings are adjusted ie no play and turns smoothly, tighten the stem's side bolts.

    Adjusting the top bolt with the stem done up tight does nothing, except maybe pull the star nut out.
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  • orienteerstu55
    orienteerstu55 Posts: 102
    makes sense that, thats where i went wrong in the first place but its all sorted now. :D thanks for the explanation

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