headset problem

toastedone
toastedone Posts: 838
edited July 2012 in MTB workshop & tech
Not sure what is causing this, When i lift the front end of my bike up a little by the bars and let it go there is a knocking noise and when I moves the bars back and forth there seems to be a little play in the headset, any advice would be appreciated.
Smokertovaper

Comments

  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Tighten it up.
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Tighten it up.

    i have
    Smokertovaper
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    toastedone wrote:
    Not sure what is causing this, When i lift the front end of my bike up a little by the bars and let it go there is a knocking noise and when I moves the bars back and forth there seems to be a little play in the headset, any advice would be appreciated.
    So what have you done to the bike before that may have caused this?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    nothing that i am aware of, every item apart from the bars are stock items
    Smokertovaper
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    So you have done nothing.

    You know how to add more preload to the headset. Undo stem bolts then apply a bit more preload till play goes then tighten the stem bolts up.

    If you have done that then your bearings are dead.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    I will try later, would that mean a new headset?
    Smokertovaper
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    You didn't tighten it then?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    toastedone wrote:
    I will try later, would that mean a new headset?
    read parktools.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    You didn't tighten it then?

    I did tighten it I just didn't realize i need to loosen the stem bolts first
    Smokertovaper
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    So you tightened the top cap to the top of the stem, you didn't tighten the headset.
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    I tightened the bolt in the top cap, sorry but bike maintenance is still kinda new to me
    Smokertovaper
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    The headset is basically a stack of bits to help the bars turn (you know rollers and flat bits for them to roll on - stop me if I get to technical!) - the star fangled nut and top bolt are your basic calmp them down just right adjustment but then you chuck the stem on to hold it all together - the stem is a tougher vice than the top bolt and nut so if you try and do up the top bolt nothing happens if you havent furst released the stem.

    Undo the two (or however many bolts) in the stem attaching it to the steerer.

    Pinch the top bolt down a little to make the headset feel tight but not so much the steering becomes draggy (again please bare with this highly technical terminology).

    Tighten stem bolts ensuring bars and wheel are all ligned up nice and proper.

    Give her a ride and see what happens.

    While you are doing this it could be worth pulling the front end apart and slapping some grease on the bearingsa dn what not as it sounds like some kind of external poop and muck might have been able to get in there of late.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • toastedone
    toastedone Posts: 838
    Thanks for the help, I loosened the stem bolts today and gave it all a tighten and all seems fine now.
    Smokertovaper

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