Headset Bearing Gap

porteeguee
porteeguee Posts: 7
edited September 2013 in Workshop
I have a 80/90's Lazaretti road bike that I acquired from a friend a short time ago. I felt the headset bearings needed a cleaning and grease. I did and adjusted. No parts replaced and no issues. Now while reassembly I noticed a gap with the bearings visible. I removed and rechecked everything. Swapped the bearings top to bottom and flipped the cage. obviously that didn't fit. Put everything back and still same gap. I don't remember if the gap was there before disassembly. Any help and advise welcome.
Cheers Tony

photo-2.jpg

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Something's not right! Strip and reassemble - have you put too many balls in?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Your crown race is upside down, is it not?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Imposter wrote:
    Your crown race is upside down, is it not?
    exactly.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • porteeguee
    porteeguee Posts: 7
    Neither race removed. Ball bearings caged. non added or removed. I even flipped the cage over to see but it would not lay flat on the crown. I'm thinking someone took the headset apart in the past and replaced the bearings and/or cage.
    I'm kicking myself for not taking a close look before I disassembled the fork.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    porteeguee wrote:
    Neither race removed. Ball bearings caged. non added or removed. I even flipped the cage over to see but it would not lay flat on the crown. I'm thinking someone took the headset apart in the past and replaced the bearings and/or cage.
    I'm kicking myself for not taking a close look before I disassembled the fork.


    go on then lets see the "top" of the "correctly fitted" Crown race.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    porteeguee wrote:
    I even flipped the cage over to see but it would not lay flat on the crown.

    As mentioned, that's because the crown race is upside down.
  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    It is upside down you can see the channel the ball bearings should sit in.

    If you take it to bits you could take the fork to your LBS and ask them to extract the crown race from the fork and put it in the right way round (they may need to shave the top of the fork a bit to ensure a perfectly flat surface for the race to sit on). You can then reassemble the headset.

    You may, of course, need a new headset as you crown race may be knackered.
  • porteeguee
    porteeguee Posts: 7
    Ok, thank you all. I'll take it to the LBS and have them take a look.
    I'll post my findings
    Cheers. Tony
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    porteeguee wrote:
    Ok, thank you all. I'll take it to the LBS and have them take a look.
    I'll post my findings
    Cheers. Tony

    They will tell you the same as you have been told here - the crown race is on upside down.
  • porteeguee
    porteeguee Posts: 7
    So the crown race on the fork is on correctly and is a Campagnolo. The top and bottom head race are Shimano.
    So I'm going to fit a complete headset kit.
  • DannyJames
    DannyJames Posts: 76
    porteeguee wrote:
    So the crown race on the fork is on correctly and is a Campagnolo. The top and bottom head race are Shimano.
    So I'm going to fit a complete headset kit.

    Really ? I'm no expert and even to me that crown race sticks out a mile as being on the wrong way :?
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,356
    op...

    everyone is voting for crown race the wrong way up, the ballot card for this has only one box to check - wrong way up - this is because the crown race is the wrong way up

    it's wronger way up than a wrong way up thing that's the wrong way up

    if the lbs can't tell that, you need to find another lbs

    just take it off and put it back on the right way up

    because it's the wrong way up
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    sungod wrote:
    op...

    everyone is voting for crown race the wrong way up, the ballot card for this has only one box to check - wrong way up - this is because the crown race is the wrong way up

    it's wronger way up than a wrong way up thing that's the wrong way up

    if the lbs can't tell that, you need to find another lbs

    just take it off and put it back on the right way up

    because it's the wrong way up

    I'm confused by what you are trying to say here, are you saying the crown race is not the right way up? :wink:
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    porteeguee wrote:
    So the crown race on the fork is on correctly

    In which case, try fitting it upside down - it will definitely work better.

    As mentioned, any LBS which says that is on correctly should not be in business.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Imposter wrote:
    porteeguee wrote:
    So the crown race on the fork is on correctly

    In which case, try fitting it upside down - it will definitely work better.

    As mentioned, any LBS which says that is on correctly should not be in business.
    :lol::lol::lol:
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    I looked at the photo and said to myself "looks like the crown race is upside down". And then I read the thread.

    OP...

    Have you considered...

    ...that the crown race might be the wrong way up? :D
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,123
    The frame, it is upside down.
  • porteeguee
    porteeguee Posts: 7
    Looks to be the right way on
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,356
    ok, i'm not too proud to apologize, every crown race i've seen is flat on the underside, whereas that one has the underside looking like the top of a crown race

    when you refitted everything, was the top of the steerer at the same height? if it was then it suggests the headset has always been like that, i.e. someone fitted parts that aren't compatible, maybe the crown race is the original and they just put different bearing on it?

    but you must admit, it was great fun while it looked upside down :)
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • DannyJames
    DannyJames Posts: 76
    Are the bearings loose or in a cage? It looks to me like the bearings themselves are in upside down, Some cages are tapered (maybe all). If thats the bearing cage i can see between the bearings it looks shaped like its supposed to go into the cup and that would close the gap up if the otherside is flat?

    I must admit i did not look closely at the bearings before becouse i have never seen a crown race that's not flat on the underneath :oops:
  • DannyJames
    DannyJames Posts: 76
    My last message does not make much sense even to me but the bottom bearing should sit on the crown race this way so its shaped to fit into the cup and yours in your first pic looks the other way ,

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQOLPcpjanE1Q0Lj_H-oG-6hayxZeSknPABrWna5QTcXWOuzpdi

    Again Im no expert just trying to help but its the only thing i can think off now you have ruined the crown race theory
  • porteeguee
    porteeguee Posts: 7
    Hahaha. I had a good laugh. I always appreciate the help and comments. Thanks guys.
    Tony
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    So, if we are sure the crown race is on the right way round (can we just double check that.....) then either the ball race is upside down as Danny James says or the headset cup isn't from the same headset as the crown race.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • DannyJames
    DannyJames Posts: 76
    The more i look at the original pic im sure the bearings are in the wrong way you can see the top of the bearing cage is at the bottom of the cup. Portugee let me know or someone back me up i need closure :lol:

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