Excess play in the headset

Finecactus

Hi

After washing my Giant Revel down, and returning to it the following day I noticed the headset was stiff and rough. So I decided to strip it down for a service. The bearings were rusty and lets just say fit for the bin. After fitting some new bearings with lashings of grease there is a small amount of movement from the steerer.

Now im no formal bike mechanic, just a well informed DIY'er and this is the first time I have played with a headset, have I done something wrong causing this play?

Any ideas?

pesky_jones

I think for water to get into the bearings (reason for rust) in the first place the headset is faulty.

cooldad

Presumably you tightened the steerer cap BEFORE the stem bolts?

Finecactus

cooldad wrote:

Presumably you tightened the steerer cap BEFORE the stem bolts?

No that was the last thing I did, I guess your about to tell me to go and do so?

cooldad

Yep, the topbolt/stemcap preloads the bearings, then you do the stem up.

Back to the garage.

Finecactus

cooldad wrote:

Yep, the topbolt/stemcap preloads the bearings, then you do the stem up.

Back to the garage.

Sorted ta very much buddy!

I maybe being fussy but the it could still turn a bit smoother, though I think I should give the old bike some slack. For an entry level bike it has taken me in excess of 2k off road miles and has never let me down!

Kowalski675

Finecactus wrote:

I maybe being fussy but the it could still turn a bit smoother

Sounds like you might've nipped it up too tight. Loosen the stem clamp bolts, tighten the cap bolt until there's no play, but the bars fall to full lock under their own weight if you lift the front end off the floor. Then retighten the stem bolts.

cooldad

Kowalski675 wrote:

Finecactus wrote:

I maybe being fussy but the it could still turn a bit smoother

Sounds like you might've nipped it up too tight. Loosen the stem clamp bolts, tighten the cap bolt until there's no play, but the bars fall to full lock under their own weight if you lift the front end off the floor. then retighten the stem bolts.

This but in readable form. Just tight enough so there's no play but it all moves smoothly.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

Finecactus wrote:

I maybe being fussy but the it could still turn a bit smoother

Sounds like you might've nipped it up too tight. Loosen the stem clamp bolts, tighten the cap bolt until there's no play, but the bars fall to full lock under their own weight if you lift the front end off the floor. then retighten the stem bolts.

This but in readable form. Just tight enough so there's no play but it all moves smoothly.

Sorry, I didn't realise you were illiterate. Should I have drawn pictures instead? You missed a comma after "this", by the way, and if you want to be pedantic then you should've said "so that there's no play"...

Finecactus

I appreciate everyone's help. Thank you.

All sorted.

Kowalski675

And they all lived happily ever after, lol.

Larok

Adjust the tension in the headset using the cap bolt then tighten the fork to the stem with the stem bolts.

If you've done this and tried (as best you are able) looser/tighter and it stays a bit loose or too tight than it could be that the cups that the bearings turn in are also worn and the headset is passed its best in this regard also.

Personally I would have a new headset after trying about a million times to get the old one back working properly again. Removing old headset cups and fitting the cups of a new headset into a frame requires special tools and skills that may be easier achieved by paying a bike shop. I may go ahead and supply my own part though to get a more quality/cost effective solution. You could go mad and get the tools yourself, I might do that sometime.

Kowalski675

It doesn't need any tools that you can't make yourself for a couple of quid, nor any special skills. Easy job for anyone who knows one end of a spanner from the other.

pesky_jones

If he means the headset press it can be quite tricky to make one yourself, it needs to be able to push the cups in level

Finecactus

I do suspect the cups maybe worn too, but I've adjusted the cap bolt as suggested and it has improved.

Will run it through the winter and see how we get on.

Kowalski675

Pesky Jones wrote:

If he means the headset press it can be quite tricky to make one yourself, it needs to be able to push the cups in level

Length of threaded M12 bar, three M12 full nuts and a handful of large O.D. washers. Job done.

cooldad

Or a bit of wood and a hammer.

Kowalski675 wrote:

Sorry, I didn't realise you were illiterate. Should I have drawn pictures instead? You missed a comma after "this", by the way, and if you want to be pedantic then you should've said "so that there's no play"...

It did make more sense on a second reading, in my defence I have a severe case of terminal manflu.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Or a bit of wood and a hammer.

Kowalski675 wrote:

Sorry, I didn't realise you were illiterate. Should I have drawn pictures instead? You missed a comma after "this", by the way, and if you want to be pedantic then you should've said "so that there's no play"...

It did make more sense on a second reading, in my defence I have a severe case of terminal manflu.

Did you see Dave Gorman talking about man flu on Modern Life Is Goodish? Funny.