Steering seizes up before I can take play out the headset with new bearings

drwae
drwae Posts: 223
edited April 2017 in Workshop
I just replaced the headset bearings on my SuperSix EVO, the old ones were worn out.
Now i'm unable to take play out the headset without completely seizing up the steering. When I can still steer freely, there's a massive amount of play, I can feel and see the whole steerer tube moving forwards and backwards in the frame.
If I tighten the top cap to the point where there's no play, I can barely move the handlebars left and right.
What's going on here?

Comments

  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Are the new bearings exactly the same dimensions as the old bearings ? is the shape the same ?

    Did the new bearings come with a compression ring ? Have you accidently used the old compression ring with the new bearings ?

    Did you buy the bearings only, or did they come in a kit with crown race, compression ring, bearing covers etc.

    When the top cap is tightened, is the bearing cover touching the frame ?
  • drwae
    drwae Posts: 223
    Sorry what are compression rings?
    I just bought the new upper and lower bearings (sealed cartridge bearings) from qwerty cycles after confirming they were the correct ones for my bike, they fit perfectly and I've installed them the same way as the old ones were, direct replacement
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,335
    The compression ring is a cone shape ring, typically with a cut that puts load onto the top bearing and removes play, sometimes it is not fitted properly and 90% of the times it is the reason why you can't remove play
    left the forum March 2023
  • drwae
    drwae Posts: 223
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    The compression ring is a cone shape ring, typically with a cut that puts load onto the top bearing and removes play, sometimes it is not fitted properly and 90% of the times it is the reason why you can't remove play
    Okay, I didn't touch that, and I didn't get a new one with the new bearings.
  • drwae
    drwae Posts: 223
    Weirdly I don't even seem to have one?? I have a massive tapered spacer and then that goes on the top bearing
  • drwae
    drwae Posts: 223
    Just dug the compression ring out the bin, it had got stuck in the old bearing and i never even noticed it was there. Cheers guys

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