35.7mm spanner/s needed for headset?

daniel_b

Afternoon all,

please excuse this non cycling post, although I bought this scooter from Merlin Cycles, so that's a link right??



It's been fine for ages, but just this week the steering won't turn, which I assume means the headset has siezed, presumably the bearings have given up.

Frustratingly I do not have a spanner or anything large enough to get a grip on it, and as there are 2 seemingly, will I need 2 different spanners to work on it?

I measured with my digitial callipers and they seemed to come out at 35.7mm, which seemed a tad unusual I thought, I was expecting a whole number, or is it perhaps an imperisl measurement, but thn that looks to be 1.405 inches, which again sounds a bit weird.

Any suggestions for what I might need to purchase, and or where I might source replacement bearings from if the originals cannot be recovered?

Thanks

daniel_b

A pair of these adjustable ones might do?

daniel_b

Or better to go for a pair of these?

veronese68

Can't see the size on those. I would say 35.7mm would use a 36mm spanner, there should be a bit of difference or the spanner wouldn't fit. That may be a particularly loose tolerance though.

daniel_b

Thanks @veronese68 - the adjustable options adjust between 16-68, and the ones directly above cover 4 different sizes, 30, 32, 36 & 40.
I'm thinking of getting one of each design, or do you think just one will do, in that I won't need to get pressure on both at the same time - I think that may well be the case thinking about it as they both just screw downwards, so one at a time should be fine?

Munsford0

You just need a headset spanner and an adjustable wrench.
The former is as Veronese says, 36mm, and it's thin enough for the lower nut. The adjustable wrench you use on the upper locknut

daniel_b

Munsford0 said:

You just need a headset spanner and an adjustable wrench.
The former is as Veronese says, 36mm, and it's thin enough for the lower nut. The adjustable wrench you use on the upper locknut

So one each of the above should leave me sorted then - I do need a spanner on both at the same time?

darkhairedlord

hammer and chisel should get the job done.

veronese68

As Munsford says, one of each would be good. The two nuts should be used to lock together so you need to hold one and turn the other. If you just try to turn one it will be very stiff and may not budge at all.

davebradswmb

veronese68 said:

Can't see the size on those. I would say 35.7mm would use a 36mm spanner, there should be a bit of difference or the spanner wouldn't fit. That may be a particularly loose tolerance though.

Tolerance on a standard M24 nut is 36mm/35mm, so 0.3mm clearance is not particularly loose.

daniel_b

Thanks all,

have ordered one of the 4 size options, and went for a heftier looking adjustable, as those ones I listed did not have the best reviews - this one only goes up to 38mm, but that will do.

daniel_b

Evening gents,

tools finally turned up, and I finally had some time this evening.

Top bearing appears to be in decent health (right hand one on pic) and could be re-used.
Second one appears to be the same size, but a very different style, and the 'case' bit has broken up, or maybe did so as I took it apart, and is not salvagable.



I'm going to start searching internet, but if anyone knows firstly whether I have to replace like for like, or I'm more inclined to replace both with the style of the top one if that doesn't cause any issues, that would be good to know.

Top race:




The lower race looks a mess, but I suspect for it's use I can clean it up, and lube it up and it will be usable - especially if only used in the dry.




From trying to measure the diameter of them outside edge to outside edge, it would seem the top one is 40mm, and the lower one is 41mm, however as it is a bit distorted that measurement could be, ummm, distorted.

Would something similar to this do - it measures up at about the diameter I have, and says it is for a 1 1/8th headset - it seems to have the two different styles as well, so assume this is a requirement.


EDIT: I think I realise that they are in fact identical, just one is inverted.
How do I know which way up they need to go within the headset?

veronese68

The cage is only to hold the balls in place and make fitting easier. Measure one of the balls and replace with loose balls the same size, you get more balls in that way which is also better. Use grease to hold them in as you assemble everything.

nibnob21

What veronese said. The general rule of thumb is to fit as many loose balls as will go in, then take one out to get the right number.

Ben6899

From memory, Daniel, my Gios headset is now like this. Bottom bearings in a cage, top ones loose because the cage disintegrated. Has been fine.

daniel_b

Thanks, I will measure the bearing size, and order a fair few of - looks like the bottom one may have never had any grease, or it has all come out somehow.