Play in my headset...what's going on.

milkywhite
milkywhite Posts: 534
edited April 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
Today I quickly popped the bars and stem off to clean the gunk out of the clamps, and then went out for a gentle ride round some of the local tracks. About half way round I noticed a lot of play in the front end of the bike, and subsequently realised that it was coming from the headset. Before I'd taken the stem off it seemed fine.

I rode very gently home and took the stem off and the fork just dropped out. I took the spacers off the steerer and the top cap of the headset indicated in the picture, came off (is this normal?).

I've had a quick read of park tools, but it didn't really tell me much about why this has suddenly happened.

Anybody got any idea what's causing the play? Headset is the standard cane creek that came on the bike. Bike is the 2006 Fuel 80 in my sig.

30042008192py2.jpg
2006 Trek Fuel 80

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    you did not preload the bearings.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • milkywhite
    milkywhite Posts: 534
    I thought it might be something like that...not that I know how to. Is that something I can do without specialist tools, or is a bike shop job? I've got a basic bike tool kit, but no specialist gear
    2006 Trek Fuel 80
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    undo the stem bolts
    tighten the bolt at the top until the play stops but the bars still turn freely (becomes eaiser to find this sweet spot with practice)
    align the bars and tighen the stem bolts

    Done
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • milkywhite
    milkywhite Posts: 534
    Nice one. Cheers Nick/Dav!

    Apologies for being a retard.
    2006 Trek Fuel 80

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