Anyone have a headset press?

[Squatch]

I'm working on a bike for someone, and the headset is loose. In my not very experienced opinion, I think that it just needs to be repressed. He wants to keep costs down for this, so I'm hesitant to take it to a shop. Anyone have a headset press that I can borrow?

[kidwoo]

Loose headets are usually from the star nut or headlock being loose, not from the cups coming out of the frame. Try loosening the stem on the steerer tube and then tightening the star nut or headlock bolt first. If the cups really are loose (I doubt it) then there's most likely a much bigger problem of headtube ovalization.


That said, I use a piece of threaded rod and some big nuts and washers.

[sfotex]

6 pack + LBS = low cost fix.
If the lower cup is indead loose, that can be bad. I've done some ghetto soda can shimming before, back in the day of 1" mtn bike headsets when they really got hammered.

[Froman]

I'll probably get flamed for suggesting this, but I use a hammer, a LOT of grease and a scrap piece of 2X4 - I pressed in a Chris King headset using this method and had no problems. Just take care while your hammering in the cups, and watch what your doing...

Otherwise, you can make a reasonable headset press using some threaded rod, a couple scraps of 2x4 and a couple nuts. Here's a more elaborate way of making one:

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/D3...E506/?ALLSTEPS

[El Chupacabra]

I'll probably get flamed for suggesting this, but I use a hammer, a LOT of grease and a scrap piece of 2X4 - I pressed in a Chris King headset using this method and had no problems. Just take care while your hammering in the cups, and watch what your doing...

I've installed many headsets using this method. Use a mallet, not a metal-faced hammer. Never used grease though -- didn't think grease was such a good idea on press-fit parts.

[Squatch]

Kidwoo -- It's an old-school threaded headset, so, at least according to the parktool website (http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=127), I don't think it has either of those parts.

Assuming the headset in question has these parts:


It seems like there is too much of a gap between the threaded race and the lower pressed race. Basically, this means the steerer tube can moved up and down inside the headtube, and has a little play left/right and forwards/backwards within the headtube.

Right now I feel like the issues could be solve if that gap and the resulting play was removed; frankly this is just a cheap commuter, so noticeable performance is really the only concern here.

[Dside11-11]

Dude, BSR!?

[El Chupacabra]

It seems like there is too much of a gap between the threaded race and the lower pressed race. Basically, this means the steerer tube can moved up and down inside the headtube, and has a little play left/right and forwards/backwards within the headtube.

Add a spacer between the lock nut and the upper race (the threaded race)?

I've had this happen where the lock nut basically bottoms out -- feels tight to the wrench, but still wobbles.

[Squatch]

Add a spacer between the lock nut and the upper race (the threaded race)?

I've had this happen where the lock nut basically bottoms out -- feels tight to the wrench, but still wobbles.

I think i may actually need to tighten the threaded race...I have the opposite problem that you mentioned, and I need to remove the spacers to get enough purchase for the lock nut.

Dside - You're not the first to suggest BSR, but I have no car, so transportation is a bit of a pain, plus I'm hoping to do it myself and not have to give up and go to a shop.

[kidwoo]

So yeah.......the way to tighten a threaded headset is to do just what you said. Tighten the two pieces that look like nuts/wrench compatible pieces on the top.

Bottom one first. Top one to keep the bottom one tight. Try that.