Tips for installing Chris King Griplock

yashcha · #1 08-26-2014, 12:10 AM

I recently took apart my bike for travel, and now I am having a lot of trouble installing the chris king griplock. My problem is that when the griplock mechanism is fully assembled, I can not get the O-ring to fit over the end of the steerer tube. I even beveled and greased the end of the stereer tube so that the griplock can slide on, but still no luck. If I just disassemble the grip lock system and install it on the steerer tube a piece at a time, it is no problem, but Chris King has advised me that the griplock system must be fully assembled before installing onto the steerer tube.

Any of you guys have any tricks to getting this thing on? Or maybe disassembling the griplock and installing it piece by piece is good enough?

Thank you for your help.

Yash.

jtakeda · #2 08-26-2014, 12:21 AM

I've been taught to tighten the bottom and top nuts. Then back the bottom nut off to tighten against the top.

In other words: over tighten, then untighten to lock the nuts together.

I'm not a pro mechanic, but that's what I was taught by my buddy who worked in a shop

Edit: I wasn't thinkin. ^ this is for 2nut

Dead Man · #3 08-26-2014, 12:41 AM

I've also experienced the PITA that is a squished/worn o-ring... usually I've just been able to press the top of the steerer lightly against it, and just take my thumb nail and trace the o-ring back into it's channel, and the steerer slips up past it once it's all back up in there. If yours is as bad as it sounds, might be time for a new o-ring

yashcha · #4 08-26-2014, 01:09 AM

It really is a PITA. Time to buy a new o ring.

tigoat · #5 08-26-2014, 05:23 AM

It would be a lot easier to install each piece individually onto the steerer tube. The top cap assembly will just fall together once tightened. Just try to do it this way and then take it apart to prove that the top cap assembly will come together just like it would be installed as a sub-assembly. Not sure about CK's advice...

AJosiahK · #6 08-26-2014, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigoat

It would be a lot easier to install each piece individually onto the steerer tube. The top cap assembly will just fall together once tightened. Just try to do it this way and then take it apart to prove that the top cap assembly will come together just like it would be installed as a sub-assembly. Not sure about CK's advice...

+1

I think this is what CK intended

Jad · #7 09-14-2017, 09:16 PM

Yashcha (or others), I came across this while searching for how to deal with getting a Griplock assembly over the steerer.

Initially, I had some play in the headset and found a flattened, torn O-ring in my (used/new to me) King headset. I ordered a new O-ring and had the same experience outlined in the original post--ended up shearing the new ring on the top of the steerer.

Did adding each piece separately work well for anyone who's done it?

yashcha · #8 09-14-2017, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jad

Yashcha (or others), I came across this while searching for how to deal with getting a Griplock assembly over the steerer.

Initially, I had some play in the headset and found a flattened, torn O-ring in my (used/new to me) King headset. I ordered a new O-ring and had the same experience outlined in the original post--ended up shearing the new ring on the top of the steerer.

Did adding each piece separately work well for anyone who's done it?

I had to add the upper headset assembly piece by piece. Otherwise, there was no way for me to assemble the headset in the way described in the manual. It seemed to ride without any issues for about a year. Since then, I have gone with the Canecreek 110 headset which is also a beautiful, made in the U.S. product.

Jad · #9 09-15-2017, 04:23 PM

Thanks for following up. I got the new O-ring and put each piece on one after the other, then tightened down. I don't think the ring is seated, but I can't see any other way of getting the assembly on and together. Everything seems to turn well and freely...

metrotuned · #10 09-25-2017, 05:43 PM

Try installing a Jones/ Black Sheep truss fork through TWO griplocks from TWO directions, then tell me your story woes again.

I called King this morning and tech was helpful in that you can install one piece at a time if that helps. The key so far is uncompressing the cap itself (the 4 pcs fit together) and inserting steerer aligned center on center slowly and surely.

Thus a truss fork causes problems because there is a clamp you're trying to slide the cap under and it automatically compresses. Think the tally is 4 hours between two days, but finally got it! Patience...return to it after you're frustrated, hydrate rest and you'll get it.