Uneven gap in Chris King Headset [Archive]

Tony T

01-15-2013, 07:23 PM

Was the head tube faced? It is possible that the cup/head tube is not square with the steerer tube.

Thanks. My thoughts also. Supposedly faced. Chris King says that unfaced stem (http://chrisking.com/node/37) could also be the problem, but I tried another stem and it didn't help
Headset seems ok otherwise (i.e. no play in headset). I would think that there would be no ill effects (short of burning out the top headset bearing), but interested in opinions.

.

jds108

01-15-2013, 07:39 PM

Spin the existing stem around 180 degrees and see if the gap follows - easy way to rule out the stem (in case your second stem had the same issue as the first, although that seems like a 1% or less issue)

Otherwise of course it's the head tube.

bart998

01-15-2013, 10:57 PM

Probably headtube... but make sure the fork race is seated properly and the steerer tube is straight.

chismog

01-16-2013, 01:29 AM

I had this problem and it was the stem, a Ritchey WCS 4 axis. Since you've already tried another stem I'm gonna put my money on the head tube facing. But double check that the cups are pressed fully before you pull it all apart for refacing. The suggestion for the crown race is also worth looking at.

I do think it would shorten the life of the headset to ride it like that for an extended time period. Who knows by how much, but.. this should be pretty easy to get right, so why not do it.

dan682

01-16-2013, 07:43 AM

I'm having this same issue on a frame I recently built up. Let us know what you find out.

oldpotatoe

01-16-2013, 07:44 AM

I have a smaller gap in the front than the rear of a Chris King headset.
Is this ok:

Canti brakes with a above the HS cable stop? Or road Calipers?

As has been mentioned, could be the stem also.

cfox

01-16-2013, 07:48 AM

it's never going to be perfect, but that gap is a little much.

step one: take out your fork and pound down on the crown race (you can use a piece of pvc if you don't have a crown race setter)

step two: measure the faces of the stem bore; if they are not square you will get a gap like that.

if still there? step three is to pull the headset and gave the headtube faced

phcollard

01-16-2013, 07:50 AM

Same thing on my Colorado Ti.

I was a bit worried. Now I don't even think about it. Seems to work fine, and has been working fine for the last 15 years or so.

cachagua

01-16-2013, 01:19 PM

Seems to work fine, and has been working fine for the last 15 years or so...

If you've ridden it enough to bed everything in, and if it spins with no play and no binding, then I'd say inspect the adjuster barrel for your front derailleur cable very, VERY carefully for signs of wear where the cable exits.

If a magnifying glass reveals any galling or abrasion -- even a microscope, if you can get hold of one -- then you have something to substitute as a worry... ;)

Bob Ross

01-16-2013, 01:30 PM

I have a smaller gap in the front than the rear of a Chris King headset.
Is this ok:

I hope so, because my CK looks like that maybe every 2nd or 3rd time I reinstall the stem (which happens semi-regularly since it's a coupled bike).

MadRocketSci

01-16-2013, 03:02 PM

i had that with a ritchey wcs stem, went away with a thomson x2...those are cnc machined flat.

keep in mind that the thomson x2 has a 36mm stack height, so you'd have to shorten your fork steerer. if it is the ritchey stem you could probably find a shop to face it for you.

Tony T

03-01-2013, 06:16 PM

Well, finally got around to facing the head tube, and the gap is about the same as in the picture I posted (slightly changed gap, but not by much). Gap stays at the front when the fork is rotated, so that should rule out the fork and race (right?). I've also done the pre-load with only a stack of spacers in order to rule out an out of face stem.

I'm not really concerned at this point as it turns cleanly, no binding, but....
What could be causing the gap? What am I missing?

jds108

03-01-2013, 06:46 PM

Tony T

03-01-2013, 06:56 PM

Did you keep frame/fork/hs still and rotate the stem? I found a problem with a Control Tech stem 15 years ago that way.

Do this process one piece at a time, and try rotating headset spacers, as something isn't quite right (but I don't think this gap is actually a problem, but I would be doing the same thing of finding and fixing the root cause.)

Yeah, I tried that, tried a different stem, and then with only spacers, so I've ruled out the stem as the problem.
Agreed, I don't think this gap is a problem, as the bearing cap is not rubbing on the bearing, but now it's bugging me that I can't find the cause :)

jds108

03-01-2013, 07:54 PM

I don't think anybody has mentioned this - so there is one other thing you can try: call Chris King and get their GripLock bearing cap. They started making these once the CaneCreek/Dia Compe patent expired. It's a proper split compression ring assembly that sits above the upper bearing. This assembly should align better than King's old style of a rubber o ring.

I'm just not sure if it will fix your situation, but it is fundamentally better.

Tony T

03-01-2013, 08:05 PM

Thanks, but I have the new headset w/griplock

Tony T

03-16-2013, 05:46 PM

Just to wrap-up this thread, I installed a Cane Creek 110 -- Same small gap.
Headtube reamed & faced, so I don't know what's causing it.
Gap is very small, no binding and very smooth, so time for me to focus on riding :)
CC 110 is a very nice headset, but I re-installed the CK.

holliscx

03-17-2013, 02:03 AM

I had the same problem and after ruling out fork, stem, and spacers I sent my frame back where it was found the HT wasn't faced properly.

Tony T

03-17-2013, 07:30 AM

I had the same problem and after ruling out fork, stem, and spacers I sent my frame back where it was found the HT wasn't faced properly.

Mine is now faced properly.
Got better after I reamed & faced, but still a very small uneven gap, however, it's better than before.
No binding and very smooth, so as I said, time for me to focus on riding :)

cfox

03-17-2013, 02:17 PM

Mine is now faced properly.
Got better after I reamed & faced, but still a very small uneven gap, however, it's better than before.
No binding and very smooth, so as I said, time for me to focus on riding :)

second pic looks good to go! about as close as I've seen

Tony T

03-17-2013, 03:17 PM

second pic looks good to go! about as close as I've seen

Thanks. It was a good leaning experience for me. I was surprised that the HT needed facing as it was already done by the frame builder (I noted the facing/reaming marks when I removed the headset), but it did need to have some material taken off to get the surfaces parallel. I used the Park HTR-1B. After use, I just sold it as used on ebay. The net cost to me was maybe double what it would have been if I had a LBS do the work, but I got more out of it by doing the work myself.