1" HT headset bearing questions.

[tuxbailey]

I am servicing my commuter's headset and found that all the grease inside the headset are all dried up (~10 yrs.) The bearings are not cracked but they don't look that round to me.

When buying a new retainer with bearings, do I just buy one with the same number of ball bearings?

How about the bottom one with the cone shape retainer and mini cylindrical bearings, do those need to be replaced as well?

Thanks in advance.

[Louis]

When buying a new retainer with bearings, do I just buy one with the same number of ball bearings?

Toss the old bearings + cage and replace by free bearings of the same size. You ought to be able to use at least one or two more bearings than before. Use the grease to hold the bearings in place and it will all go together with no problems.

[tuxbailey]

Toss the old bearings + cage and replace by free bearings of the same size. You ought to be able to use at least one or two more bearings than before. Use the grease to hold the bearings in place and it will all go together with no problems.


Okay. I will try that. Gotta figure out the size of the bearings now :)

[bfd]

Okay. I will try that. Gotta figure out the size of the bearings now :)

You don't say what type of headset you have, so I recommend you take one of the bearings into your local bike shop and have them measure it. Get some Grade 25 bearings, it should be around $0.05 to $0.10 EACH, at least that is what my LBS charges, and you will probably need 20 or 22, get a couple of extras if you're going to remove the cage too. Good Luck!

[tuxbailey]

You don't say what type of headset you have, so I recommend you take one of the bearings into your local bike shop and have them measure it. Get some Grade 25 bearings, it should be around $0.05 to $0.10 EACH, at least that is what my LBS charges, and you will probably need 20 or 22, get a couple of extras if you're going to remove the cage too. Good Luck!

Thanks. I am planing to do that.

[salem]

The "toss the cage" method is also a good trick for salvaging an indexing pitted headset. With the extra ball in there, the pits no longer line up with all the balls at once, so you get a little more life out of it.

[mpetry]

the other thing you can do if you've got it apart is remove the lower cup and fork crown race, turn each 90 degrees in opposite directions, reinstall with that orientation, and bingo you've got an almost new headset.

Mark Petry
Banbridge Island, WA

[salem]

the other thing you can do if you've got it apart is remove the lower cup and fork crown race, turn each 90 degrees in opposite directions, reinstall with that orientation, and bingo you've got an almost new headset.

Mark Petry
Banbridge Island, WA
I'm trying to figure this one out--it seems like all you'd have done is rotate the series of pits that go all the way around the races, but the spacing of the pits and balls would still be the same. Is just getting the upper and lower pits out of phase enough? I would have guessed that would still be a little notchy.

[Kontact]

I'm trying to figure this one out--it seems like all you'd have done is rotate the series of pits that go all the way around the races, but the spacing of the pits and balls would still be the same. Is just getting the upper and lower pits out of phase enough? I would have guessed that would still be a little notchy.
This trick works mainly because the pitting tends to be in the front and rear of the race, rather than all the way around, since the fork tends to flex in the plane of the bike more than side to side.

[oldpotatoe]

I am servicing my commuter's headset and found that all the grease inside the headset are all dried up (~10 yrs.) The bearings are not cracked but they don't look that round to me.

When buying a new retainer with bearings, do I just buy one with the same number of ball bearings?

How about the bottom one with the cone shape retainer and mini cylindrical bearings, do those need to be replaced as well?

Thanks in advance.

Bottom bearings sound like roller, not ball, ala Stronglight...not gonna find those bearings easily.

[tuxbailey]

Bottom bearings sound like roller, not ball, ala Stronglight...not gonna find those bearings easily.

They seem to be in decent shape so I will just leave them be. The top cup is kind of scorched so I might need to get a new one. Lets see what the LBS says.

[tuxbailey]

Took the cup, and bearing cage to LBS and it turns out that the upper cup is too damaged to be any good; result for not maintaining the headset after 10 years :(

LBS can install a new headset for $35 of labor but is might be an opportunity to acquire new tool and skill. Is changing replacing headset a tough job?

Other than a headset puller, do I need other tools?

Any recommendation of 1" threaded headset? Nothing looking for anything fancy since it is for a commuter.

[Louis]

Other than a headset puller, do I need other tools?

Any recommendation of 1" threaded headset?


1) Headset press. You can do it without one, but a home-made version costs just a few bucks (threaded rod, some nuts and big washers - Google "homemade headset press" for more info).

2) I'd say Shimano 105 (edit: if still available in 1" threaded) or Tange. AEBike.com has a huge selection of headsets.

Have fun.

[buldogge]

Tange Levin is definitely the best buy in 1" threaded headsets....can't be beat for $20.

I like the Stronglight A9 roller bearing sets as well, when you can find them...

-Mark in St. Louis

[tuxbailey]

Tange Levin is definitely the best buy in 1" threaded headsets....can't be beat for $20.

I like the Stronglight A9 roller bearing sets as well, when you can find them...

-Mark in St. Louis

You mean, bearings don't come with the purchase of headsets?

I wish I had known this earlier, I just bought a bunch of stuff from aebikes.

[Louis]

You mean, bearings don't come with the purchase of headsets?

I wish I had known this earlier, I just bought a bunch of stuff from aebikes.

Yes they do. I think Mark means if you can find the Stronglight headset.

Edit: To clarify, when you order a headset you get everything you need related to the headset itself. However, for spacers and stuff like that, you're on your own.

[tuxbailey]

1) Headset press. You can do it without one, but a home-made version costs just a few bucks (threaded rod, some nuts and big washers - Google "homemade headset press" for more info).

2) I'd say Shimano 105 (edit: if still available in 1" threaded) or Tange. AEBike.com has a huge selection of headsets.

Have fun.


I am definitely going with home made tools after seeing how expensive the "real" tools are. They are worth more than the bike itself!

[rice rocket]

Also, before you install the cups, throw 'em in the freezer. It'll often make a light press fit into a slip fit (or a hard press fit into a light one).

[tuxbailey]

Also, before you install the cups, throw 'em in the freezer. It'll often make a light press fit into a slip fit (or a hard press fit into a light one).

Thanks. Makes sense. I need to get the top and bottom races off, plus the crown race.

[tuxbailey]

26.4 vs 27.0

When looking at the headset, they have 26.4 and 27.0 for the same headset. Can someone tell what measurement I should look for that is so I can order the right part.

Thanks in advance.

[Louis]

I believe that that's the OD of the crown race seat on the steerer tube (and therefore the ID of the crown race). Since it's an interference fit one of the two might be slightly different from that, but that's the standard dimension that needs to match for the crown race to fit properly. I believe that one of the two is much more common than the other, but I'm not sure which is which. Perhaps a "real" bike mechanic can help with that.

Do you have calipers which you could use to measure your steerer tube and your crown race? If not, the plastic ones are not very expensive.

[tuxbailey]

I believe that that's the OD of the crown race seat on the steerer tube (and therefore the ID of the crown race). Since it's an interference fit one of the two might be slightly different from that, but that's the standard dimension that needs to match for the crown race to fit properly. I believe that one of the two is much more common than the other, but I'm not sure which is which. Perhaps a "real" bike mechanic can help with that.

Do you have calipers which you could use to measure your steerer tube and your crown race? If not, the plastic ones are not very expensive.

According to Sheldon Brown's website, the 26.4mm one is the standard while the 27.0 mm one are for 1" Italian or older Asian bike. I think 26.4 is safe to go so I ordered that. The headset is not expensive and my original order has not shipped yet so they can add it into the same box without additional shipping (free shipping with the original order.)

The quest of making the rain bike fits better turned into a project and learning experience.

[Louis]

According to Sheldon Brown's website...

Ah yes, Sheldon knows (knew) all.

Between his site, the Park Tool site, and this forum there isn't much you can't figure out.

[buldogge]

^^^ Yeah, you already got the answer...but...ISO and JIS...JIS is pretty uncommon except for older Japanese produced bikes. Worst case, the crown can be ground down.

BTW, there is a new production Stronglight A9, but the are not roller bearing.

VO also has a roller bearing headset FWIW.

-Mark