1.5 headset-advice/help needed

[marciero]

When tightened enough to eliminate play, it binds. In order to have it not bind, it is loose enough to feel top of steer tube rattling around -when rocking the bike you can see (and feel with your fingers) movement, with respect to the head tube, of the conical piece that is the top part of the headset before the spacer (visible in the smaller photo).

This is a Tange Seiki headset and is 1.5 inch straight fork. The owner's manual says "Campy style bearings: 41.8mm OD w/ 45° chamfers".
As you can see, it's an integrated headset with the bearings apparently pressed into the head tube. The top and bottom bearings turn smoothly.

My guess is that the split washer you can see in one of the photos compresses to take up the play between steer tube and bearing. One of the nylon washers shown seems to fit into the bottom of the conical piece. It snaps into place so I am pretty sure I have it in correctly. (Didnt get a photo of that). I can't figure the other one out. Maybe it goes on the bottom. (Of course, all the parts scattered on the floor when I took it apart.) I am pretty sure that the conical piece is bottoming out on the head tube. I tried both nylon pieces on top, and even tried a spacer directly above the split washer. (I think that idea would work but maybe the spacer is too thick...) That the other nylon piece came apart in pieces gives one the sense that it is no longer doing what it is supposed to do, so maybe that is the problem??

Any help appreciated.

[marciero]

In fact, the spacer trick did work. Not a permanent fix of course, but confirms the bottoming-out theory.

[Hindmost]

Similar headsets, in smaller sizes, come with a set of thin shim washers that fit on top of the split, conical ring. You put in enough of the shim washers to eliminate binding during installation.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Similar headsets, in smaller sizes, come with a set of thin shim washers that fit on top of the split, conical ring. You put in enough of the shim washers to eliminate binding during installation.

Maybe I could make these out of a sheet of mylar.

I never noticed this adjustment issue before. But then this frame was replaced under warranty and built up by the dealer right before winter.

[ultraman6970]

You can buy headset thin spacers.