Bicycle Mechanics - Chris King headset installation

Is it imperative to use Chris King pressing dies when installing one of their threaded headsets? My lbs does not have them.

How important is reaming the steering tube? If one uses commonsense and does not manhandle them in would it be okay?

Thanks

Should be fine. I used a homeade press when I installed mine on my mtb about five years ago. Large bolt, two large washers, and a large nut. I might have taken some steel wool and smoothed the inside of the headtube a little after I removed the old headset, I don't remember. I've never done a thing to it since, no re-adjustment, no servicing the bearings, nada, and it's still as smooth as silk. Yes, I know I'm well past the recommended servicing interval........I don't know if your bike is a road bike or a mountain bike, but I've used Aheadsets, Cane Creeks, to name a couple of the more popular cartridge bearing headsets I've had on mountain bikes, and in my opinion, CK's are well worth the money, at least for mtb's. I ride hard when I mountain bike, and every headset I've used before the CK required adjustment more often than I like.

Is it imperative to use Chris King pressing dies when installing one of their threaded headsets? My lbs does not have them.

How important is reaming the steering tube? If one uses commonsense and does not manhandle them in would it be okay?

Thanks

The main issue with using the King presses is that they press on the outside of the headset instead of the bearings. Using large fender washers should work but it's easy to get the headset started crooked with them. That would be bad.:eek:

Picture deleted by moderator. pointless.

I've installed a ton of Chris King headsets and I've always just used the Park Tool headset press without any dies attached. The flats of the press push the cups into place without putting any pressure on the bearings, which is just what the special dies do.

pressing the race on the fork needs a special tool too, I think it was Park we used couple weeks ago

pressing the race on the fork needs a special tool too, I think it was Park we used couple weeks ago

PVC pipe works, too. :)

I've installed a ton of Chris King headsets and I've always just used the Park Tool headset press without any dies attached. The flats of the press push the cups into place without putting any pressure on the bearings, which is just what the special dies do.

This should work also. The Chris King dies do have a centering ring that help keep the cups from going in crooked but if you are careful, especially if you are new to working on bikes, using a Park press without the dies should work.