Bicycle Mechanics - Talk me through a headset...

I'm going to go attempt a headset. I took it apart a long time ago thinking I knew what I was doing (Bad situation) and just went down and threw the fork + bars on.. again thinking I knew what I was doing.

So, can someone tell me how to do it right, preferably with pictures? ;) Worst comes to worst I'll just end up paying someone to do it so I might as well give it a shot. I realize Im supposed to use some bearing-pressing-thing-of-knowledge for this which I don't have but I'm sure I can come up with a way to get them in there..

http://www.parktool.com/repair/

Detailed instructions here...

http://www.parktool.com/repair/

Detailed instructions here...

+1

it's not rocket science... but you don't say what type of headset... unthreaded integrated is for Jiffy Lube types... threaded non-integrated requires a deft finger and good grease...

:-)

Threadless if I remember.

I'm going to go attempt a headset. I took it apart a long time ago thinking I knew what I was doing (Bad situation) and just went down and threw the fork + bars on.. again thinking I knew what I was doing.

So, can someone tell me how to do it right, preferably with pictures? ;) Worst comes to worst I'll just end up paying someone to do it so I might as well give it a shot. I realize Im supposed to use some bearing-pressing-thing-of-knowledge for this which I don't have but I'm sure I can come up with a way to get them in there..

Don't go and buy a headset press unless you do this all the time. You can make a pretty decent press with a piece of 3/4" all-thread, some big washers, some big nuts, and bushings if your concerned about scuffing up the races in the cups.

If you do a little Googling, you will get a bunch of sets of instructions, all nice and illustrated, that will be way better than anything we can do here. That's how I did my first.

With headsets the devil is in the details.

Assuming you have press in cups, the top and bottom cup may not be exactly the same. If you get them in wrong you'll know it because your fork won't turn smoothly. Bearings can have a top and bottom side too. The actual process of pressing in the cups is easier than the folklore suggests. Getting everything right-side-up might take you a couple of tries.

Don't go and buy a headset press unless you do this all the time. You can make a pretty decent press with a piece of 3/4" all-thread, some big washers, some big nuts, and bushings if your concerned about scuffing up the races in the cups.

I did this yesterday. It worked VERY well. Used a good bit of grease to make sure everyone played together nicely.

I forgot to get my PVC length for that. I'll stop back by the hardware store for that tonight.

:)

Oh, with regard to keeping everything bearings-wise in the proper position:

I keep all parts I'm not currently using in the proper alignment/position and properly separated from the parts for the other end of the HS.

Less confusement that way.

Annoyingly I still can't get it figured out..

What am I looking at to pay someone else to do it?

$20

Less :)

Took it in today. I had it put together really loosely, he just threw some grease in and tightened it up to no charge :) Picked up some other needed shiny goodies while I was there :)