MajorA

I've got one (picture lifted from eBay attached for demonstrative purposes ...) mounted on my Italvega singlespeed conversion, and suspect I may have another on the way on a just-purchased frame. I've gathered that they were part of both the Shimano 600 and Dura Ace product lines in the early eighties. here are the questions:

1) What were the years of manufacture; and

2) Do you need both of the special wrenches to tighten this headset correctly without damaging the top cup and the locknut? I have one of the special wrenches (second photo below ...) and it **seems** like I can get a good, tight adjustment by gripping the cup tightly with my hand, and tightening the locknut with the single wrench ... but if I'm wrong on that one, I'm going to find out at a really inopportune time, I'm sure.

Anybody?

astrodaimler

You need 2 of those wrenches. I remember when these came out...mid 80's I think. Memory fuzzy but mid 80's for sure. I think loosescrews still has wrenches.

nick burns

Yes, you will ruin the headset if you don't use the proper wrenches.

MajorA

Maybe I phrased it poorly ... I have one of the special wrenches, and my tightening technique has been to hold the cup in place with my left hand (squeezing like hell ...) and using the wrench to tighten the locknut against the thus-immobilized cup. Is this a rotten idea?

And LooseScrews doesn't have the wrench, but they do have these headsets, NOS, for $36, with a tip for using a conventional headset wrench really, really, carefully.

astrodaimler

Oh man, loosescrews don't have.
"really, really, carefully". I actually wrote something similar on my first post. I used a regular on the bottom and the tool on top when they came out and worked on them. But then I deleted it that part of the post. Didn't want to seem I was a shop hack but sometimes, that's what we did.

If you *can" grip with the hand, go for it. You'll just have to do it a few times. Tighten, test, loosen, tighten. You know what I mean.

cyclotoine

man this is bogus. You do not need the special wrenched. A 32 mm headset wrench works fine. I have had 3 of these headsets and and used a headset wrench and an adjustable on the locknut to tighten and loosen and have never had any problems or ruined one.

nick burns

Eh, maybe it's just me, but my girlfriend had one of these headsets back in the 80's and I could never get a good grip on the cup or locknut with a 32. It always wanted to tear into those rounded edges. I bought two of the special wrenches and all was well. Of course, they were easy to come by back then.

vpiuva

+1 I'm with him

coelcanth

usually if the headset has a washer between the lock nut and the threaded race you can adjust it with only one wrench.. it might take a while to get it just right though

cudak888 

^
+1

-Kurt

Dr.Deltron

Flat 32mm wrenches can be used on the Shi*mano 600 headsets.
Mavic SSC headsets, on the other hand, require the 2 special wrenches.
And NOT the Shi*mano wrenches either!

Now, somebody tell me where to get a cup remover tool for a Thun BB!
I think it's Dutch, if that helps.

repechage

The EX headsets were avail. in 1979, both Dura-Ace and 600. With the group that brought you Dyna Drive crank/pedals and the Freehub integrated hub and freewheel.

intron

there is a set on ebay:

https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Vintage-Shim...QQcmdZViewItem

moki

Holding the cup with lockring pliers and a rag may work, but they're pricey and otherwise useless unless you ride a fixed gear, in which case they're invaluable.