elf 232

I've tightened the star nut bolt after every ride and after every ride its loose again and like 20 minutes into the ride the headset begins making a creaking and clicking sound. Maybe my headset spacers wearing? I recently tried out a friends new trek and comparatively (not even counting the creaking and clicking) the headset felt so much more rigid and firm. Whats the deal? Have the headset cups maybe began to wear or ovalize?

JiveTurkey

The top cap bolt is for adjusting the headset's preload (tight enough so there isn't any play in the headset when rocking the bike back and forth with the front brake on, but loose enough so the steerer tube can rotate freely) WHILE the stem bolts are loose.

Once you've set the preload, you tighten the stem bolts. These bolts keep the headset tight. In fact, you could take the top cap off after tightening the stem bolts.

scrublover

if you've been tightening the top bolt without loosening the stem bolts first, you're just slowly pulling the starnut out of the steer tube.

if that's the case, you'll likely need a new starnut put in at a lower depth than the first and a longer bolt. after pulling the first one out, of course.

make sure there is enough gap between the top of your steer tube and the stem top with the headset top cap. ~3mm is good. if not, things can bottom out and no matter how much you tighten the top bolt you won't get your headset tight.

boyvirgil

yes.

this was a the problem with mine only weeks ago.
*lived
*learned

fosmith

sounds like the bearing failed. i've had that happen a couple of times. what kind of headset is it? cane creek?

Cheeto

Mine is doing that also, I just loosend everything up, and checked that everything was in place properly, and then I re-tightened everything and its fixed.

You dont have to take the old star nut out, you can actually just pound it farther down, and then just stick the new one in on top of it.
Or if you want it out, you can drill out the center of the nut, and it SHOULD fall apart in pieces.

elf 232

I know how to tighten the steerer bolt, and the how the tension on a star nut works.

My question was more directed at which part of the headset is failing?

I will probably replace the bearings just for kicks before i do anything major like get the headset cups replaced.

Im using the Cane Creek "aheadset", theres no *apparently* major ware on the cups but im thinking, is it just loose because of a very small amout of play between the bearings and the headset cup?

xcracer13

There is a compression washer of some sort in the assembly of the Headset if that's missing or not in the right place it will tighten and loosen up in a short amount of time.

elf 232

IS THAT WHAT THAT THING IS FOR?!111!!!??

haha, Il just take it to a LBS and have them look at it. I built it from pieces of an old set so I very well might be missing something in the build, it is such a big problem that i can imagine that it is anything but an obvious issue.

scrublover

You and Cheeto should open a shop.

mtnbiker66

Brokeback Cycles

apclassic9

brokeHead Cycles