Frozen headset bottom cup

[bikemedic]

I have a 97 Gary Fisher HKEK on which I want to replace the headset. It is the original threadless headset, I was able to remove the top cup no problem with the Park remover tool but the bottom cup seems to be frozen. It is a steel headset and CroMoly frame and I suspect some rust. I have tried Liquid Wrench, heating with a torch (short of damaging the paint) and bracing the downtube with a notched 2X4 while I hammer away at the remover tool. Any ideas? I know I could use a Dremel Tool as last resort but would like to see if there is something I havent tried yet. Thanks

[jimc101]

LBS?

If you are using a specific tool for this, normally, if you hit it hard enough it will come out (bonus points if you catch it when it does fly out)

[BikeWise1]

What "remover tool" are you using? In 30 years I've never had a cup that didn't yield to one of these:

[bikemedic]

Thats the tool I have and I started to "mushroom" the head with the hammer. I've been hitting it pretty hard. Maybe I need to hit it harder?

[FBinNY]

It isn't necessarily a matter of hitting it harder, but of ensuring all the energy goes to the cup. Frames are light and flexible and so tend to move with the blow, dissipating the energy. Dollying it with a 2x4 under the down tube was a step in the right direction, but unless the 2x4 were also properly braced might not have been enough.

I'd re-brace it as well as possible and try again. If that fails, try reversing the strategy. Place the remover into the headtube and use an improvised rubber band, tape or food wrap to hold it firmly in place against the cup. Then invert the frame, and swing it in a big ark, like an ax driving the business end of the tool into something hard and heavy like an anvil, or tree stump.

Note you might want to wrap the tool with a few turns of tape, or an old inner tube, above the headtube to serve as a bumper protecting the head tube from follow through.

[ultraman6970]

Wonder if the headtube has a notch or something inside and you are heating that instead of the cup?? have you look inside?

[billnuke1]

It isn't necessarily a matter of hitting it harder, but of ensuring all the energy goes to the cup. Frames are light and flexible and so tend to move with the blow, dissipating the energy. Dollying it with a 2x4 under the down tube was a step in the right direction, but unless the 2x4 were also properly braced might not have been enough.

I'd re-brace it as well as possible and try again. If that fails, try reversing the strategy. Place the remover into the headtube and use an improvised rubber band, tape or food wrap to hold it firmly in place against the cup. Then invert the frame, and swing it in a big ark, like an ax driving the business end of the tool into something hard and heavy like an anvil, or tree stump.

Note you might want to wrap the tool with a few turns of tape, or an old inner tube, above the headtube to serve as a bumper protecting the head tube from follow through.

If you could catch this on video that would be cool, too! You are going to be generating a lot of power swinging the frame as opposed to hitting the frame with a hammer! Watch your overhead, too!

[bikemedic]

I feel foolish, there was a lip inside the head tube that was about 1/8" above the top of the headset cup. The tool was hitting that. Once I had the tool against the cup (instead of the lip) It came out with 2 taps. Ughh. Now I have to file the head of the tool to clean it up. Thanks so much for your time guys!

[Dan Burkhart]

I feel foolish, there was a lip inside the head tube that was about 1/8" above the top of the headset cup. The tool was hitting that. Once I had the tool against the cup (instead of the lip) It came out with 2 taps. Ughh. Now I have to file the head of the tool to clean it up. Thanks so much for your time guys!

Don't beat up on yourself too hard. I'm sure we've all had those "doh" moments. I know I have.