Originally Posted by
HillRider
Indeed, it is a painful image.
However all of the headsets I've ever worked with that used individual bearing balls in retainers came OEM with retainers both top and bottom. I never came across one factory supplied with a retainer on top and loose balls (sound better?) in the bottom race.
I did replaced the lower retainer with loose balls during overhauls to share the load better and a couple of times to get another season out of a "brinelled" crown race.
Look at the OP's pictures- it's a 35 year old Peugeot. IIRC (admittedly, the
memories are 25 years old) that headset came with a retainer on top, loose on bottom. Come to think of it, that's how I spent my teenage years, too.