Start PSA/
It's a good idea at the beginning of each ride to straddle the bike, lock the front brake and rock the bike a bit listening for noise from the headset. Any noise is a sign that the pre-load isn't right and should be attended to. Only takes 5 seconds to do the test and improper pre-load can affect handling and definitely puts additional stress on the steerer.
/End of PSA.

Your fork is safety critical.