Originally Posted by
turky lurkey
Yes it should have been obvious, but oh well, sometimes that's the way it goes, I would much rather ask a dumb question, or walk away from something i'm unsure about for awhile than destroy my headset or steerer tube. I actually made the mistake of turning a washer that had an anti-rotation tab once. I did that on a Schwinn Varsity, my first overhaul, it ended up going back together fine but that is why I am so cautious about it now, this bike is much nicer than a Varsity. As far as the photo note, thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
I'm not saying that it should have been obvious to you.
If you have seen these headsets before, they are immediately recognizable. They are a weird design and I was never sure why they were used. It's a belt, suspenders, duck tape, staples approach to headsets. The lock nut and the threaded cup are all that are necessary but, for some obscure reason, the middle ring was added. It's a dumb design.
The anti-rotation washers often turn on their own and get jammed in the threads. They are buggers to get off. Been there, done that.