Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 19,351
Likes: 5,467
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
The headset is vastly underrated as an important bearing on a bike by most. Perhaps (after pedals) the least maintained bearing on a bike.
Since a replacement is so low cost I also suggest doing so.
A story- When I me my second wife I (naturally) offered to overhaul her 9 year old Specialized Allez. I do so and when she test rode it after she was barely able to control the bike. She described the bike as being drunk. I told her that before I took the headset apart I had found it's adjustment to be VERY tight (and was surprised that it hadn't brinelled). Of course I adjusted the headset to freely rotate with no slop. She had never ridden the bike with a freely moving headset... Andy.