Originally Posted by
Jordanmilo
I'm stripping a vintage Pinarello frame and swapping the components to a vintage Paco Columbus TSX frame, but I have to replace the Campagnolo headset because the bearing races are pitted.
The Paco has a stack height of 50mm; that is, the steering tube is 160mm, and the head tube is 110mm. And there is only 1 inch of thread on the steering tube.
So 50mm is the absolute tallest headset I can use, correct? I've been thinking about Velo-Orange's sealed bearing headset, which is 41mm (I guess I'm not allowed to post a link, since I'm a newbie, but it's on Velo-Orange's website). Can I assume because the threading on the steering tube is so short that I'll need some spacers as well?
One safe approach is to match the dimensions of the Campagnolo you removed. The overall stack should be matched and because of the short threaded section, the stack heights of the two lower bearing sets should be matched.
Another safe approach is to obtain another Campy headset with the same dimensions as yours, or to find replacements for the worn parts.
If its a vintage steel Campagnolo Record (the Super Record had alloy pressed cups), the Tange Prestige and its parts from those days was a common replacement. Even back then the new price of the Campy Record parts was kind of prohibitive.