I need to replace my Shimano 600 tricolor headset. It's all indexed and dimpled, sadly.

If I thought bottom brackets were incomprehensible (I'd rather read Heidegger on Dasein than Sheldon Brown on bottom brackets!), headsets are a close second.

So the "stack height" of the current headset is 33.5 mm. How close does the new headset's stack height need to be?


And if you don't mind, a second question: I'd love to find an NOS tricolor to replace this old one, but am having no luck finding one. Any suggestions on one that would look similar/appropriate? I know Velo Orange makes one, but I'm sour on VO stuff after a bad experience with a set of VO hubs...plus the stack heights are over 40mm and that makes me worry...)

There is latitude in headset stack height, but it's limited.

You can always go with a shorter headset and use spacers if you need to make up the difference. However, higher stack heights are a problem unless you have a source for negative space spacers (which are very pricey). You may have 1-2mm upside room, maybe a bit more, and the eay to know is to remove the top nut while leaving the rest alone. IMO you want at least 3mm (barest minimum) of thread engagement, so if, for example, there's 5mm now, you have a bit of cheat room. Likewise if the replacement headset stack height includes a spacer you can live without.

Unlike your assumption, headsets are much easier to substitute than BBs, so you should be able to approach his with a bit of confidence.

Thank you. That will be very helfpul. I'll investigate with confidence.

Low stack height headsets are a bit of a challenge. For situations like the one you describe, I usually opt for the Tange Levin CDS headset, which has a stack height of 33.3. It's not aluminum like the one you have but it is of excellent quality for the price and looks good.

Good luck.

If this will work it has a ten year guarentee.


https://www.chrisking.com/product/2nut/

I'm sure there are alternatives as others have mentioned. But fwiw, I have a VO threaded headset in use for a couple of years, and it was not expensive, looks good and works perfectly. I'm not a "lifetime" headset or BB guy so the inexpensive stuff has always met my needs

If your 600 tri-colour headset has caged bearings you can remove them and use loose ball bearings and that'll usually get rid of the indexing problem. Doing that can give you many more years of use out of the existing headset.

Cheers

Thanks everyone. Very helpful.

Miele Man--the pitting won't still be noticeable even if I add extra "uncaged" bearings?

The uncaged bearings are free to move in the race and may not line up with the fretting damage. The same thing can established by popping off the lower pressed race or crown race and rotating it slightly when re-installing it.

A further question on this (much delayed) repair: so I found an NOS shimano 600 hp-6400 to replace my original one. But the one I found has british threading (mine does not, I don't believe) and a crown race inner diameter that is 27 mm instead of 26.4 mm.

Can I assume this will not work with my fork? Or?

I don't know if the British threading will work.

If your current headset has caged bearings you can remove them and add loose balls instead. That'll often cure the indexing problem and give a lot of extended life to a headset.

Good luck and cheers