Do I need to replace this headset?
 

I'm overhauling a 1988 Trek 400T, and I'm wondering about some of the headset. The adjustable race and lower headtube race look fine, but the upper headtube and crown race have rough edges along the bearing groove which are a coppery colour, rather than a smooth steel groove. Photos aren't great but I think they show enough. It doesn't seem to be false brinelling.

Thanks!

https://imgur.com/a/ilzPk

There's not supposed to be a groove. The crown should just be one smooth continuous radius. Your bearings have worn through the chrome plating and into the steel race. Definitely a candidate for replacement. If it's smooth and you can still get everything to tighten up properly, then if you keep it lubed and you can probably continue riding it for years. But a new Tange headset is like $12 and some shops may be able to hook you up with just the crown race for even less, so I'd just replace it now so I don't have to do it later.

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.

Lower bearings support much more weight and wear much faster than upper bearings and races. Look more carefully at the races that appear to be worn. They might not be as bad as you think they are

Those photos look like normal wear to me. If it was a hub cone, I'd say it was just broken in and has a lot of wear left.

One of the problems with cheap parts is the races & cones should never have been chromed (or painted). The chrome wears quickly down to the base metal, changing the adjustment of the part and contaminating the grease.

If it was me, I'd lightly sand, or steel wool the race to get rid of the ragged edge of the chrome, then grease, and reassemble with new bearings if necessary. 400/600/1000 grit or so paper.

Watch out for pitting on cones. Or, probably more likely on headset races is washboarding (indexing).

A little friction on the headset is less of an issue than other bearings on the bike. I've got some pretty bad washboards on one bike, and just don't notice it. Someone suggested in that case to remove the bearing retainer and add one extra bearing, but I haven't done it yet.

REPLACE it... it's already through the hard-chrome, and will just get worse... when chrome is applied, the metal is first plated with copper, then chromed/polished.... and it's evident in the pics that the chromeis gone from the bearing surface of the top race... REPLACE it.

One thing to keep in mind is that riding a damaged headset won't damage anything as long as you keep your eye on it and maintain the tension. Don't drop a bearing between the steer tube and head tube.