Headset installation
10-31-21, 06:54 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Headset installation
Hi, this is my first try at installing a sealed-bearing headset. Model is FSA Orbit MX 1-1/8 threadless.
when I dry fit the bottom part, there is a gap at the top of the fork race, maybe a couple mm, but it doesn’t look right.
if I take out the little metal collar, the gap tightens a bit but the action isn’t as smooth. So that doesn’t seem right either.
Any thoughts?
when I dry fit the bottom part, there is a gap at the top of the fork race, maybe a couple mm, but it doesn’t look right.
if I take out the little metal collar, the gap tightens a bit but the action isn’t as smooth. So that doesn’t seem right either.
Any thoughts?
Last edited by sortieavelo; 10-31-21 at 08:21 AM.
10-31-21, 07:15 AM
#2
Full Member
Take what I say with caution -- I just installed my first headset a couple days ago.
And the first thing I learned about picking parts is that there are (of course!) two standards for the diameter of the collar that the crown race is pressed on -- 26.4 mm and 27.0 mm. Because that's how we do in the bicycle wold (*).
Grab a caliper and measure. On my 87 Cannondale steel fork, the collar measured to 26.44 or 26.45 mm -- IOW about 50 microns larger than advertised -- which is probably what is required to make the press fit work.
The origin8 headset I bought happily came with two crown races, one for each standard. The 27.0 rattled more than I would have guessed when slipped on the collar, and the 26.4 "wanted" to go on but was never going to go with just hand strength. There was no confusing the two. Maybe your fork is a 27 the race a 26.4?
I would agree with you that it doesn't look right.
Good luck!
cheers -mathias
(*) Take for instance, older handlebar clamp diameters, which are 25.4 and 26.0 mm. At least you know there's no engineering reason behind the sizes when they're so close. This kinda stuff drives me nuts.
And the first thing I learned about picking parts is that there are (of course!) two standards for the diameter of the collar that the crown race is pressed on -- 26.4 mm and 27.0 mm. Because that's how we do in the bicycle wold (*).
Grab a caliper and measure. On my 87 Cannondale steel fork, the collar measured to 26.44 or 26.45 mm -- IOW about 50 microns larger than advertised -- which is probably what is required to make the press fit work.
The origin8 headset I bought happily came with two crown races, one for each standard. The 27.0 rattled more than I would have guessed when slipped on the collar, and the 26.4 "wanted" to go on but was never going to go with just hand strength. There was no confusing the two. Maybe your fork is a 27 the race a 26.4?
I would agree with you that it doesn't look right.
Good luck!
cheers -mathias
(*) Take for instance, older handlebar clamp diameters, which are 25.4 and 26.0 mm. At least you know there's no engineering reason behind the sizes when they're so close. This kinda stuff drives me nuts.
10-31-21, 08:16 AM
#3
Senior Member
10-31-21, 08:39 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,542
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1966 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 981 Times
in
677 Posts
Originally Posted by steine13
And the first thing I learned about picking parts is that there are (of course!) two standards for the diameter of the collar that the crown race is pressed on -- 26.4 mm and 27.0 mm. Because that's how we do in the bicycle world.
Also, the crown race (or base plate in the case of a cartridge bearing headset) is usually a firm drive fit and will not seat fully without some force. There are specific tools, basically slide hammers, used to drive them fully into place. A few models of headsets come with split crown races/base plates that can be fully seated by hand. Velo Orange's Gran Cru headset is one that does. Most others require tools.
10-31-21, 09:39 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1954 Post(s)
Liked 2,925 Times
in
1,488 Posts
From your photos it looks like you're trying to install the new crown race over an old one.
10-31-21, 09:44 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 5,444
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1592 Post(s)
Liked 1,325 Times
in
777 Posts
Originally Posted by cxwrench
From your photos it looks like you're trying to install the new crown race over an old one.
10-31-21, 10:01 AM
#7
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 26,069
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5405 Post(s)
Liked 2,996 Times
in
1,760 Posts
Originally Posted by sortieavelo
Hi, this is my first try at installing a sealed-bearing headset. Model is FSA Orbit MX 1-1/8 threadless.
when I dry fit the bottom part, there is a gap at the top of the fork race, maybe a couple mm, but it doesn’t look right.
if I take out the little metal collar, the gap tightens a bit but the action isn’t as smooth. So that doesn’t seem right either.
Any thoughts?
when I dry fit the bottom part, there is a gap at the top of the fork race, maybe a couple mm, but it doesn’t look right.
if I take out the little metal collar, the gap tightens a bit but the action isn’t as smooth. So that doesn’t seem right either.
Any thoughts?
The metal “collar”
The race marked with the yellow arrow shouldn’t be there and the race marked with the red arrow should sit flush on the crown.
If you don’t have a crown race removal tool (most people don’t), you can remove the race with a screw driver (be very careful around the carbon bits!) or (better) get a bearing splitter. You can get them from a bunch of different places and might be able to rent one or borrow one from an auto parts store.
__________________
Stuart Black
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Days of Wineless Roads. Bed and Breakfasting along the KATY
Twisting Down the Alley. Misadventures in tornado alley.
Stuart Black
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Days of Wineless Roads. Bed and Breakfasting along the KATY
Twisting Down the Alley. Misadventures in tornado alley.
10-31-21, 10:35 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,755
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 441 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times
in
80 Posts
What is the fork from originally, and what spec headset did it have originally? as if you can ID them, and compare to the bearing that the Orbit has, you may be able to just use the original fitted (on the basis that you haven't wrecked it by trying to install over the top.
Got to look at this and think that your way out your depth here, either a case of asking/researching before you cause expensive damage, Park tools site as mentioned, or Youtube for how to videos
Got to look at this and think that your way out your depth here, either a case of asking/researching before you cause expensive damage, Park tools site as mentioned, or Youtube for how to videos
