Threaded Headset Tool Options for 33mm/34mm Locknuts

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11-22-23 | 03:18 PM

#26

Harold74

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From: Calgary, AB Canada

Bikes: Miyata 1000, Lemond Zurich, Lynskey Rouleur, Airborne Zeppelin, Vintage Zullo, Miele Lupa

Arrowana , Kontact , maddog34 , 3alarmer, cyccommute

All of you mentioned the ChannelLock wrenches which I'm seriously considering in the 8", WideAZZ permutation.

Are you guys using the standard thickeness version or the narrow ones? I can get the standard for $30CAD this weekend. The narrow one will cost me $100CAD and take a few weeks.

I suspect that the standard thickness would do me but, at 5/32" thickness, the narrow one might be handy for lower locknuts as well as upper.

There shall be tape...

8", Wide-Ass, Slim Jaw

11-22-23 | 03:57 PM

#27

cyccommute

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From: Denver, CO

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harold74

I was mentioning Channellock pliers to hold the top race if necessary. You can use any tongue and groove pliers but you’ll need a big one…12” to 16” for the job. Be careful using them as they will cut into the metal of the headset no matter how carefully you apply them.

For the top nut, you can get the properly sized headset wrench or just use a 12” adjustable wrench. The WideAZZ really isn’t necessary nor that useful. It doesn’t fit much on bicycles and it is rather short for the leverage needed to turn a nut that large.

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11-22-23 | 04:02 PM

#28

3alarmer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Harold74

8", Wide-Ass, Slim Jaw

...that's a new iteration, since I bought mine. It looks like it should work well, but I've only used a regular thickness, older style one, and on top nuts, not lowers. I have regular thin headset wrenches that fit all my lowers.

11-22-23 | 04:17 PM

#29

3alarmer

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From: Sacramento, CA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Harold74

I've been considering the Mavic Open Elites.

a) Did they build well?
b) Did the pinned jointing cause you any grief?
c) Are you happy with the aesthetic?

I wouldn't say no to a photo...

...I've used them on several wheelsets, because of the attractive price and the Mavic name. They worked fine for me, and I still ride all of them.

If you are careful with your initial tensioning, getting the rim well centered on the hub, the joint shouldn't cause an issue. It did not for me. I think these are cheaper because they are produced in eastern Europe somewhere.

I think this is them on a Raleigh Professional I repainted:

11-23-23 | 05:45 PM

#30

Harold74

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From: Calgary, AB Canada

Bikes: Miyata 1000, Lemond Zurich, Lynskey Rouleur, Airborne Zeppelin, Vintage Zullo, Miele Lupa

For the sake of closure, I've purchased the items shown below. The Klein comes in the same, thin jaw form as does the ChannelLock and I'm hoping is of comparable quality. It's $25 cheaper than the ChannelLock and will arrive tomorrow instead of in a month's time. I was planning to purchase a second, Park Headset wrench anyhow. Hopefully the Klein can obviate the need for that.

Thanks, everyone, for your help with this.

11-23-23 | 06:48 PM

#31

grumpus

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Harold74

I'm not sure if you were referring to me but it's less of an objection and more of an inquiry. Purpose made headset wrenches have worked great for me in the past. Crescent wrenches... obviously not, especially on black locknuts. Not having tried an adjustable hex wrench, I wasn't sure where that would fall on the continuum. If the use of such wrenches is common practice, that will be an attractive option for me.

Is there a particular wrench that you've had good experiences with? Amazon has three versions, in order of price (CAD):

Max Power @ $29
Rigid Tools @ $58
Milwaukee Tool @ $58

All seem to be rated about the same. That said, I imagine that bicycle work is not the most common usage for these things.

I bought a Bahco 9035 for a plumbing job earlier this year but it works well on headsets too. There are cheaper versions from lesser brands - the key search phrase seems to be "wide jaw" or "deep jaw" along with "vanadium".

11-23-23 | 08:09 PM

#32

dedhed

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From: Milwaukee, WI

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Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpus

I bought a Bahco 9035 for a plumbing job earlier this year but it works well on headsets too. There are cheaper versions from lesser brands - the key search phrase seems to be "wide jaw" or "deep jaw" along with "vanadium".

adjustable drain wrench

11-24-23 | 12:44 PM

#33

grumpus

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dedhed

adjustable drain wrench

That comes up with all sorts of weird plumbing gadgets, including aluminium wrenches which are fine for plastic pipe fittings but not much else.
Wide deep jaw vanadium shows me a page of nothing but relevant stuff including this one which looks OK for $15.99. But that might just be Amazon extrapolating from my search history and viewed items.

11-24-23 | 12:51 PM

#34

Mr. 66

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I have the double ended Park 33/34

11-24-23 | 01:06 PM

#35

Kontact

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You know, just about any 12" adjustable wrench is going to work much better than a flat non-adjustable open end wrench. This thread is weird.

Adjustable wrenches get a bad wrap when then are used as a replacement for and in the same manner as non-adjustable wrench, because they loosen up every time the wrench comes off the nut and is then re-applied. But that isn't how you use a headset wrench, and where adjustables really shine.