rankin116

I can not get my headset set up without any play in the handlebars. I have done this before more than a few times with a standard fork/headset, but this is a fork with a carbon steerer and a CC IS2 headset. I'm using an FSA compression plug that came with the fork. Generic fork, generic frame that was recently powder coated.

I simply can not get enough compression to remove the play. Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks.

BCRider

Did you clean the powder coating away from inside the cup pressin areas and away from the lip that the cups get pushed down onto?

Assuming the headset was good before then either it's related to some of the powder holding the cups out of alignment or it's due to you putting a part in the wrong way. Some of those little seals and dust rings can really fool you.

rankin116

Yes, the powder coating is gone from any surface that interfaces with the headset. As far as it working before, I don't know. I bought the frameset, and immediately had it powdercoated, so I can't say for sure if it was god before.

About those seals, if you look at the exploded diagram here, I definitely do not have #7 in the diagram on the right. I don't think I ever had it. When I got the frame, everything was take out/off and bagged. Could this be the problem?

HillRider

Do you have a couple of mm of clearance between the top of the steerer tube and the top of the stem or top spacer? The steerer MUST be below the top of the stem/spacer or the top cap bolt will not be able to draw it up far enough to take out all play.

z415

You probably need a spacer. I've had this problem quite a few times because my numbers were down with a tape measure.

rankin116

Yeah, that was the first thing I made sure to check. I tried using different amounts of spacers and changing the clearance between the top of the steerer and the stem. No dice.

If you mean a regular spacer, I am using 3 of them. I tried a forth like I said above to get more clearance, but that didn't work either.

I'll probably be going to a shop today.

n0dice

Fork is definitely correct size?

Like they said, the top cap needs to be contacting the spacer that goes around the steerer tube and not the steerer tube itself? Have you loosened up the stem to make sure you aren't just bottoming out against that?

So there's play and the topcap won't tighten anymore? You can't over tighten it?

Are you taking the fork from somewhere else? Does it have the crown race that came with the headset on? Pictures?

rankin116

Yes, came with the frame and headset.

Well it's contacting the stem, but there is definitely ample room between the stem and the steerer to allow compression.

Yeah, I barely had the stem tight at all.

Right, I can't tighten the topcap anymore, I feel like I might strip or crack something. The crown race is the correct one. Everything was brand new. Frame, fork, headset all came together, but was installed. Maybe I am missing something that is not allowing the compression, like the washer in the daigram I linked to above?

What pics would be helpful?

BCRider

There's pretty tight tolerances in these things. That #7 shim washer may just be a thin piece of plastic but it likely is the key.

If you look at the headset parts diagram the upper cap #6 wants to come down really close to the head tube. If #6 contacts the frame's steering head tube before it fully loads the #8 compression ring then you'll have two things. The steering will have some slop in it and at the same time it will be rough feeling to turn since the #6 cap will be rubbing on the top of the head tube. Tighten the top cap enough and it may well jam the steering all together because the cap is pushing on the head tube rather than on the missing shim washer and down onto the compression ring. The shim washer would cure both of these and leave a small gap that you can just fit a sheet of writing paper into so it shields out most dirt and water.

The good news is that most headsets use such a shim so you should be able to get something generic out of your own parts box or from the headset junk box at a friendly LBS. Getting the shim from CC is an option of course but would take longer what with mail and all.

The shim washer

rankin116

I was wondering how much of a gap should be there, and as it is right now, the gap is about 1.5mm. Which is obviously much wider than a sheet of paper. I don't know why I can't get that top cap (#6) to compress farther toward the headtube. I think I am just going to take it into a shop. I'll update this later in case anyone is interested.

n0dice

is the stem moving/loosened adequately when you try to compress? It definitely should not require much force to get a good adjustment. If it's not that I'm not sure what to suggest.

BCRider

That's way too much of a gap and indicates that something is amiss in the order or orientation of the parts in the upper assembly. I'd take it back apart and make sure the cartridge bearings are set into the frame with the angled insides arranged so they are both angled outwards. I'd also see if the compression ring actuall fits down into the bearing correctly just with hand pressure but with the fork in place before you drop the rest of the upper stuff on. It sure sounds like this part isn't going together correctly so you need to check for fits in that area.

dabac

# 7 is a so-so requirement, the one you certainly can't do without is #8.

HillRider

Be sure you have part #8 and part(s) #9 oriented properly. If any of these are inverted, the headset won't work properly.

rankin116

I (well the shop) figured it out. I am embarrassed to say that I was not installing the compression cap correctly. It took the guy at the shop all of 15 seconds to get it to tighten up. I'm an idiot

Thank you all for the help though, much appreciated.

HillRider

No, you are (were) inexperienced. Next time it will go perfectly. Happens to everybody at one time or other.