Headset or bearings? Fork? Wiggly front steering
 

I recently put on a used Easteon EC90X. I also added some additional carbon spacers, and had to buy a new tektro cable hanger for my cantilevers (the kind that goes around the steer tube). When I first the headset I had put the bearings in upside down and the steering was very "wiggly". Now, even with the bearings the right side up, it still feels off. Going in a straight line is very hard, but I seem to have the bearings perfectly in there as to cane creeks directions. The headset is a crane creek S2 (classic style, threadless), bike is a 2004 redline conquest pro. I do not think it is the fork as I remember having this same issue before with my old fork, but my LBS took care of it and told me my bearings were upside down. I also made sure to lube everything in the headset area (all bearings, etc) with white lithium grease.

Assuming the headset is the right one for the frame, there is still a lot of possibilities, including: 1) did you adjust for bearing preload before you tightened the stem and cable hanger on the steerer? If not, the bearings are "loose". 2) the crown race may not have the same fit on the replacement fork. If so, the fork will feel sloppy when riding. 3) Is the combined stack height of the spacers/cable hanger/stem correct? If the combined stack is too low and almost even with the steerer tube, the preload may be impossible to adjust correctly; even if the preload bolt feels tight, none of the load is actually passed onto the bearings. Have your LBS check if you can't find the problem. Luck.

I hesitate to comment, because I just rebuilt my first, and it was a '75 Peugeot. At any rate, my steering felt funky when I first got it because it was missing lots of bearings and had what little grease was left was dried out. I put in new bearings, polished the cups/cones with steel wool and used the right grease. Everything was great for a few days, then symptoms came back. The headset had loosened up. I think I've finally got the balance between the adjusting ring and the lock ring dialed in now. I'll see how long it lasts.

My point being, when the headset is loose, it can feel just as squirrelly as when it's busted.

I think I preloaded them correctly....the stem is about 1/4 of an inch above the end of the steerer tube (I go this fork because the steer tube was longer), and thats what I want right? I tightened the top cap pretty good (not too tight to move left and right) and it seems to get worse the more I tighten it (the more instability). Before I had a fork on there that was almuminum and maybe be a bit different, do they vary tha tmuch?

I found the problem, I had no crown race on the new fork. I took the old one off my old fork with a file and a hammer slowly and carefully, and pressed it on my new easton fork with a full tube of almuminum foil (lol). Seems to work perfect!

How did you even get a proper initial adjustment without a crown race...? o_0

It probably worked about as well as the guy last month whose LBS installed it upside down.

I dont know, i just slapped everything together and it seemed to work ok....I ended up wearing the paint off the top of my fork though :P . Now all seems to be perfect, bike is ultra light now. Loving the easton fork

New philosophy of bike setup: If it turns, it must be good.