Converting a headset
 

OK, based on some of my past postings I am pretty sure some of you are already typing: telling me to bring the bike to a shop. Heck. I'm not even sure I'm using the right word! What I have is an old steel framed MTB (a diamondback Sorrento from about '98 to be exact. It has a Rock Shock Indy and a quill stem. I want to put on a Rock Shock Judy with a modern stem and bars on it. Do I need to swap out the collection of bearings and stuff that I am calling "headset" that lives inside the head tube? If so, is this hard to do WITHOUT a press? What special tools WOULD I need?

Thanks

Ken

Theses a special tool for this job. Long rod that has one end split so theres fingers that splay out. shove this tool into the head tube until the fingers dissapear, then back down, the fingers catching on the race, and smack with a hammer, race pops out. You can use a piece of all thread, washers and and nuts to install new races, just be sure they go in straight

I have converted threaded headsets (mostly Shimano DuraAce) by grinding the lower threaded part of the headset (using a dremel tool) at a angle deep enough for a centering wedge to fit inside the headset. Then you can put spacers on followed by your stem. You will need spacers , a centering wedge , star nut w/top cap & screw or compressor. My choice is to remove old headset (probably not in the best shape after 10+ years) pop in a new headset and rock on. The time it takes to carefully prep your existing headset to turn it into a A-Head style setup will take longer than removal of old headset and installing a new headset. But if you are low in cash and have the time -- the convertion will work.

A bit of rod and a hammer gets headset cups out in a pinch.

Just make sure you move it around enough not to angle the cup more than a few degrees.

If you don't have a long enough bolt to rig up a press, just use a bit of wood and a hammer to get the new one in. Again, be careful not to put much angle on the cups.

Pro mechanics will recoil in horror, but it works fine.

Before using hack methods to replace a headset, consider that the same service at a competent shop will run you about $30, with shop quality tools.

The only other time for this conversion I'm aware of was years ago by pro team mechanics whose teams were sponsored by Shimano. They wanted to use threadless forks and stems so they modified Shimano threaded headsets as you describe but only to keep their sponsor happy.

Shimano did not and still doesn't make threadless headsets. In fact, I don't think Shimano makes any headsets of any type these days.

+ A bunch!

Here's one that was on ebay last month, no idea as to where it came from though, sold for GBP 41.00:

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2615/shimtless.jpg

Very interesting. It looks like the top cap was purpose made rather than a modified OEM part.

A very good mechanic and owner of Texas Race Works showed me a Shimano threadless headset (including the box it came in) back in 2001. I had never seen one before and was told that it was meant to be sold in Europe only. Brett sold VITUS frams/bikes (and many other European brands) and the headset came with the frame. Not a modified version unless it was modified at Shimano.

You can punch run of the mill(cheap) headsets out with the broad end of a 3/8" extension.Just work your way around from side to side. front to back some, so it doesn't get canted too much(just as others have said).A length of heavy copper pipe-3/4" or so) works pretty well also-better in fact. You can install headset cups with a 2x4 and a hammer.
Obviously, this isn't for a new $100 headset, but works just fine for cheap used parts that you don't mind getting scratched up a little( the wood actually rarely scratches anything). This is just fine for $100-$200 bikes on the way to being sold.
Charlie

You want to move to a modern fork/headset/stem combo but have a 1" headtube. Assume by modern headset/stem you're talking about a threadless which is fine, but there's pretty much nothing out there in a 1" threadless steerer fork that's worth the effort of changing over. The Judy is not much of a modern fork, but does yours even have have a 1" threadless steerer?

My makeshift headset press consists of two stiff, flat plates of metal with a hole in each. One goes on the top, one on the bottom. I then put a wheel quick release all the way through the metal plates and head tube, screw on the quick release nut and then operate the quick release just like when using it to clamp a wheel. Then release the quick release, tighten the nut by one or two turns, and operate the quick release again. This slowly presses the cups in quite nicely. It is better if you move the metal plates and quick release rod around a little bit each time you tighten the nut a bit more so that each side of the cups gets pressed in evenly. Obviously, it only works when the head tube plus plates is shorter than you quick release, but it should be OK for head tubes up to about a 140mm head when using a MTB rear quick release. I sometimes need to use some spacers below the nut if I run out of thread on the quick release to tighten the nut more.

To remove old headsets, an old screwdriver and hammer can get the job done if used carefully, but is not ideal, so I now have the correct tool that was described above - like a metal pipe with the ends splayed out.

Before dropping $30 on something you could do yourself, consider whether the 'hack' methods actually have to hack anything at all.

Sure, it's nice to have the right tools for the job, but really. What's the difference here. It's perfectly doable without causing damage. The worst you'll do is scar a part of your headset you never see.


...Although removing a crown race from beefy forks is another story.