i got a Vilano(i know, i know) from ebay and it got shipped here today, i put it together and changed all the parts out for better things but im having a problem with the headset, my old bike (dawes SST) all i had to do was take out the middle screw with an allen key and either push it up or down depending on how high or low i want the handlebar height... on this there are 3 cones and i thought well maybe if i take one out it will lower it? didnt work the headset was unstable even when screwed in fully. My last headset was threadless and i could adjust it, is it just this bike? lil help please thanks

Edit: im actually trying to lower the stem? my handlebars are up too high and my frame slopes twords the back wheel downwards so my seat has to be extra high yet my feet cant touch the pedals, its all strange ha i just want the handle bars lower on the headset is this impossible?

Pictures would help, the instability may be unrelated, as you may have adjusted the headset incorrectly (top cap first, then stem).

Basically, if you're trying to lower the stem, unscrew the top cap (functions different than threaded with a star nut), remove the cap, remove whatever spacers you have, pull out your stem, remove spacers below stem to achieve desired drop, reinstall all spacers + top cap

I'm not sure what you did, maybe you removed a spacer and didn't reinstall it above the stem?

What i do is take the top cap thing off, then the big screw in the middle i unscrew then i unscrew the two smaller ones that face the seatpost twords me if i was sitting on the bike, i take the handlebars/stem off then i take the desired spacers off(all 3) i put the stem on where the spacers were, then i put the spacers on top then the cap then the big bolt through the cap and tighten it, the actual fork becomes unsturdy and has about a 2 inch give up and down when i do that, it only stays still when the 3 spacers are UNDER the handlebars and stem and installed with the screws.

i tried all sorts of variations with no luck besides the original stock :/ the handlebars are too high.

Read up on what you want to do.
Scroll down to the assembly section.
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-...eadset-service

take it to a bike shop? buy an illustrated book on basic bicycle maintenance?

I'm moving this to 'Mechanics'.

You'll need to buy a different stem in order to lower the bars further. Aside from moving around any spacers and flipping an angled stem, threadless headsets can't be simply adjusted up or down, which I think is a big loss over threaded types for not much gain. Make sure when you're assembling the headset that the upper race is pushed all the way down on the stem.

Your steerer tube is a given length , then you have some spacers and the stem around it.

The screw at the top of the steerer tube is your headset adjustment.

the stem when the bolts at the back are tightened keeps the headset adjustment.

swapping spacers from below the stem to above it will be fine..
to lower your stem and bar height . flipping the stem over at the same time..
but to do that you loosen the headset adjustment, so have to do that again..
when you are done with the stem and spacers, being re arraigned.