Hi guys. I just installed a headset on a new frame that I got, the start of my first bike build. I got it to where there is almost no play and the stiffness is acceptable (the wheel and fork fall to one side if I hold the bike upright.) However, I noticed today that when I turn the handlebars about 45 degrees to the right, there is a rough patch in the turn radius, as if something is interfering with the roll of the bearings. I took it apart and noticed that on the fork crown race, there is some pitting on the very top edge, the edge that fits into the middle of the bearing retainer. It's just on the circular edge; it doesn't seem to be on the part that the bearings touch, but who am I? Is this slight pitting a problem? Is the rough part of the turn radius a problem? Honestly I don't even think I'll be able to feel it when I actually get this thing on the road, but I don't want to have to deal with costlier problems later. And, also, just to clarify, the "open" part of the bearings goes into the cup, right? The key is to not allow the bearing retainer to touch anything but the bearings?

If this has been posted elsewhere, I am sorry. I'm new here, and any tips on navigating or finding relevant threads would be great.

Were the head tube and fork properly milled and faced before installing the headset? Were the pressed cups and crown race fully seated in alignment?

It will be worth your while to investigate it. "Almost no play" and yet it has a rough/tight spot? Something's not right.

It depends on how the bearing retainer's cage is shaped. The two common types both have a circular "spine" with fingers that hold the balls. It sounds like you've got the type where the spine is at the inside, with fingers reaching outwards. In that case, the spine should be away from the cone, or else the tip of the cone would hit it.

If the retainer has the spine around the outside edge, with fingers reaching inwards, then the spine should be towards the cone.