smurray

I recently purchased a used bike that came with a Chris King NoThreadset. I'm attempting to give the entire bike a good overhaul since it seems like the previous owner did not take the best care of it. The one thing I haven't done yet is service the headset bearings. I found on the Chris King website they give some basic instructions, but I'm hoping someone who has actually serviced one of these before can give me some pointers.

Since it's a sealed bearing headset I assumed all I'd need to do was remove the bearing cartridges and wipe them down and reinsert. From looking over the Chris King website however it sounds like I actually need to take apart the cartridges to service the headset. It doesn't sound like the cartridges are removable from the cups. Can anyone confirm of this is the case? If so I may decide to hold off for now, as taking apart the actual bearing cartridge sounds a little daunting.

frankenmike 

The cartridges are removable from the cups. If the bearings feel smooth, all I would do is clean everything with a rag and reassemble. If the bearings are less than smooth, I would either get new cartridges or remove the wiper seal carefully, flush and repack, then replace the seal and reassemble.

smurray

Are you sure they come out? This is from the Chris King website.

"Do not at any time attempt to remove headset bearings from bearing cups. Chris King sealed bearings have remov- able snap rings that hold the rubber seals in place."

I took that to mean the cartridges don't come out, and that I need to completely disassemble them in order to clean them.

The bearings seem to spin smooth, at least I don't feel any grinding. The only thing I notice is that my bars don't spin as freely on this bike as on my other one with a newer Cane Creek headset. On that one the bars will flop all over the place if the front wheel is lifted off the ground. On the bike with the Chris King it still moves smoothly, just not quite as loose as the Cane Creek. Maybe this is normal, I don't know.

EDIT: Here's the PDF I quoted.

https://chrisking.com/files/upload/in...oThreadSet.pdf

frankenmike 

Oops, guess it's been awhile since I installed my last King. It looks like the bearings are accesible without removing, though. If the bearings aren't gritty, I would leave them be. Not flopping all over the place isn't a bad thing, IMO.

cycledogg

I have done it. I'm not saying you should, but it can be done. One way to help improve the unit is to "squish" some clean grease into the bearings, wipe the outside of complete unit, install, adjust, ride. FWIW: maybe the reason the headset seems not a "loose" as your old setup, is maybe it needs adjusted?
Cheers

stevoo

I have serviced them many times. Follow the simple instructions to access the inside of the bearing. Clean, re-pack and replace the shield and snap ring. It really is that simple.
I have found that most of the King bearings that I have serviced both hubs and headsets were dry. I suggest you do service them

reptilezs

remove the snap rin then the rubber seal. flush with solvent and regrease. place seal and snap ring back in

HillRider

That's correct, the bearing cartridges are "spun' into their cups are not owner removable. Maintenance is done by carefully prying out the metal seal ring with a sharp pointed knife, removing the rubber seal, cleaning out the bearing and relubing them. Reassembly in reverse order.

I repacked mine for the first time after 6 years and 19,000 miles and they were still clean and smooth.

smurray

Sounds like they most likely don't need servicing yet, so I won't bother. As I mentioned, they don't feel gritty or anything, I was just attempting to give the bike a complete overhaul since I just got it and have no idea when the previous owner did any maintenance.