Anyone have an idea of what the proper tool is to remove this three-notch lock ring from an early 80s Japanese headset? I could use lock-jaw pliers and some padding, of course, but wondered what shop tool would have been in use back in the day.


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Maybe a bottom bracket lock ring wrench is what you need. This tool has an outer diamter of 46mm and 40mm at the ends of the teeth. If yours measures the same then it might work.

Park Tool HCW-5
https://www.parktool.com/product/cra...t-wrench-hcw-5

Hozan's lockring wrench fits those with no problem.

Serviced an identical headset yesterday. I've seen these headsets several times (less than a bunch) and have never had one that didn't unscrew by hand with just a rag to protect my hand from the edges. Putting them together doesn't require much tightness of that nut because the of the indexing feature of the threaded top cup and the indexing washer it meshes with. If you do end up using pliers, you wouldn't have to squeeze very hard -- the nut probably won't be very tight -- an it should be easy to do without damaging anything.

Oh, I got it off with a small plumber's wrench, so that wasn't a problem. I was more interested to know what tool was specifically designed for its removal. It's actually the second one I've had to deal with in a couple of weeks.

I saw references to the Hozan's wrench on various Google searches, so good to know it works. Seems I can order it via Amazon shipped from Japan.

It's the rare thread that has Neal Lerner seeking wrenching advice. I feel like I've seen a comet. Even more exhilarating: I pretty much knew the answer, and have one of those lockring tools.

+1, BITD in the shop I probably would have grabbed the Hozan.

I'll bet the Pedros fix gear tool (the Trixie) would work. (It's spanner grabs fix gear lockrings far better than my lesser Park spanner and especially the 12t lockrings where the cog is not there as a shoulder. That headset lockring spanner notch looks a lot like the 12 tooth ones.)

It seems Pedros changed the plate stock of the Trixie to a thinner one. I have only the older ones which are very good tools. (I coveted the second one for years as it hung on a bikeshop display. Set up the Mooney fixed and finally had justification to "liberate" it. (The shop owner expressed surprise that a tool that good marked at $30 would sit there that many years. Was happy to see it go to a good home.)

Ben

This one was ground down to use on BB adjustable cups lock rings as well. old VAR tool maybe(?)

An AR15 spanner works. I know from experience. You can get them cheap.

Park had a headset spanner, HCW10, with one end designed for notched headset lockrings. There were also several inexpensive, spanner style, multi-tools with this feature. A company called KAL had a hinged, hook spanner that was supposed to work for both headset and BB lockrings but I found it tended to slip. As previously mentioned, you can also use lockring pliers, available from companies like Hozan and VAR.

My VAR lockring pliers are of no use on a 3-notch ring

FYI by Hozan tool I was referring to the C205 double sided lockring tool, not the pliers. Every shop used to have one of these. One side has a hook sized for BB lockrings, the other side works for headsets.

Well, I ordered three different tools (I'm a sucker for new bike tools) and will report back on effectiveness.

FYI I was responding to the last sentence in T-MAR's post.

Oh yeah,I have one of those as well... I always preferred the hinged style like i posted earlier unless i needed the leverage.

There's nothing wrong with using those wrenches, of course, but when I don't have one nearby, I just use a big channel lock, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

If you don't care about damaging the part you might as well use a pipe wrench.

I have even been known to use a hammer and a flat bladed screwdriver to start the ring spinning in the right direction.

Pliers only work on lockrings with an even number of notches. For a 3-notch ring like this, you need a hook spanner. The Hozan lockring tool is a double-ended hook spanner; the large radius end fits bottom bracket lockrings, while the smaller radius end fits these headset lockrings.

I have used a piece of 1/2" copper pipe instead of a screwdriver. It does no damage.
I replace headsets that have wrench marks or chipped chrome.
Is my OCD showing?

This is what I was talking about. They fit a triple notch headset lockring quite well.

With lots of filing, I made an insert for my Sugino fixed cup wrench out of large washer. Lay the nut on the washer and mark for the slots, and hacksaw beside the teeth. Then file away for clearance around the nut. File flats on the outside so washer fits in the fixed cup wrench.