Need a new headset for a winter frame I am going to put together--a little confused on stack height.
Needs 11/8 45/45--thats OK but they quote 2 or 3 different heights---I would like to raise the bar ht a bit without a lot of spacers--- does the stack height of the hs take up the space that would otherwise be filled with spacers(intergrated system)

What the heck is 11/8? 45/45 I understand to be campy integrated. Campy integrated headsets have at least 2 different stack heights based on changing the top cap, one is approx 10-15mm and the other is much less.

Maximum spacers + stem is dependent on your fork manufacturer. For example 3t says 90mm above the headtube, that means INCLUDING the headset top cap, relevant spacers and stem 'height'.

I don't know wtf 11/8 means either, but stack height and stem angles/lengths are used to produce bar position. Break out a napkin, pencil and a trig calculator and figure it out.

If the steering tube is already cut, you can't raise the bars with a taller headset, which obviously takes up some of the room occupied by spacers. The top section of an integrated headset is essentially a spacer. If you put a 10mm taller headset on, then 10mm of spacer must be removed.

I think he means 1 and 1/8 inches (1.125 in).