Headset Installation
 

I'm just full of threads and questions today.

Anyway, is there any sort of "home-made" method, creative DIY technique to install a headset?
I'm half just curious and half looking to not pay for labor.

Thanks.

do you know kaminecki? hes got a headset press , you could probably ask him to use it. or if you ask the guys at coreys tey might let you use it, or show you how to. they have let me true wheels and worked on my BB there a couple of ties no problem as long as your out of their way

XVX

get a steel bolt thats threaded pretty far, some big, thick washers, and a nut to thread onto the bolt.

put some washers onto the bolt, then the top cup, and rest that on your head tube, then put the bottom cup and washers up to the head tube and screw on the nut. MAKE SURE THE CUPS ARE EVEN AND FLUSH WITH THE HEAD TUBE. then tighten the bolt so that the washers squeeze the cups into the frame. put in your bearings and races and caps and such (dont forget your fork) and you're good to go.

Corey's usually does all the installation that I can't do on my own (headset, BB) so I'd feel weird to all of a sudden ask to just do it myself but with their tools.
I don't know Kaminecki, but I have a message into Jason (not Philly Jason), because I feel like he might have one.

But is there any way to properly install a headset without a press?

Seems simple enough.

you can also do it one cup at a time. rest the top cup on, put the washers and bolt on and have the washers and nut on the other side of the head tube.(then repeat the same steps with the bottom cup) you should also grease the cups as it will make it easier to install and if you ever have to replace them you can knock the cups out fairly easily.

I have a homemade headset press like the one described above. It works wonderfully. I do, however, only do one cup at a time.

ive done it both ways and it works fine. i just feel safer doing it one at a time, id hate to ovalize a headtube just because im too lazy to take an extra couple of minutes of my time.

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/CD...0001143E7E506/

I hope this is helpful.

dude corey would be cool to show you how to work everything. like they say" give a man a fish feed him for a day. teach a man to fish feed him forthe rest of his life."

im just saying

and as similar to a headset press that thingy above might be, it could still go in super cockeyed, headset presses hold the racse and everythign perfectly every time, hence why they built it specifically for the job.

im just syaing

XVX

Doing one cup at a time is a safe bet, especially with the homemade route... the washers on the other side will press flush against the headtube and keep the cup that is being pressed going in on the proper angle, more than likely.

some very specific instructions to make your own
http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/headset.html

back up the washers with a fat socket. Makes things much more rigid and drives the cups in straighter. Grease everything liberally. I sometimes tap mine in with a hammer in a pinch.

don't forget reaming and facing of the HT that might be necessary. CK won't warrantee headsets that fail due to the HT not being prepared correctly. I think I paid 20 bucks @ local LBS for all of the above.

that said, you can always try it and see how the ride feels, if the bike goes straight w/hands off the bars then I think you are ok...

You can buy a press for 53.95 +s/h I know it is not as cheap as DIY, but after 2-3 times it would pay for itself.

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...tem_id=PA-HHP3

but this thing:

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/Product_Images/PA-HHP3.jpg

dosen't l;ook to do any better than a nice homade spacer setup...

a prefessional one is much different/better... and more $$$

You can use all three methods-- knock 'em in with a hammer and block of wood, use a homemade press, or use the tool. You can screw up with all three, too. No matter which method you use, take your time and make sure the cups are going in straight. If they're not, knock out the cups and start again. Patience. When done, hold the frame up to the light and make sure the cups are flush with the head tube... as others have stated, grease the cups lightly where they insert into the head tube.

I've done all three; personally, I prefer the real tool. But all three methods work, and none of them is superior to the other two. The key is taking your time and doing it right.

For knocking cups out, nothing beats a headset rocket, but you can use a length of copper pipe with a smaller diameter than your head tube.

i use the homemade bolt and nut press and have had great results. cost about $3 to make. just remember to go slow and practice on a junk frame first, if possible.

for the cup removal, i used poguemahone's method of inserting a 1" length of pipe and tapping against the inside of the cups, but then made myself a ghetto version of the below park tool by cutting a light-gauge steel pipe and flaring out the pieces.

http://www.parktool.com/images/produ...5729_84414.jpg

removing the bearing race from the fork is still the hard part. lots of tapping...

do you have your headset right now? if not and you can wait till i get my shop set up ( i live in grafton right now but im moving to commerce st. this weekend) you can stop by next week and use my home made headset press. otherwise make your own its really easy and costs about 5.00

I don't have any of my new parts yet, probably end of the week to beginning of next week.
And I would love to check our your shop.
Do you have a splined crank puller and BB tool?

but of course. i have just about every tool. (fairly serious) we should try to hook up sometime next week when i am fairly organized.

i use an old junker seatpost ( minus clamp) and a hammer to get cups out... a couple pieces of 2 by 4, a big mallet and the workbench install the cups nicely...

i've used a 2x4 and rubber mallet. just be careful

I have used a phone book and a hammer. Worked perfectly both times - I even got the logo aligned with the head tube badge. I went into my lbs and borrowed their HS removal tool for 30 seconds to knock the HS out. The other time I used a long flathead screwdriver.

that is my lbs' headset removal tool

aren't you getting a king?
i wouldn't risk damaging a $100+ headset with a 2x4 + mallet ghetto install.

chicken

i just put a dura ace in the kogswell with a homemade press. i had to sand the steerer down a little to smash the crown race in (and even then, i really had to smash the hell out of it).

for the crown-race, i got a chunk of galvanized steel pipe for 25 cents at home depot and a cheap copper reducer fitting (really tight to the inside bumpy part of the race). i stood the pipe up on the floor, put the reducer on the top-end, stuck the race on the steerer (after sanding it a little), grabbed the fork and smashed it with ape-like strength about 9 times down into the tube at 2AM. i'm sure this was to my downstairs neighbor's delight.

everything's aligned and smooth--except for the dura ace logos. one's a little off, so i might strip it off of the cup.

now i just have to cut the steerer. i'm thinking i should mark it, throw an old lock-nut on it just below the mark, douse it with cutting oil and hacksaw it, using the lock-nut as a guide and thread chase. i dunno...

That is sort of my thought process at the moment.

F*ck it, i can install a king with a hammer and a rag and a set of stairs. and a book, seriously. Dont be a bunch of sallys. Sh*t Happens.