Hey all,

cannot fathom this out:

1 x internal headset
1 x headset expander
And a few spacers..

1 x headset that will continually loosen off after a ride…

The bearings are running smoothly and spacers are sufficiently sized to allow the top cap to pull everything together. If I have it so tight obviously it won’t move freely, any looser and it’ll cause the vibration (rocking with the brake on) associated with a loose headset.

Managed to get it not to move the other day, and by the end of the ride it had worked loose again. Whenever it’s loose the spacers under the stem (2 of them) will be moveable, but the spacers above (2 again) won’t move.

Sorry this sounds vague, but hopefully you can picture what I mean..

Any ideas?
thanks

Road bike btw.

clean and dry clamping surfaces?

Spotless sir!

at a guess, I’d say the expander is working loose. Either the whole thing , or if it’s like the one Spesh use, the hollow bolt that you screw the topcap bolt into and work loose.

Shouldn’t matter about the expander or the top cap, once the stem bolts are tightened up you can take the top cap off and thrown it away as its only used to preload the bearings.

As above, if it’s assembled correctly – it must be the stem that’s moving

are you undoing the stem bolts before tightening the top cap to load the bearings ?

What condition are the bearings in?

I had similar when I couldn’t get enough preload on the bearings without them seizing, so I would back them off to run smooth which would give just enough give to loosen during a ride.

I had a similar problem with a mountain bike and sorted it by:

1. Making sure the headset was seated in the bearings properly
2. Using a bigger allen on the stem bolts. I’d been using a multi-tool and it just wasn’t giving me the leverage to get the stem tight enough.

2. Using a bigger allen on the stem bolts. I’d been using a multi-tool and it just wasn’t giving me the leverage to get the stem tight enough

“ping”

Be careful doing that, 6nm isn’t much welly.

If everything is done correctly then I’d suggest flaring of the head-tube, If you’ve been riding the bike with a loose headset then this is, sadly, increasingly likely.

There are rumours that you can shim a flared head tube with bits of coke can etc but realistically it’s frame repar/new frame time if this is indeed the cause of the problem.

Is the crown race properly seated?

I recently had this on the mtb – bearings felt good but replaced them and it sorted the problem.

Very little else if can be – cups/races bedding in, stem working loose or compressible lower spacers?

If it’s not bearings,

Whenever it’s loose the spacers under the stem (2 of them) will be moveable, but the spacers above (2 again) won’t move.

as a test, set it all up again with the spacers all pinched up.
Clamp the stem and loosen the top cap slightly so the spacers above are free to turn.
Ride the bike until headset loosens – check the spacers above are free to turn.
If they are, the stem is not moving so problem is below the stem…

Are the lower spacers ‘carbon’? Try some alu ones.
Check lower race and cups are seated.

Have you got enough space between the top of the spacer/stem and the end of the steerer tube?

I had this as did a mate on a brand new Orange 5 – the top cap was clamping down on to the top of the steerer tube as it was slightly domed on the bottom and although it looked like there should be enough clearance there wasn’t.

Swapping one spacer for a slightly thicker one sorted it.

Cheers for the replies all, will give all the suggestions a go when I have a look at it

is it a ribble by any chance have had problems with their headsets before.