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  • Headset help
  • ktaylor
    Free Member

    Yesterday I finally got round to investigating the noise in the headset of my commuter. On disassembly I noticed that there were a number of ball bearings missing from a circle of them at the base of the head tube. Can I buy and easily replace such a part or does the whole thing need replacing?

    The frame is a Van Nicholas Yukon and the headset is marked with “FSA” and “36 degrees”. The headset is secured by a vertical bolt that goes into a nut jammed in the fork steerer.

    I’m not sure even what variables there are in distinguishing which headset I need were I to replace the whole thing.

    Any ideas?

    cannondaleking
    Free Member

    Sounds like a case for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    the LBS MAN

    This hero of the modern world is renowned for having such things as bearings and oddments of much needyness low and behold on the shelf. Be warned though they are getting rarer may cost you 10 pence more than the internet that won’t have stock and will take anything from a week too a month to deliver.

    ktaylor
    Free Member

    But good old Andy from AD cycles and his legions of trays with assorted bits is a whole 10 miles away and I work right next to the Evans storehouse at Gatwick.

    If I master the right technical jargon on STW now I can avoid Evans selling me a whole new vision of headset that I never wanted!

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    Stevet1
    Free Member

    On disassembly I noticed that there were a number of ball bearings missing from a circle of them at the base of the head tube.

    <Raises eyebrow> you lost them under the fridge didn’t you.
    If it’s a looseball headset which seems to be what you are describing, then from what I remember they were never jam packed full of ball bearings, so it may appear one or two (at the most I guess) are missing when in fact they were never there. If its only one or two I’d clean everything to within an inch of it’s life grease the whole lot and reassemble.

    ktaylor
    Free Member

    The ball bearings seem to fit into a metal circle where each ball has an allocated alcove. I’d say half are missing!

    Stevet1
    Free Member

    Well then you’ve got a caged bearing headset, sort of a worse version of a loose ball headset … Used to be advised to ditch the cage and fit the next size up ball bearings, so if your LBS can help with this then great, else I’d be looking to buy a new sealed bearing headset for not much more.

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    The metal circle is the “bearing cage” and if you have bearings missing you have two options, which will depend on the condition of the cups and crown races. If they are corroded or pitted you might be better off getting a whole new headset. If not, just replace all the ball bearings in the cage with new ones of the correct size and off you go.

    superleggero
    Free Member

    OP – if you can’t get to an independent LBS, the Evans warehouse Gatwick has a workshop within the retail shop. Why don’t you take it there and get the bike mechanics to sort it. It sounds like your headset is shot and you need a new one. Not the most expensive job in a bike.

    ktaylor
    Free Member

    Having fitted threadless headsets (without the recommended tools) on previous mountain bikes I was optimistic in solving this on my own. However I’m starting to think an LBS might be the best solution after all.

    Evans cannot fit me in until next week.

    Just spoken to the nearest independent shop. They can do it tomorrow (they’ll even try to just replacing the bearing). All hail the LBS!!!

    ktaylor
    Free Member

    Took the bike to the next town’s LBS and got the bottom headset cup replaced for £23 including labour. They did it really short notice as well.

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