Hi all,
have a slight issue.
Bought a 2nd hand frame and when I’ve gone to build it up, the headset can easily be fitted into the headtube using hands only. The cups spin in the tube when the forks aren’t fitted, but appears tighter when the forks and stem are fitted and the bearings are compressed.

Just wondering what my options are, read about Loctite 660 that’s designed for press fit surfaces that are worn away.

Deepcup headset like the ChrisKing Steelset or CrankBrothers Sage and hope it goes deep enough to get passed the ovalised bit.

Does anyone know of a headset that has a reputation for being a tight fit, which hopefully will sort it… might a daft way of doing it.

Or does anyone have any other solutions.

Thanks

FSA Pig.
Loctite bearing fit should be ok for you through.
I’ve araldited samples where headsets actually rattle in place. If its just a bit loose loctite is fine.

The headset doesn’t rattle or move back and forth/side to side, it just twists.

Had the same problem a few years back, bought a deep cup headset and fitted with some loctite. Bike and headset still going strong.

I used electrical tape on a press fit BB and it worked a charm.

Thanks for the help folks, sounds like it’s not the end of the frame.

If your gonna keep for a while and glue it in I’d personally go for a Chris King headset for piece of mind. What about chemical metal repair kits?

Loctite bearing fit is designed for this sort of issue and works fine – as does a deep insertion headset.

I ovalised the headtube on the tandem – a deep insert headset inserted using lotite bearing fit cured the issue and I was able to remove it again

I slightly ovalised the bottom of the headtube on my new (at the time) 2005 Turner 5spot because I was so keen to get it built. I ran a deep insertion headset after that and it was fine. Its still being ridden by its new owner perfectly well.

FSA Pig

Yep, that’d do it, but you do need a ‘kinbig hammer’ to fit it!

Deffo not the end of the frame. TBH its not a big issue really.

Loctite bearing fit is the perfect tool for the job, halfords sell a little blister pack which is ideal. (my dads riding a 03 frame that has been like this pretty much from new and fixed with bearing fit.)

Are you using a used headset? that may be compressed so a new headset is worth doing. Have a look through CRC there are a few deep cup options at various prices.
you could also face the head tube, a couple of mm off would allow the headset to find some new correct size tube to grip on.