Today’s innane question from me.
How would one remove and then install a new headset without any special tools or a headset press?
I appreciate most people will say ‘just go to your lbs, it’ll be cheap enough and they’ll do a better job’ and yes I could. It’s just I am keen to learn to do as many spannering jobs myself if I can and replacing the headset is one of the last on the list.

remove – large headed flat screwdriver and work your way around a bit at a time.

insert – block of wood, a big hammer and a small prayer.

+1 for wwaswas…. maybe use a bigger hammer though

insert – block of wood, a big hammer and a small prayer.

Just be careful, I crushed the cup of a headset once doing it this way, lots of smaller taps instead of few big hits should be fine. Grease the frame and headset before hand too.

Instead of the screwdriver try some copper pipe or a proper headset removal tool is not very much at all.

For fitting try two bits of wood and a screwed rod with nuts and washers. A Google image search should show you what’s what.

thanks tiswas, I found this old thread http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fitting-a-headset-without-proper-tools

But not much in there about removing. Your plans sounds okay. How do the professionals remove a headset?

Don’t use a screwdriver to remove it. You could easily damage it. Instead use the largest socket you can fit through the hole with an extension bar. This will sit better on the rim and not apply a point load like a screwdriver will. Refit with a block of wood and hammer / mallet.

proper tool, but any tube cut up the same will work if wall thickness is enough.

Rubber mallet to install and a socket extension to remove. A vice also works to install if you don’t want to hit it with a mallet like a normal person.

Some headsets will not seat right with the wood and hammer trick. You can buy the cheap threaded rod set ups on eBay or make yourself one for similar money. Much better and costs 5-10£.

To knock out a headset, use PVC pipe, think I use 28mm. Cut it lengthways so you can flare it out so it looks like the proper tools. Works a treat and no damage as you can have as much as needed protruding at the top.

I’ve installed a lot of headsets with wood/hammer – never found one that wouldn’t seat… Interested to hear what issue you’ve had with that.

FWIW, I use a threaded rod/nuts/washers these days – there is *some* risk with wood/hammer even if it is pretty slight.

To knock out a headset, use PVC pipe, think I use 28mm. Cut it lengthways so you can flare it out so it looks like the proper tools. Works a treat and no damage as you can have as much as needed protruding at the top.

I’ve got one made from 12″ off cut of copper pipe, cut and flared like the pro job further up, wooden bung in the end for whaling on with a lump hammer.

Got a big vice, which is good for installing on shorter head tubes, as long as you’ve got a friend to hold the frame. Or a careful way of balancing it in place.

External have always been fine it’s the internal/integrated I had issues with. Never pushed it though and went and got a proper tool when it wasn’t going to plan.

You can buy the cheap threaded rod set ups on eBay or make yourself one for similar money

I have a homemade headset press you can borrow.

I am keen to learn to do as many spannering jobs myself if I can and replacing the headset is one of the last on the list

Commendable.

My best advice, buy a headset press. I did the ‘bodge’ insertion method for years and it generally works fine, occasionally it just doesnt work and causes damage to either the cups, or the headtube.

I bought a 2nd hand press for around £12 and its been used dozens of times since – and presses those cups in like a finely lubricated charm.

PVC tubing / copper tubing split to look like removal tube above would probably work admirably for a cheap removal option. Again, I used a flat blade screwdriver for years – and as a result damaged numerous cups. Mainly aesthetic damage to the lip, but still, looks half arsed, becasue it is.
You can buy the proper tool for what, £10

2 great tools to own that will last a life time and pay for themselves after a couple of uses.

sync – yeah, have seen and it’s a little trickier if the cup sits below flush with the head tube but you can still do it with a (wood/plastic) spacer

thanks MrTortoise! I’ll even let you help if you like. 😀

To knock the cups out an old seatpost is handy, and work your way round tapping it with a hammer. I learnt this trick off Hora. In all the years I’ve known him its the only thing of use that he’s ever contributed

wwaswas – Member
remove – large headed flat screwdriver and work your way around a bit at a time.

insert – block of wood, a big hammer and a small prayer.
+1

The bigger the hammer, the better. Small taps with a heavy hammer are better than mighty swipes with a light one.

A block of wood under and one to be whacked (never whack the headset itself).

I have often used a large screwdriver, but it’s easy enough to make your own remover from a bit of pipe or length of frame tube chopped out of an old bike. (Some seat posts are large enough, but alloy probably isn’t the best for this job).

However a few minutes spent down at a proper hardware store will get you some threaded rod and enough large washers to do the job for pennies. Last time I looked On-One had a tool at a decent price.

Headset presses are useless if the adaptors they come with don’t fit your cups perfectly, so most of the time I just whack them in with a hammer and bit of wood as people have discussed. Yet to find anywhere selling press adaptors for modern headset standards at a sensible price.

If you’re anywhere down south A303/A350 I have the tools you need to remove and replace you headset.

wwaswas – Member
remove – large headed flat screwdriver and work your way around a bit at a time.

insert – block of wood, a big hammer and a small prayer

this ^^
but im an aetheist so ive never bothered praying and its always turnedf out fine = proof god doesnt exist?

ive also used the large threaded rod and big washers which is easier

I’ve got the proper tool to remove cups but have always used a big rubber mallet plus a bit of wood to install cups (old style external cups only mind you)

For something like an angle set that has to go in without twisting it probably actually the best way of doing it

Ive squeezed cups in with an Irwin hand clamp (the sort that you squeeze and it tightens).. Home made flared pipe to remove.

of course you could have an On-One frame, and find that your cups press in with hand power alone.

There’s no need to buy an expensive press

You can do it without one, but with a press it’s about as difficult as turning a door handle

I fitted my first one using the kitchen side board for support, the chopping board and a hammer. It worked a treat, dunno if I was just lucky or not?

I bought some overpriced thick washers off eBay to upgrade my headset press, they work perfectly.

I don’t think you can say you’ve earned your mechanicing stripes till you’ve removed and fitted a headset using a hammer.

Find something hard but soft to use for removal; I use an old set of alloy handle bars. These won’t damage the cups.

To fit the new cups; stick them in the freezer first for a bit. Apparently this makes the alloy contract, making fitting easier. Also, a sliver of grease can make them easier to knock in (if you’re struggling).

The headset press is a wusses way out; it was only invented for people who can’t use a hammer properly.

Easiest way I’ve found to fit them is to use the fork steerer as a press, proper bodge and may knacker bearings but I’ve managed it a few times using an old set of bearings (hope headset) and fork.
Just assemble everything as if the cups were pressed in, tighten down headset top cap bolt so that the cups are lined up and crank away on the top bolt, I got the cups around a third of the way in easily then tapped away with a hammer and block of wood to get them fully seated, it worked suprisingly easily the few times I’ve done it but as I said it may well knacker your bearings etc if the cups are a really tight fit

As above, never used a ‘proper’ tool for headset or BMX BB ever in 20+ years.

can’t beat a bit of 4×2 and a lump hammer.

I guess if you’d just forked out a few grand on a frame I might get a proper tool though 🙂

Guy in this video makes his own press from washers nuts and threaded rod and demonstrates it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGfvO-ztoT4

He also makes a headset remover from a spare piece of pipe using a hacksaw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkY879pMafE

If you want to go down buying the proper tools route a cheap headset cup remover is £10 from Evans or Wiggle, and a headset press is £30 from Planet X or On One.

I bought a proper removal tool as its easy to damage it with something else.

But installing headsets I’ve always just used a bit of assembly paste and a rubber mallet. take your time. keeping it straight. no problems.

I’ve also used a massive vice with retrofitted wooden jaw plates. that was super easy.

A claw hammer is invaluable to bike maintanance.

Buy the tool. I bought a crown race setting tool, press and cup remover for about £80. In ten years paid for itself 3 times+ I reckon just used by me and relatives.

Did one last week. I Removed the old cups by knocking out from the inside (working around methodically} using a hammer and a drift made from 10/12mm steel cylinder.
The head tube on the bike, which is a Pinnacle Ramin, was really badly machined on the inside with ridges which prevented the new Hope headset from going in. I had to buy some of those tiny grinding tools which fit into the end of a drill and dress the inside of the head tube until it was nice and smooth. Then bashed the new cups in using a hammer and wood. All done very carefully to avoid writing the frame off !
Good Luck !

There are so many cheap tools out there now, especially the Lifeline stuff from Wiggle. I was researching crown race installation a while back – as I wanted to avoid shelling any money out – and came across this video of a ‘ghetto’ job. I was bored and watched it all the way through: near the very end you can see that a piece of paint has come of the fork crown… what an idiot. Bodging it ‘can’ work but sometimes it doesn’t; are you willing to take that risk?

The headset press is a wusses way out; it was only invented for people who can’t use a hammer properly.

Chortle!
I had a mate who was an engineer (worked in the science dept at Durham Uni) he made parts for students who were working on projects for Rolls Royce & suchlike, He made himself a rocket tool & a headset press.

I am keen to learn to do as many spannering jobs myself if I can and replacing the headset is one of the last on the list
Commendable.

My best advice, buy a headset press. I did the ‘bodge’ insertion method for years and it generally works fine, occasionally it just doesnt work and causes damage to either the cups, or the headtube.

I bought a 2nd hand press for around £12 and its been used dozens of times since – and presses those cups in like a finely lubricated charm.

PVC tubing / copper tubing split to look like removal tube above would probably work admirably for a cheap removal option. Again, I used a flat blade screwdriver for years – and as a result damaged numerous cups. Mainly aesthetic damage to the lip, but still, looks half arsed, becasue it is.
You can buy the proper tool for what, £10

2 great tools to own that will last a life time and pay for themselves after a couple of uses.

Totally agree.

I’d just gage hammer and a block of wood system for a long time although it always felt wrong belting a King headset to get it in! A few years ago a bought a press from Wiggle for £30 or so. It’s 11/8 but I’ve found that if you turn the bottom piece around it’ll work fine with a tapered headset. Sure it wouldn’t last long in a proper workshop but for hone use its great.

Still use a big screwdriver to get the cips out though!

I’ve fitted headsets with hammers, but it can be a right PITA. Plus you have to make sure it goes in straight.
I hammer fitted one and 10 years later the UPPER part of the headtube had a crack in it. Could be bad luck or cack handedness.

I have a sash clamp (think giant adjustable G clamp) which I use to press them in now…..