So. I was fettling with my bike tonight and decided to "sort" the slightly loose headset. No problems or so I thought but I get the feeling that when I installed it I over tightened it so when I unscrewed it today it took out most of the headset. Part of the expander is left wedged in the steerer, part dropped down and the rest came out.
If I could get the expander out I think I could fix it with some GT85 and some patience but not had any luck. Anyone else had this and if so, how do I fix?
Not much to damage on the head doctor part, it's probably just the elastic band part that is wedged in.
Yes. But getting the little bastard out isn't working. I've bunged some GT85 down the hole and will see how that goes.
Use a wooden stick and knock it out from the bottom to the top
what craig said, stick, or tube or anything, and tap it out.
Actually it came out with a little GT85. Second problem is that the problem was caused by the top cap being over tightened into the top of the head doctor. That I really can't get out. Overnight soak in gt85?
Don't usually but I'm going to give it a bump
I'm envisioning a doomsday scenario where the GT85 causes the oring to swell and things get even worse.
Head Doctors are rubbish, but I'm still quite surprised you managed to overtighten it much without snapping the soft-as-cheese alu headbolt. Still I suspect the solution is blunt force from underneath, making sure it hasn't twisted in the steerer. Then, replace with a SFN (refit your Hope top cap if you like, they're very light and quite pretty)
Well the head doctor is out, I've got a knackered top-cap now, well not knackered but the top cap bolt is stuck into the head doctor.
Clamp the remainder of the hed doctor in some soft jaws and use plus gas or rostoff to break the chemical bond then go to work with the allen key.
Northwind, why are they rubbish? Only really need to be nipped up! More the user at fault!
LBS un****ed it for me and fitted a crown race on my road forks for free and then discounted the rest of my purchases. Quite happy with their service really. May well be the Luxembourg equivalent of Halfords but great service.
You'll never get the rubber "seal" (cough) to fit tightly enough because it is shit.
HTH
Worst case I have a SFN here anyway