Struggling to get a -2° angleset to stay play free

On the sucking eggs end of things but.. are you turning the bars 90 degrees when you do the rock test? (I.e. it's not just the pads moving in the caliper)

No its not pads in caliper. You can feel the steerer moving back and forth in the top cup bearing. Most annoying.

I think i shall reinstall the old normal headset. Ive used works angleset before and its been great. In this application i just cant make it work.

Could it be that the star nut in the steerer tube is not wedged tightly in place, so when you tighten down the top cap bolt, rather than pull the headset tight, the starnut is sliding up the steerer?

Might be worth fitting a new star nut and seeing how it is?

You have got both cups in the right way around, yes?

there is sufficient spacer above the steerer that the top can apply compression

How much space?

If you can squeeze an extra 5mm of spacer in there (e.g. swap a 5mm for a 10mm) then give it a go.

Just from a troubleshooting POV, that would be my first port of call.

You've got free space above the steerer?

As above - certainly worth a try before taking it off.

You did swap the crown race I assume?

I would double check that everything is fitted correctly first and ensure that there is enough space to tighten the top cap down.

Assuming that's all ok, could it be out of alignment? I'm assuming it's a headset where you have to specify the length of your head tube, perhaps yours is the wrong headset for the headtube and so is slightly out of alignment and not allowing the wedge to seat correctly

I’m assuming it’s a headset where you have to specify the length of your head tube, perhaps yours is the wrong headset for the headtube and so is slightly out of alignment and not allowing the wedge to seat correctly

I contacted Works when I wanted to move a headset to a frame with a longer headtube. He said it'd be totally fine as the tolerance was much broader than stated. And it was totally fine.

I'm not saying it's definitely not that, just that it's probably not.

I had a Works headset that was either loose or binding.
Couldn't get the tension just right.
Removed and re fitted the cups and it was fine.
Can only assume they weren't lined up perectly with each other.

Things I'd check.
Crown race seated and the right way round. Also make sure it's the right one.
Bearings fitted the correct way in the cups.
Compression ring fitted the correct way round.
That the top cap is actually compressing the compression ring without catching on the outer edge first. (Hope headsets come with shims to adjust this distance)
That there's enough room between the top spacer and top of the fork.
That the bolt isn't bottoming out on the treads in the starnut before it's got enough tension.
Then failing all that check the cups are lined up correctly with each other and in correct orientation.

Ok guys, quick update.

I checked lots of assembly steps as detailed above by SSS and others. I then put in a new SFK and it tightened up. There must have been some creep with the SFK in the steerer, that was preventing it tightening up.

So a quick ride around the cul de sac and it seems great.

I have a happy daughter, so im sending my thanks!

Ian

A brief update to this. The bike worked fine in Morzine. It really was just that the SFN was creeping up the inside of the steerer as i tried to take the play out of the headset.
I pushed it all the way down the steerer and installed another one and that allowed me to tighten it up properly.

So the 26" Remedy went from a 150mm 26" fork, to -2° headset, and a pr of 160mm 650b Pikes and the 26" wheel. My daughter thought it handled brilliantly and she had a top time.

26aintdead