and rotate it by hand when in situ, it’s not a good thing. right?

any options? or is head tube replacement in order? (steel frame)

sounds alright to me?

Use a deep insertion headset and / or fit it with locktite bearing fit.

I wouldn’t run it long with it looses – ovaled headtube could be the result

currently using King headset and keen to keep it ideally. headtube doesn’t appear oval, yet..
I haven’t heard it creek either. I’ll continue to run it and if things get worse then consider a new headtube as I love the frame.

+1 for what tandemjeremy said would check that the headtube is not deformed though easy to do with veriner caliper using the internal measuring blades on one failing that good quality steel rule and a good eye good luck hope it is just poor tolerences not deformed headtube 😕

I’m sure Chris King used to do a range of slightly oversized headsets for just this sort of issue. other companies might as well

King headsets are the smallest diameter headsets I’ve ever seen. Within tolerance for JIS standards, but at the slim end of the standard.
I think this is to allow the bearings to run freely.

I would fit with Loctite bearing fit.

great, thanks guys

Same experience fitting a King recently – was able to press it in by hand. Was stood there, hammer in hand, all disappointed.

Shim with aluminium can, an extra few minutes work dicing a can up to suit.

shim a headset? are you serious?

No brakes, you should spend money rather than using common engineering sense. 🙄

I wouldn’t shim it.
Shimming with coke can increases diameter by about 0.1mm. Thats actually quite a lot.
A smooth non rattly push fit, assisted by bearing fit will be lovely.
Uneven shimming, by just sticking coke can around half the diameter will make it sit off centre, which won’t really be a great idea.

recently removed an old King and fitted a newish, but different, King and could push it in by hand, just. It was tight enough not to rotate, so I left it like that. Did suprise me a bit.

duck tape?

if you die i cant be held accountable.

christ i wish. spent most of yesterday installing a headset (Works components angle jobby). so tight was worried about cracking the headtube. i’ve probably stretched it now.
how do headtubes get loose, by changing headsets too much or riding hard?

if you shim, use something very thin. tape won’t stay in place so not sure. maybe coating in some kind of varnish? i would think a loose headset is danger of ovalising headtube.

new headtube? no, a different headset much easier. i can recommend Works for tight ones 🙂 anything with greater insert depth might help

The easiest and most simple thin ‘shim’ is to spray the inside of the frame with an aerosol. Put the headset in place and as long as you aren’t moving the thing it should last. Works on alu hoover pipes from experience, so should work here.

Plumbers PTFE is thin enough as a “shim” that you should get a nice, even fit.

Listen to Brant, use loctite stud n bearing fit.

Uneven shimming, by just sticking coke can around half the diameter will make it sit off centre, which won’t really be a great idea.

shows what you know, do it right and you’ve got an instant angleset – sorted! 8)

as it happens, the frame in question is one of Brants finest (IMO).

Very keen to try this loctite bearing solution. I notice there are two different ‘model’ numbers for bearing fit , 241 and 540 or something.. is there a preferred choice?