So this is doing my head in. I’ve had an FSA Orbit MX headset (http://www.fullspeedahead.com/products/headsets/orbit-mx-threadless-headset/) in my bike for a few years and noticed some play. Can’t seem to find spare bearings so ordered a full replacement headset.

Duly swapped the old bearings out for the new bearings and reassembled. However there was still play in the headset when I rocked the bike back and forwards with the brakes on. Took it apart and double checked everything and it looked fine. To stop it knocking I had to tighten the headset up silly tight so the steering is stiff.

In the end I took it out for a ride over the weekend as the weather was so nice. So before I bin it off as a bad job and replace the whole headset including cups any words of wisdom?

To be clear it all looks to be assembled OK, there’s enough clearance between the top of the steerer tube and the stem, hence being able to do it up silly tight.

Ta.

Are the replacement bearings designed for a crown race with a different chamfer on it?

did you replace everything bar the cups or just the bearings?

Sure the bearings are in the right way up?

Normally I’d be looking at spacers but if you are getting it so tight that the steering stiffens up its probably not that. Its not something other than the headset is it? On the wife’s commuter it has a slightly loose splined front disk and it feels exactly like a loose headset when doing the rock test.

Thanks all,

Yep bearings are the correct way round i.e. the tapered side goes against the matching taper on the cup. I also sized them up against the original bearings and they’re the same. Bearing numbers also support this. I used the existing crown race as it looked fine but everything else seals, upper race etc have been replaced. As a point of reference I dropped the old parts in with the new bearings. May try the old bearings as well i.e. revert everything back to the original parts.

I can feel the movement if I wrap by hand around the top of the headset/stem interface so it’s definitely not anything else on the bike. Also confirmed by rotating wheel to 90 degrees and rocking.

I know it’s stating the obvious, and you’re doing the right thing to work out the issue, but it can only be parts incompatibility, incorrect build procedure, or a missing part. You’re not doing something daft like trying to tighten the headcap when the stem isn’t loose? (we’ve all done it)

Nope stem is loose when tightening the cap. As you say it’s got to be me doing something stupid or the parts are incompatible. Unfortunately I can’t work out which combination of the two it is. Grrrr.

knock out the old cups and use everything from the new one

The SFN hasnt slipped letting the top cap bottom out on the steerer tube when you’re tightening it up has it?

Not much use but this happened to me. Couldn’t find replacement bearings so ordered the exact same headset new, fitted new bearings and still had play, could never figure it out.

Never had an issue with headsets before so I was positive it wasn’t anything I’d done.

Check the sfn isn’t broken – I just had to replace one after repeatedly having my headset work loose.

I’ve just given mine a clean and had the same problem. I’d put the seals in the wrong way round.

*slopes off to check seals of the mx fitted yesterday and was wibbling post ride*

Are there any shims to fit between the top split ring and the top cover? You could be bottoming out the top cover on the top cup before the ring preloads the bearings. Hope and various other headests have then so you can adjust the clearance (lip seal on hope) to limit dirt but stop dragging.

Is the steerer tube on the fork worn where the bearings meet?

Its not a Chris King headset.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will double check the seals and swap the headset cups over if that doesn’t cure it.

Unfortunately I can’t justify dropping a £125 headset into a £170 frame 🙂

nowt wrong with an FSA Orbit, for the money they’re superb

Noooooo, was suggesting that the Chris King headset had scored the steerer, not that you should get one!

You’re putting new bearings into worn cups. Have you considered that the bearings may not be mating to the cups bearing surface very well?

Right sorted it for those that are interested it was me being a Muppet, no surprises. The seals on the headset were a U shaped profile. I thought the open face (top of the u) faced in towards the bearings. Turns out I was wrong and it’s the flat face (bottom of the u) that faces in towards the bearing.

edit: thanks for the suggestions BTW