"mike anderson" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> Quoth Peter Cole ...
>
> >I'm not sure what you mean by "ball rings". I'm guessing ball bearings in a
> >"cage". If the frame & fork were not originally assembled together, then
> >perhaps you have a compatibility problem. The "headset" is the set of 2
> >bearings that the fork swivels on. The frame has "cups" pressed into the
top
> >and bottom of the "headtube". The fork has a "crown race" pressed on to the
> >"steer tube". You may have a mismatch between the crown race and bottom
cup.
> >You may also be putting one or both of the "ball rings" upside down. Just
> >guessing...
> >
>
> Thanks for helping.
>
> I guess that I did not describe my problem very well. What I meant
> with "ball rings" was indeed: the headset. I realize know that I might
> have get a new suspension fork which steerer better fits the head
> tube. I thought that there were standards so that you could use most
> forks with most head tubes ...
Yes, pretty much so. The current standard fork has a 1.125" steerer, some
older ones had 1". That may be your problem, or it may be that you have parts
from 2 different headsets, where the "crown race" pressed on the fork (is
actually part of -- and sold with -- the headset assembly) is not compatible
with the cups on the frame (perhaps part of a different headset). It may *not*
be that you need a new fork, it may be that you need a new headset. If your
frame and fork weren't originally mated, or you buy a new fork with a
different diameter, you'll need a new headset anyway. Cups and crown races
aren't interchangeable, even if the steer tube diameter is the same -- even if
the manufacturer is the same (speaking from experience here).
>
> Thanks again,
> mike
